Is the NC really the barge of the family?

[Guran]

So the NC gets a bit of a rep for being the "barge" of the MX-5 family.

At the supersprint on Sunday, we sweet talked the chief scrutineer into letting us put several MX-5s on the weighbridge in their "race trim" (typically with up to half a tank of fuel). The results were enlightening and quite surprising:

Dave's NB8A 1031kg (road registered, modified, seriously stripped)
David's NB8A 1052kg (race car, modified, stripped & caged)
Russ' NB Coupe 1078kg (road registered, lightly modified for "Clubman" class)
Dan's NC 1086kg (road registered, modified & stripped, aftermarket rollbar)
Ralph's NC 1088kg (road registered, modified & stripped)
Mike's NB8A 1099kg (road registered, modified, rollbar)
Bryan's NC 1105kg (road registered, stock except for raceseat)
Gus' NB8B 1112kg (road registered, modified, rollbar)
Keith's NB8B 1112kg (road registered, stock except for raceseat & rollbar)
Luke's NBSE 1123kg (road registered, modified, rollbar)

I was shocked to find that my stock NC is 7kg lighter than a stock NB8B. The rollbar on the NB accounts for about 20-25kg of that difference, of course, but I was expecting the NC would be considerably heavier. Interesting.

[manga_blue]

They're all barges. You should have weighed some NAs!

[Lokiel]

I thought it has more to do with aesthetics than anything (apart from maybe the listed unmodified factory weight, up to the NC, MX5s kept gaining weight) - the NC just looks like "The Fat Boy" of the MX5s.

[Dweezle]

Funny isnt it.

Ive wondered if a SE would be heavier than a NC.
Looks like it could be

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[bruce]

Way too many variables for a useful comparison.

[david_syd_au]

According to this Australian road test from 2005, the NC weight was 1105 kg (mmm ... suspiciously identical to your car Bryan!)
http://www.mynrma.com.au/motoring-services/reviews/car-reviews/mazda/mx-5-driver-impression.htm

while the SE with air-con is listed as 1152 kg here
http://www.mx5cartalk.com/SP_SE_Comparison/

[rascal]

Dave's NB8A 1031kg (road registered, modified, seriously stripped)

Hmm, this seems heavy for a seriously stripped NB8A... unless its packing a serious 12pt cage, and running 15x10 with 245s..

My NB8A which is road registered, 4pt half cage, and not stripped (still has full interior (ie carpets, underlay,full dash, full underdash) as well as air con and power steering, just has lightweight pass seat and steel sparco sprint V driver seat on 15kg wheels/tyres is 1038kg with half a tank of juice.

[david_syd_au]

They're all barges. You should have weighed some NAs!

According to you sig, yours is mostly NB anyway!

[madjak]

If you align the models of MX5 with versions of windows by actual dates and from an IT professional's perspective you get:

NA = Windows NT - high performance, trim & light, Everything was square and simple with basically very little GUI
NB = Windows 2000 - the Bloat started, still performed ok but most IT guys looked back fondly to NT where things were simpler
NB SP = Windows XP - Finally a decent OS! Why didn't they make it like this in the first place?
NC = Windows Vista - Bloat excelled, still an OK OS but everything had rounded corners and was more 'pretty' than functional. Most of the IT guys avoided this one.
ND = Windows 10 - Reworked from scratch to be lean and trim again. The rounded softer GIU was mostly removed and replaced with a more modern look.

[Okibi]

Mazda did a lot to reduce the weight of the NC (including developing some new technique to bond steal and aluminium), don't let those child bearing hips fool you.

A stock NC with it's bigger engine and better suspension should be quicker than a stock SE with its asthmatic turbo and older chassis.

[Imos]

Flame away people, the link provided goes some way to disproving the "barge ass" perceptions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOg8a153Nk4
I'd gladly trade both of my MX's,(modded SE and NA8),for a bog stock '07 roadster.

[Luke]

My SE would probably be a bit heavier if it were standard with the roll bar fitted than 1123 kg. It had 1/3 of a tank on the gauge when weighed.
Oh and yes I do have Air conditioning in mine as well.

I have probably taken more weight out then added based on this list.

I have a much lighter stainless exhaust than the standard steel item.
No Rear sway bar and end links.
The coil overs are lighter than stock.
The Sparco seat is definitely lighter.
Smaller lighter battery.

I have added some weight, right up front of course.
Relocate oil filter and larger intercooler.

I would concur with people saying a standard NC would be quicker than a SE.
I only ever ran my SE standard once at Oran Park and it was a lethargic vacuum cleaner. Hence the first thing done to it being the exhaust.

I have had both cars at Wakefield Park with Kumho Ku36 and my SE was just a bit less than 1s faster a lap with mods as listed below.
NC: 1'12.84 Kumho KU36 215/45/17, Brakes Front Carbotech AX6 Rear Carbotech 1521.
SE: 1:11.99 Kumho KU36 215/45/16, Brakes Front and Rear Hawk Blue, Plus Intercooler and Exhaust.
I am pretty confident to say if the SE was standard it would be slower around a track as those 2 mods give a bit more than 20kw on a SE.
The SE handling is worse despite the standard springs almost being double the spring rate of the NC. 3.8/2.8kg/mm vs 2.0/1.5kg/mm.
You can definitely feel the chassis is much stiffer in the NC on track.

[lightyear]

All overweight. My NB8B with SE cast manifold, turbo, largish intercooler, big radiator, ducting, rollbar, full interior minus pasenger seat (race seat in drivers side is 9kg). Carbon fibre fastback roof and boot. 1/3 tank of fuel. Weighed 998kg. My old carbon fibre MX5 now has steel 1/4 panels all round. But I doubt it will weigh much more than 800kg in race trim.

[david_syd_au]

Oh dear, this will turn into a p*ssing contest.
Waiter, ... bring me some popcorn

[KevGoat]

Never given a rat's about any car's weight as long as I enjoy it.

I enjoy MX-5's for what they are, a cheap sport convertible and I wouldn't baulk at owning any of them ...