According to the record-keepers at the Guinness Book of World Records, Mazda’s Miata, also known as the MX-5, is the most popular two-seat convertible sports car in the world, with more than a million vehicles sold since it was introduced in 1989 as a 1990 model.

For 28 years, the MX-5 Miata, built by Mazda in Japan, has offered sports car enthusiasts a pure, simple, fun-focused aggressively priced roadster, and following last year’s all-new, fourth-generation MX-5, Miata has added even more fun to the mix in 2017, with the new MX-5 Miata RF for 2017. “RF” stands for “Retractable Fastback,” which refers to this model’s power-folding hardtop. And a new “Machine Gray” paint color option is new and exclusive to the RF model.

What used to be referred to as the Miata, and simplified to an alpha-numeric MX-5, is now often called the Mazda Roadster. This year’s Roadster is the sixth model in Mazda's line-up of new-generation vehicles that feature the full range of SKYACTIV Technology and “KODO-Soul of Motion” design. Originally designed with a feeling and cues borrowed from the Lotus Elan, Miata developed this lightweight two-seat rear-wheel drive sports car with a goal of delivering pure “Jinba-ittai” driving fun, and development engineers designed MX-5 to appeal, on deeper level, “to the senses and the sensations through which people enjoy cars”.

For the 2017 model year, Mazda adds the power-folding hardtop, which is unlike the previous power-folding hardtop that closely mimicked the design of the standard manual-folding soft-top. The 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF features a new roof design with flying buttress elements behind the seats which remain even when the roof is open. The roof section immediately above the passengers folds and stows below the buttresses, which lift temporarily out of the way. The glass rear window between the buttresses rolls down to give a more open-air feel and the entire power-folding roof mechanism occupies the same space as the standard manual-folding soft-top, so there’s no loss of trunk space.

Originally designed with the demeanor and cues borrowed from the Lotus Elan, Miata remains an iconic two-seater that represents Mazda’s vehicle engineering philosophy: “the pursuit of driving pleasure”. The current design adds another Mazda motto: “innovate in order to preserve,” by incorporating SKYACTIV Technology, “KODO -- Soul of Motion” design, a 7-inch touchscreen, and a more sculpted, elegant, refined, sleek and powerful personality throughout the exterior, while ridding itself of its old “smiley face” grille. And the base Mazda, in its three trims, is packed with standard amenities.

In the second year of its fourth-generation, MX-5 remains 154.1 inches long, 68.3 inches wide and 48.6 inches high, on a 90.9-inch wheelbase. And it continues to be light at 2429 pounds (for my test model, and some trims go as low as 2335 pounds).

Inside, headroom remains the same as last year, at 37.4 inches, as does legroom at 43.1 inches. Shoulder continues to be 52.2 inches.

MX-5 power comes from a 2.0.-liter DOHC 16-valve in-line 4 VVT multi-port electronic fuel injection engine, coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission. The system hums out 155hp and 148 lbs.-ft. of torque, enabling the lightweight 2429-lb. Miata to dash from zero to 60mph in 6.5 seconds during my track tests, with the quarter-mile accomplished in 15 seconds-flat.

The system is EPA rated at 27mpg in city driving and 34mpg on the highway, and my week of open-air tests came in at a pedal-mashing, high-speed-jaunt average of 30.0mpg.

On the road, the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata was balanced, though quick auto-cross turns exhibited some exciting-to-compensate-for body roll. The suspension allows you feel the road beneath you for full driver engagement.

The 2017 Mazda MX-5 comes in three trims – Sport, Club and Grand Touring.
Sport bases at $24,915 for a manual transmission and 26,395 for automatic. The Club goes $28,800 for manual and $29,530 for automatic and the Grand Touring trim bumps up to $30,065 for manual and $31,270 for automatic. But I went with the RF with two trims offered, starting with the Club in manual at $31,555 (automatic at $32,285) and the Touring at $32,630/manual ($33,825/automatic).

Hey, automatic might be easier, but the manual is tons more fun to drive, and, come on, a roadster deserves to be manual with great feel for the road and more personal control. Without being overly dramatic, a roadster’s destiny could be in manual configuration … just saying.

My test MX-5 Miata RF Club in with a manual transmission came with a Jet Black Mica exterior matched to a black cloth with red stitching interior. Though the Soul Red Metallic exterior (a $300 option) is really sporty, the Jet Black was sexy and classy. The fun-to-drive manual saved $730 and several hundred pounds in weight by not going automatic. The Appearance Package ($800), with Side Sill Extensions and Black Rear Bumper Skirt was added, as were the Interior Lighting Kit ($350) with understated white accent lighting, all-weather floor mats ($90) and MX-5 logo door sill trim plates ($150). With a destination fee of $875, my test MX-5 Miata RF stickered at $34,700.

Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

The Corvette community is a tight-knit one, with owners and enthusiasts of varying ages and backgrounds frequently coming together to celebrate America’s Sports Car, the Corvette. It happens every August at Corvettes at Carlisle, it happens each summer in Indiana as part of Bloomington Gold, each November in Chicago as part of the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals and at countless other large-scale events across the country. With the Corvette being so popular and Carlisle being the Mecca for many enthusiasts, its only fitting that the 9th annual Corvettes for Chip Car show takes place for the first time where Chip Miller launched the Corvette car show craze, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Corvettes for Chip takes place on Sunday, November 5 at the Carlisle Expo Center. Registration commences at 8:30 a.m. and the fun runs through the 2 p.m. awards ceremonies. Located at 100 K St., the facility is mere blocks from the massive Carlisle PA Fairgrounds. With 30,000 square feet of indoor space and even more outdoors, the Carlisle Expo Center will celebrate the hobby and the man, all while raising awareness and funds for the Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation.

Backed by the York County Corvette Club, Corvettes for Chip features a mid-day engine rev, dozens of Corvettes, a Toys for Tots toy drive, silent auction with amazing prizes available, a bake sale and more. Plus, with space indoors and out, there will be Corvette themed vendors set up too.

Indoor space to show a Corvette is sold out, though some vending space indoors remains. Overall, there is a lot of outdoor space for the event too and that’s where a large chunk of the cars on-site will be, plus even more vendors. Registration is open now at www.CorvettesForChip.com and spectator admission is FREE!

“The Corvettes for Chip event is always a blast and I’m honored to be a part of it each year,” noted Lance Miller, son of the late Chip Miller and co-owner of Carlisle Events. “I’m really excited that the event will be hosted in Carlisle, Pennsylvania this year. I know my father will certainly be smiling down upon us on November 5,” continued Miller. “It’s wonderful knowing he’s still making an impact today, 14 years after his passing. Please don’t forget to bring a toy or two for the Toys for Tots!”

For anyone that can’t make the event, photos and videos will be posted to the Corvettes at Carlisle Facebook page not only during the event itself, but in the days thereafter. For more details, contact Lance Miller at 717-243-7855 x115 or via e-mail at LanceM@CarlisleEvents.com.

The all-new Cadillac XT5, short for “Crossover Touring vehicle that seats 5,” upgrades Cadillac’s line-up and serves as the cornerstone of a new series of crossovers in the brand’s ongoing expansion. Cadillac crossovers will wear the “XT” designation, a key aspect of the brand’s product-driven global growth plan.

A mid-size luxury crossover, XT5 replaced the Cadillac SRX crossover, and manufactured at GM's Spring Hill, TN Manufacturing Plant for U.S. sales and in Shanghai by SAIC-GM for the Chinese market, XT5 is currently Cadillac's best selling model in the United States and globally. Replacing the SRX, XT5 has a wheelbase that is about 2 inches longer, with greater interior space and upgraded quality of materials, and the latest in infotainment and high-tech comforts and functionality. New tech includes rear camera mirror, Apple Carplay and Android auto compatibility, as well as the new CUE®3 information system.

The Cadillac XT5 resides on a unique chassis and structure and it embodies the company’s mission for lightweight and agile driving dynamics. The new XT5 is 278 pounds lighter than the SRX, with no compromise to body rigidity and crash performance. At 180.5 inches long, 66.0 inches high and 75.0 inches wide, XT5 pushes the wheels farther out than the SRX, but still offers a front overhang of 38.8 inches and rear overhang of 38.2 inches, on its 112.5-inch wheelbase, with ground clearance of 7.8 inches. Base curbweight is 3985, and the Luxury trim I tested weighed in at 4257 pounds.

The new 2017 Cadillac XT5 combines bold and sporty architecture with a large interior designed to provide an indulgent in-vehicle experience and excellent sightlines. And with lightweight construction and a 310-hp V-6 engine coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission, XT5 delivers unexpected handling and solid acceleration.

The cabin offers seating capacity of two in front and three in the rear, with 39.78 inches off front headroom and 58.4 inches in row two; 41.2 inches of front legroom and 39.5 inches in the backseats; and shoulder room of 58.3 and 56.2. Those measurements show that rear-seat legroom has increased 3.2 inches over the SRX, and the rear seat reclines and slides fore and aft, as well.

In the U.S. market, the 2017 Cadillac XT5 is powered by the new 3.6-liter V-6 engine which debuted earlier this year on the brand’s ATS and CTS sport sedans and is featured on the CT6. In China, the XT5 is offered with a standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine. The 3.6 features Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation technology, which allows the engine to seamlessly and automatically switch to a fuel-saving 4-cylinder mode under low or moderate loads. With SAE-certified peak output of 310-horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque, the new V-6 uses variable valve timing for strong response and smooth power delivery, and it is EPA rated at 18mpg in city driving and 26mpg on the highway for the AWD configuration. My mixed-use tested achieved an average of 22.0mpg.

From a performance perspective, the ride was quiet, compliant, stable and smooth, and the independent MacPherson strut-type front suspension with twin-tube struts and independent premium five-link rear suspension with twin-tube shock absorbers gave niche-acceptable road feel while pampering passengers. The variable-assist rack-and-pinion steering with rack-mounted electric motor assist with belt drive was attentive, though more trucklike than carlike in its response.

On the track, I experienced only minor top-wobble in quick turn execution and my Cadillac XT5 Premium performed to a 7.1-second zero-to-60mph sprint and a spirited 15.6-second quarter-mile.

The Cadillac XT5 is available in five trims, starting with the base model at $40,390; the Luxury trim at $46,290, which adds a sunroof, leather seating and more; the Premium Luxury model at $53,290 adds a Bose® 14-speaker Studio Surround Sound System, Cadillac CUE®3 Information and Media Control System with Embedded Navigation; and a Driver Awareness Package with Safety Alert Seat, Forward Collision Alert, Following Distance Indicator, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Front Pedestrian Detection, Front Automatic Braking and more; and the Platinum trim at $63,890, adds All-Wheel Drive with twin-clutch system with driver mode select, Reconfigurable 8-inch color Gauge Cluster, semi-aniline full leather seats, leather-wrapped instrument panel door trim and armrest, micro suede headliner, Head-Up Display and more.

My Premium Luxury XT5 added AWD for $8400; Red Passion Tintcoat exterior paint matched to a Jet Black, Leather Seating Surfaces with Mini-Perforated inserts for $1195; the Driver Assistance Package was added for $2340 and included Adaptive cruise control, Automatic Safety Belt Tightening, Automatic Park Assist, Automatic Collision Braking and Front and Rear Automatic Braking. The Advanced Security Package added $435 for locking steering column, door lock and latch shields, Self-powered Theft-Deterrent Alarm System, Inclination sensor, Vehicle interior movement sensor and Locking wheel lug. Black roof rack rails added $295; Assist steps were $750; black molded splash guards were $170; Black Ice bodyside moldings were $355; Black Ice grille with Galvano bars were $605; a rear seat DVD entertainment system was $1995; Tri-Zone Climate Control and heated rear seats was $625; a Cabin filter was $60; floor mats added $155; one year of OnStar Guidance added $349 and destination charges of $995 pout my test 2017 Cadillac XT5 at $64,260.


> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

As Carlisle Auctions prepares for its fourth and final event of 2017, Fall AutoFest in Lakeland, Florida, the company can look at 2017 with pride, as its most successful four-event year in the brand’s history. With that success comes growth and with growth comes added aspects to the brand, which Carlisle Auctions has been adding to since the re-launch of the brand nearly five years ago.

The latest addition to the Carlisle Auctions portfolio, an app that is downloadable via the Apple iTunes store to any iPhone. This app, combined with increased bidder turnout, added consignments, date expansions and more continue to enhance Carlisle Auctions position within the auction hobby and in turn, allow for higher quality consignments, even more bidders and sales numbers that were unthinkable when Carlisle Auctions held its first event in the Fall of 2013 in Zephyrhills, Florida.

Now, to the app itself. As noted, it’s available for download via the Apple iTunes store and is an amazing tool intended to make the buying and selling process that much easier. Not only does it display auction inventory quickly, it can connect buyer and seller on cars that are “still for sale,” offer a glimpse into sale prices for consignments, list results, etc. Though Carlisle Auctions isn’t on TV, its available to a much larger audience via a live YouTube stream of the events. The app offers a “watch live” option too, meaning with the simple tap of a finger, you can check out any one of Carlisle Auctions’ four events, no matter where you are in the world. Register to bid, get details on selling, it’s all there and it’s all part of this new FREE download.

“Adding this new piece of technology will make an impactful difference for the auction team and its customers,” so says Carlisle Events co-owner Lance Miller. “Carlisle Events does its best to stay on the leading edge of technology,” noted Miller. “Our partnership with MotorCrush and the Alive team have been nothing short of amazing and certainly showcases our efforts of staying on the leading edge within the tech field,” continued Miller. “The new Carlisle Auctions app is something our team is extremely proud of and it makes for a wonderful addition for our auction participants. Whether it’s to watch live streaming video, check what vehicles will be running or just check the upcoming dates, I invite everyone to take a moment to download it and let us know your thoughts!”

Carlisle Auctions next event is November 10-11 as part of Fall Florida AutoFest in Lakeland, Florida. After that, it's back to Lakeland in February, then home to central Pennsylvania for two events at the Carlisle Expo Center, Spring Carlisle and Fall Carlisle. Complete auction details are available at www.CarlisleAuctions.com or by calling 717-960-6400.

Though the dust has barely settled on the 2017 Pennsylvania based Carlisle Events schedule, attentions are already focused on the first show of 2018, also taking place within the Keystone State. Auto Mania, an annual automotive flea market, takes place within Ag Hall and its surrounding lots every January, rain, snow, ice or shine! The 2018 show runs January 19-21 and includes PA’s Largest Indoor and Heated Swap Meet, limited car corral spaces within the event and outdoors, plus a great array of food via on-site food vendors as well as the neighboring Allentown Farmer’s Market.

Spanning nearly three-full days, Auto Mania has entertained and assisted motor heads for decades, offering some indoor solace from the otherwise dark and chilly winter months. The expansive Ag Hall within the Allentown Fairgrounds welcomes those selling automotive pieces and parts, food vendors, those selling movies, collectibles, signage, merchandise, antiques, aftermarket accessories and more, all will be offering a safe haven for like-minded enthusiasts to gather and catch up. After all, a show like this backed by Carlisle Events isn’t just an automotive weekend, it’s a reunion of sorts.

Situated conveniently off many of eastern Pennsylvania’s major roadways, Auto Mania sells out annually from a vending stand point, with a waiting list to boot. As guests wait in the que to enter the facility, there is an unmatched anticipation in the area. These vendors and guests travel from far and wide to buy, sell and trade all things automotive and really, to get out of the house in the midst of winter. From rare to common, unique to exotic, the event certainly does have it all!

An added bonus to all who traverse the grounds is the neighboring Allentown Farmer’s Market. The market runs Friday and Saturday of the show (January 19-20) and has as much variety food wise as the auto event does car parts. Just like there is something for everyone within Ag Hall for Auto Mania, there is a wide array of fare offered by local and regional farmers, including baked goods, fruits, veggies and more.