Photos by John Grafman
There’s plenty to be thankful for this week, but Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) has added to that list by announcing that the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF has officially gone on sale in the U.S. The MX-5 RF arrives two months ahead of its originally announced timing due to shifts in the production schedule.
Dave Putter, the first customer to take delivery in the U.S., met with MNAO President and CEO Masahiro Moro onstage at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week to receive his keys ahead of taking home his MX-5 RF Launch Edition the following day. Putter was among the first customers to order one of the 1,000 MX-5 RF Launch Edition vehicles in October and is now the proud owner of his 16th Mazda and his eighth MX-5 Miata.
“Mazda is a unique and special car company that aims to do more than simply sell cars,” said Moro. “We want to build lifelong relationships with our customers and fans, providing them a fulfilling ownership experience they couldn’t get anywhere else.”
Putter’s MX-5 RF was air-freighted to Huntington Beach Mazda, where he took delivery. Approximately 500 additional MX-5 RFs will arrive nationwide beginning in early December, followed by wider-scale availability throughout the winter and spring.
The first-ever MX-5 RF gets its name from its exotic KODO design—”Retractable Fastback”—in which its power-operated top can deploy from closed to open or vice versa in a mere 13 seconds. Complementing the World Car of the Year-winning MX-5 roadster, MX-5 RF satisfies the open-air experience of the soft top model but with a vastly different, coupe-like design and premium accoutrements. It comes powered by a free-revving, 2.0-liter SKYACTIV-G engine, paired with either a SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, sending power to the rear wheels.
Available exclusively in MX-5 RF Club and Grand Touring trim levels and starting from an MSRP of $31,5551, the hardtop MX-5 adds a 4.6-inch TFT color gauge display in addition to its folding roof. It is also the only MX-5 variant available with the liquid-metal-like Machine Gray Metallic paint.
MX-5 RF Launch Edition is based on the Grand Touring model and comes finished exclusively in Machine Gray. It is the only U.S.-bound MX-5 model to have Auburn Nappa leather and a hand-painted black top for the 2017 model year.
Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com.
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