2006 Mazdaspeed6

Road trips are excellent for getting acquainted with any car in a variety of conditions. And, if you’re a regular on the show scene, then you know all about road trips. While some trailer their prized show ponies like cattle, others risk driving them in, perhaps hoping to score extra kudos and trophies. Most large shows even have awards for the furthest distance traveled; and, practically all of the racers and tuners I know have at least one good story about drives to NOPI in Atlanta or HIN in some state in a tuner car.

While many of my peers are testing Kia Sedonas or Honda Odysseys for the more practical and sedate markets, the OEM tuning segment allows me to drive some of the hottest factory-enhanced cars and tuner rides around and report on them from my unique point of view. I’ve seen thousands of different vehicles interpreted by enthusiasts from all over, but the vehicles I enjoy most are the ones that get driven every day. Last September, I test drove the new MX-5 in the Rocky Mountains around Kelowna’s Lake Okanagan. All four trim levels represented were impressive and responsive, including the #001 special edition model I drove; but, there was one thing that didn’t sit well with me. There were no plans for a Mazdaspeed version.

You see, I’d had the ’05 Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata for the 2004 Labour Day long weekend when my girlfriend and I drove it from Toronto to Collingwood, ON and back to check out a chocolate lab puppy we were interested in. The weather that day was amazing, traffic light and drive terrific, but unfortunately there was no room for any new additions on this trip. Even though we were disappointed, the turbocharged Miata helped ease our pain with its poised performance. Our kidneys were still in tact and the rush of driving top-down through rural Ontario was more than satisfying. It was pretty good on gas too!

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