The briefing for Mazda designers left no doubt: "Remain true to the basic design principles of the third-generation MX-5, while creating a new roadster coupe with its own, exciting identity."

The third-generation MX-5 further enhanced the design of Mazda's roadster icon. For the new Roadster Coupe, this same silhouette with a low, flowing shoulder line, was retained. The same goes for the car's overall proportions, with slight changes undertaken at the rear of the car. It is here that many coupes with power retractable hard top roofs gain in size, resulting in a significant rear overhang.

In contrast to this common design issue, the MX-5 Roadster Coupe's proportions are harmonious. This was achieved with a design that emphasizes the MX-5 Roadster Coupe's open-top character. In essence, the MX-5 Roadster Coupe's design starting point was the Mazda MX-5 soft top, not a redesigned coupe. The windshield, entire front end, small quarter windows, beltline and other elements of the Roadster Coupe's front and side panels are carried over from the soft top model.

Only the back of the new MX-5 Roadster Coupe, where the Power Retractable Hard Top is stowed, were slight, but subtle changes necessary in the area of the rear fenders and the rear deck. For example, the front edge of the rear deck lid is 40 mm higher than the soft top at this location. In order to realize a flowing, harmonious form at the back, designers raised the trailing edge of the boot lid by about 20 mm. The result: the rear end of the MX-5 Roadster Coupe falls softly, rather than abruptly. Nonetheless, the overall design seems more tapered and solid-looking compared to the soft top model.

Visual Balance Achieved by More Prominent Wheel Arches
The higher rear end does not diminish MX-5 Roadster Coupe's low, sports car road stance, because designers employed more prominently contoured rear wheel arches for visual balance. These contribute to the impression of power and make the Roadster Coupe seem to crouch on the road.

Innovative Power Retractable Hard Top
Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe's power retractable hard top delivers packaging ingenuity. It retracts into such a compact space that, with the top down, the 150-litre boot volume of the soft top remains untouched.

Like the soft top MX-5, the driver must first release the centre lock located in the middle of the front roof section.

Two Buttons on the Centre Stack Operate the Hard Top
Changes to the interior are few with the addition of two buttons designed to open and close the retractable hard top, each are located on either side of the hazard-warning button in the upper section of the dashboard centre stack. There is also an indicator lamp that illuminates to warn the driver if the roof does not completely lock into place upon closing. The full 12 second open or close cycle is accompanied by a beep to let the driver know that the roof mechanism has finished. This manoeuvre has to be done while the car is standing still.

The retractable hard top was developed in-house by Mazda with the help of Webasto Japan and consists of three moving sections and the rear deck cover, which is also a moving element.

A total of four roof motors - two on each side of the vehicle - facilitate the electro-hydraulic metamorphosis of the car from coupe to open-top roadster and back again. Before opening or closing the hard top, the windows (if in the up position) are automatically lowered by approximately 100 mm to make sure there is enough room for the roof to fold back unimpeded.

Innovative Plastic Composite Material used for the Hard Top
In its efforts to keep additional weight for the hard top version as low as possible, Mazda used two different kinds of materials, sheet moulding compound (SMC) for the outer panels and glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (GFPP) for the inner panels of the retractable roof.

SMC material is a fibre/plastic composite material with high rigidity and heat resistance and, to the joy of the designers, is easily formable into shapes that would never be possible with steel or aluminium. And SMC's smooth surface structure gives an excellent paint finish, which contributes to high levels of build quality and craftsmanship. GFPP combines the virtues of low weight and high strength. This material allowed the inner panels to have a dimpled surface, which looks so good it doesn't need to be painted. For these reasons, Mazda engineers could do without a moulded roof liner - the combination of SMC and GFPP makes the MX-5 Roadster Coupe's hard top just 20 mm thick.

The Power Retractable Hard Top Weighs just 18 kg more than the Soft Top
These materials also ensure that the hard top structure is light and compact. The roof itself (not including rear deck cover) weighs only 18 kg more than the soft top of the Mazda MX-5.

Using plastic material for the lightweight hard top gave designers freedom to create the right shape. Its glass window with a printed heating element could be made larger than that of the soft top MX-5 to ensure a good rear view. When the top is closed, the MX-5 Roadster Coupe is only 10 mm higher than the soft top model; while width, length, wheelbase and track remain identical.

Another goal of development was to make the hard top as compact and stylish as possible. Its tautly curved shape makes the passenger compartment seem compact. To prevent the roof from seeming too upright, relatively slim B-pillar designs were employed. Added to this is a contoured edge on both sides of the roof, which optically unifies the front and middle sections of the roof.

The powered hard top also cuts cabin noise on the highway and reduces unwanted traffic noise seeping into the cabin during city driving.

High-Mounted Brake Light with a White instead of Red Lens
A new design accent is created by the MX-5 Roadster Coupe's high-mount brake light. It is placed further forward than that of the soft top model, is thinner and uses a white lens instead of a red one. The rear combination lights and rear bumper are identical with those of the soft top version.

The new Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe will be offered with seven exterior colours, including two all new colours - Stormy Blue Mica and Highland Green Mica. These new colours deliver exciting contrasts in different light conditions.

These new colours are also available on the soft top models.

The new Roadster Coupe will be offered with leather trim which is available in black or saddle tan.

Premium Technology - iPod-Compatible Audio System
A new iPod accessory is also available in the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe, which is a world first for an volume-selling car manufacturer. The system is able to play MP3 music files from an iPod using the normal audio controls of the car. For installing the iPod, there is a special jack on the passenger side in the glove compartment.

This feature is also available on soft top MX-5 models.