An Exercise in Breaking the Unbroken

I'm pretty sure every gearhead on the planet will have heard the news by now that Ferrari has broken the seven minute barrier for production road cars at the Nurburgring with its 599XX.

No, wait... I meant to say.. the seven minute barrier for production-based road cars... since the 599XX is a limited edition only technology test-bed.

Well, what I really meant to say was... the seven minute barrier for production-based, non-road legal cars... since the 599XX isn't road legal, either. And it's not homologated for race use and doesn't meet the restrictions for any current race class.

Was there a point to all this, really? Someone wake me up when Nissan breaks that record with a 1000 horsepower GT-R with a carbon-fiber body and slicks.

Sex, Lies and Statistics

It perpetually astounds me when people cite numbers like horsepower, power-to-weight ratio, displacement, lateral g’s, top speed and 0-60 times as reasons to declare a car “desirable”.

You can’t fall in love with statistics. Numbers are meaningless.

Repeat after me: Numbers are meaningless.


Numbers like 36-24-36. Ideal numbers, maybe. I can’t get excited about a number like that, because it’s an objective measurement, not a metric for beauty. That number could describe anyone from Charlize Theron to Oprah Winfrey. (seriously)

In the same way, performance numbers for a car are relatively meaningless. Granted, anything that can hit 60 mph from a stop under six seconds is bound to be brisk. But there’s brisk and there’s exciting. A 747 taking off is brisk. A rodeo horse leaping out of the gates is exciting.

A top speed of 250+ km/h sounds great... but if you’re doing it in a 7-series, it can be downright boring. Doing just 150 km/h in a rickety-rackety little Alto will have your life flashing before your eyes.

Maybe it’s a bit hypocritical of me to be saying this, as one who goes to great pains to record acceleration and economy numbers in his regular work reviewing cars. But I measure these things only for completeness. I’m more interested in the driving experience than the numbers.

It’s the things that can’t be described by numbers that define the motoring experience. What you see, feel, touch and smell... these are the things that matter.

It’s with this in mind that I enjoyed my time with the new Mazda Miata immensely. The pre-facelift NC was slightly... disappointing. It didn’t sound right. The steering felt numb. The car cornered like a champ, but felt ever-so-slightly soft and waffly. Granted, it got a lot of things right. It felt quick on the highway, even at legal speeds, it was tightly screwed-together and it looked and felt the part.

But even though it was better than the older NA and NB cars by every conceivable metric (over two seconds faster to 100 km/h, more powerful, more grip, better lap times), by the one metric that really matters, the experiential metric, it fell somewhat short.

This new car solves all that. Through a host of mechanical upgrades, the new Mazda Miata becomes more organic than its predecessor. It corners better, it communicates better and it sounds better.

You could make a thousand horsepower and still get the sound wrong. A Veyron is many things, but it’s not necessarily musical, not in the same way a Pagani Zonda is musical. And that musicality makes it much more desirable. Now an MX-5 can't approach the tunefulness of a V12 supercar, but it's a wonderful sound, nonetheless, and makes it more desirable than before.

It’s desire that separates the new MX-5 from the old. The old car was one you could respect, but the new one finally stirs the loins the way a sportscar should. It’s sharp, yes, but it’s not just that. The steering chatters at you now, the front and rear ends of the car feel better tied together, more in harmony. Mazda constantly harps on about jinba ettai, the horse and rider ethic that the MX-5 represents, but the old horse was slightly aloof. This new one is as talkative as Mister Ed. It has personality.

It’s personality that makes a car. It’s personality that keeps me and hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts driving our old cars despite the bevy of new models that come out on the market each year. Not that I haven’t found any new cars with personality, but after each first date, we’ve never really gotten past first base. I’m still looking. Car and driver compatibility is something that can’t be conveyed by numbers or statistics. Something that you’ll only find out by going out and driving the car yourself.

Which is a good reason to go out now. Take advantage of the car show season, go out there, test drive and check out your choices. Just like dating, test drives are unpredictable. It may not be that 36-24-36 stunner you end up driving home with, but that mousy-haired little number sitting in the corner of the lot might just steal your heart away.