we've always loved the master mx-5 but there's no hiding the facts it was a bit down on power
the 2-liter version was quicker than the 1.5 but it didn't Trevor's hard or sound
as good either now though the Japanese manufacturer has granted our wishes with
a significant upgrade its 2-liter engine now produces more power at a higher more
exciting redline best of all mazda has managed this without adding a turbo so
you still got those lovely zingy the zesty responses it is now the ultimate roadster
a sports car and a bunch of manages to extract even more power from a 2 liter engine and they
cram it into a car that weighs up as much as the master mx-5 this actually has imagine hogs
of a ratio but of course 911 gt3rs a car that costs five times as much I reckon if
you went past one of them on a track day in a car like this you've got really good about
all right right yeah yeah I mean no rush don't talk about yourself sick better hurry yourself
it's fine right so what is that then it's a Caterham 7 for 20 all right well master has
had 30 years to perfect the mx-5 that Mazda can beat small is that British small British sports
car Mary yes Kate and perfected the formula and have done nothing to it since right I'm
gonna prove this is better come for a drive James tell me what is new about this 2019 Mazda mx-5
well master has listened to public opinion they've given the mx-5 more power so up from
168 horsepower to 184 you can really off feel it as well yes there's also a few hundred rpm
extra so you get that bit more enjoyment at the engine and a top end as well and it's something
that you told people were like there's a reach adjustable steering wheel so no longer does it
just go up and down it also comes towards you and away from you as well it is very handy thing is
though you only need that because your wheel is so enormous this is what sports car wheels
a bit like tiny and with no buttons on it is that your wheel yeah it comes out because otherwise you
could just push it away there's no door locks on it right okay that's not normal but anyway
I forgot to mention as well in all 62 time has gone down to 6.5 seconds which is about 0.8 of
a second faster than it was before it was still rubbish there is an earth in the Caterham it's
3.8 seconds I think I think you just need to experience an a let's go back and swap cars
laughter it's a bit basic in here oh it's a sports car joke just buy everything it needs
amazing steering fantastic and wing what more do you want I mean I tell you what I've got the
spec sheet here for the master and it's called equipment on it and I'll tell you what you can
tell me if you've got the equipment the Masters gone I start with rear parking sensors no I've got
those automatic lights wipers those keyless entry ohso off because I've got a door locks a Bose
stereo intercedes only few we yourself bill Stein dampers don't think so yeah bill stone you okay
you haven't even got a record how do you I mean I mean there's a heater but you there's only really
two settings rear there's often there's hot so not really a conditioning but although these things
that wait that's the problem in a sports car like this because that makes it less but that's why
this car is so much fun to drive because it hasn't got all the necessary stuff didn't even tell you
all the timers for that's your oil pressure look I'll just go right now I'm now wild kratts County
isn't gonna be the main concern for most roads to users it does come in handy if you want to drive
the car every day so the mx-5 has 127 litres of boot space which is a surprisingly deep space back
there actually as well come around the front not much the door pockets but there is a place under
the armrest don't you know what you can put in there those bits shallow you could certainly put
your phone up there by the gear lever there's a cubby hole behind the front seats back there
and there's also two rather neatly integrated cupholders as well Charlie good now I'm not
making excuses but it should be fairly plain to see that Caterham has not designed this car
to be a kind of everyday practical commuter but if you get into that mindset you might actually
be quite surprised how much space there is once you remove this typically lightweight boot loads
which obviously has a pop of mechanism to save you from more weight get that out of the way put it
in your garage or in your passenger seat presume passenger there's a decent beat in there I don't
think it's quite as big as the mx-5s but you're gonna get a couple of bags of shopping you know
if you need to obviously the doors being these kind of lightweight items the windows don't go
down and there's no door pockets in there but if you open nice and wide which helps you get
in and out of the car and in fact if practicality and access is an issue they do also kind of come
off pretty easily as well although well I do feel the catering pulls ahead of the mx-5 slightly is
with the carbon ergonomics everything is within kind of a fingers reach to the steering wheel you
don't have to reach too far which is good because this car is an r-spec model which means that you
get four point raised harnesses which kind of pin you so tight to the seat you can't move anyway
it's a bit boring this isn't it practicality on a sports car twin test it is a bit yeah perhaps
see a race yes okay good we're gonna vary this a little bit though so Adam this is a drag race with
a difference we're going to fire off down the runway as usual but before we do that we must
put the cars roofs back up whoa what do mean what it's it's a great test it'll show practicality and
speed as well ready no no good ok ready 3 2 1 go don't get out even right you can't do my roof from
inside the car lot you can with James's annoyingly God he's already started up here yeah right it's
probably worth playing out of this states that my reef really is more of an occasional item it's not
really for everyday use in case it's actually chopped via time a train that means it takes
for goodness sake Oh No bye all right you know I could probably go again and still finish before
you've even started this is a stupid idea you're only doing this because you know how much faster
my car is than yours pretty much yeah now it be doing the Caterham a massive disservice to
spend this entire video focusing on the Masters day-to-day usability without showing off the
seven strongest attribute and that's the way it drives the steering is so direct and Telegraph's
what the front wheels are doing straight into your palms because you can see the front wheels clearly
you can place it so accurately and the grip from the front end inspires massive confidence while
the seating position essentially on the back axle means you always know when to get back on
the power and what a lot of power there is 210 horsepower in this model which translates into
frankly mind-boggling pace Plus this 2-liter model has plenty of lowdown torque to lean on
so you can wring it out but you don't need to it's a sensational car to drive in short
unlike anything else available and frankly a performance bargain at just over 30,000 pound
now obviously this isn't the most serious twin test in the world because if you're in
the market for something like a Mazda mx-5 it's unlike you'll be looking at something quite so
focused as a Caterham 7 however James if you had to pick which car if I had to pick just one car
it would be the master mx-5 it's much improved over the previous facelift one that adjustable
steering wheel and the extra power makes it an even more attractive proposition and it offers
85% of the thrills that you get from this case room without any other drawbacks really that's
a brilliant package I don't disagree with you but for me this car offers 100% of the throws
now and if I needed something more practical I would perhaps leave it in the garage and buy a
500 pound golf to run around and quite frankly because I just need to get more of the thrills
that this Caterham delivers every time you drive it it's a proper event so while I really respect
me I'm x5 and I think it is a much better car now it's been improved it's got to be
one of these in bright green with a big stripe down the middle any day of the week for me I'm
afraid all right fair enough well there you go a proper Parker's verdict so now if you
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