Yahoo Autos Mazda Miata gets updates — infotainment, limited slip differential — starting in Japan for now
Mazda somewhat unceremoniously announced updates to its Japanese-market Roadster — aka the MX-5 Miata — Thursday, cementing at least a couple more model years of production for the current ND model and signaling a likely refresh for the version sold in America. The changes aren't show-stopping, but there appear to be some quality-of-life improvements on the way that could make ownership and the driving experience just a little bit nicer.
Let's start with the mechanicals, which in this case means a new diff for cars equipped with the six-speed manual. It's still a two-way, clutch-type unit, but it now features a cam mechanism that allowed Mazda's engineers to spec limiting force values for both acceleration and deceleration separately. This helped engineers tune out some of the Miata's inherent turn-in instability and generally improve its manners both around town and on the track, the company said. Mazda also updated the steering hardware to reduce friction in the system and improve feedback; the company says the resulting feel should be lighter but more accurate.
