Mazda MX-5 RF

The Mazda MX-5 RF arrives with a weight of expectation: a car buyers may assume will be defined by speed, yet the catalogue places it elsewhere. With 184 bhp, it sits 586th out of 600 cars for power, making it one of the least powerful cars in the collection. That position is not a weakness to hide, but the clearest clue to what separates it from many of the cars around it. The MX-5 RF is a reminder that a dream garage is not measured only by the largest numbers.

Its performance figures tell the same story. The 0-100 km/h time of 7.3 seconds ranks 588th of 600, faster than just 12 cars in the catalogue, while its 219 km/h top speed ranks 576th. Yet the MX-5 RF brings a combination that is much less common within this collection. It is one of 22 naturally aspirated inline-4 cars among the 600, and one of just 30 cars pairing an inline-4 engine layout with rear-wheel drive. The combination of a 2.0 litre naturally aspirated inline-4, 205 Nm of torque and rear-wheel drive places the focus on a mechanical formula that appears in only a small part of the catalogue.

The 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF also sits in a distinctive space financially. Its used price of £25,000 ranks 551st of 600, meaning it costs more than 49 cars in the collection. At £136 per bhp, it is not positioned around maximum output for the money. Instead, its specification shows a different calculation, one where the two seater targa top body style and compact rear-wheel-drive layout define its place. Mazda’s origins in Japan are reflected in a catalogue that contains 48 Japanese cars, while Mazda itself contributes seven cars to the 600-car collection.

The expectation attached to the MX-5 badge changes once the numbers are viewed in context. The car that initially appears to fall short on power and acceleration becomes the rare meeting point of naturally aspirated character, rear-wheel drive and accessible scale within this catalogue. A 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF in a dream garage would not be there to compete with the highest-ranked performers. It would be there as the car that shifts the collection’s balance, bringing a different kind of engineering choice into a space often dominated by bigger figures.