Mazda MX5 Sprint

[elanfan1]

What do you make of this then:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1989-MAZDA-MX-5-M ... 414b805c83

[Ross Robbins]

Although imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, the Lotus badge is pretty cheeky And the valve cover probably doesn't even leak properly!

[1964 S1]

Cheeky indeed and I love it. Maybe the Miata owners could start a club oriented towards Elan replicas..
Miatas are a ball to drive but they look like a fat short cigar to me.

[robcall]

[robertverhey]

Works for me....must be worth an extra 5mph around those corners!

[reb53]

There was an MX5 painted up in a similar paint scheme in my neighbourhood for a while and I would regularly get comments about the "other Lotus". And, once, the question as to whether or not my car had been copied from an MX5. Had to explain that the Lotus design was almost 30 years older.....

Only driven a couple of MX5s and had to wonder if the people who say they are like Elans have ever driven an Elan, ( properly). Just seemed to me to be another competent, easy to drive small Japanese car, albeit without a roof.
I thought for a long time what a good way to express the difference was and could only come up with one which expressed it completely. ( Sorry girls, this won't work for you...).

It is the difference between sex with a condom, and sex without.......

Cheers
Ralph.

[richgilb]

Probably a cheapish rust cover up?

[LoTex]

I am amazed someone would do this kind of thing. When I bought my 65 S2 in 1980 the previous owner had added Sprint colors and stripes. I had it repainted immediately- not that I don't like the Sprint look but it just didn't feel right.

[persiflage]

After a three and a half hour journey home (England + snow = chaos ) Ralphs observation made me chuckle

Given the Mazda and Elan reputations for reliability ...

Perhaps ...

Genuine Durex and a Chinese/Korean lookyliky counterfeit might be apt