Man Maths: Mazda MX-5 (ND2)

But the 2.0 wasn’t a sports car engine. Its 158bhp output was modest and, more problematic, the thing wouldn’t spin much higher than 6500rpm. It was a strangled, constricted sort of engine, not the peaky, rev-happy motor you’d expect in a small and lightweight roadster.

And Mazda’s engineers knew it. Which is why in time for the 2018 facelift, they went to town on it, fitting lighter pistons and conrods, higher-pressure fuel injectors, lumpier cams and reworked intake ports. Those upgrades allowed it to spin out to 7500rpm, producing peak power and torque outputs of 179bhp and 151lb ft along the way. That torque arrived slightly lower in the rev range, too, making this both a brawnier engine and a peakier one. Win win.

Importantly, the engine’s character was transformed, and with it the entire MX-5 driving experience. I remember testing it on the UK launch in Northern Ireland in September 2018, concluding that you really didn’t need any more sports car than this. Its gearshift, chassis and steering were just about flawless too, making the ND2 MX-5, as it’s known, one of the most enjoyable real-world cars on sale. I loved its balance, how easily you could kick it around on the throttle, and the expressive movement of the body in corners that made the car feel alive in your hands.

It would have been just about perfect… if only I could fit inside. At 6ft tall I’m no giant, and all I really needed was another inch or so of rearward movement in the seat. As it was, I sat inside that MX-5 feeling just a bit too squashed in. Same with the folding hardtop RF model that we had in for our all-generations MX-5 group test last year, which you can read here.

That aside, is it really the best MX-5? I think so. The thing about the Mazda roadster is that, unlike just about every other car on sale, it hasn’t bloated over the years. The current one is actually shorter than the 36-year-old original. Inevitably it is heavier, though not by much, and it remains a truly lightweight car. So you have all the most important physical attributes of a great MX-5, plus that engine and all the safety, convenience and reliability of a modern car. Hence it’s the best.

Several years after its launch, I was hoping to see used values had plummeted to the low teens. Not so. You will still need to spend at least £17,500 for an early example, meaning these cars have retained more than half their value over seven years. Quite remarkable – but fully deserved, too. Thank you, America.

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