Examining the quilt, you see that some tangents are formed by stitches going against the grain. They lead to an eccentric section a little off from centre- smaller than the big players’ zone but no less finely detailed. It is here that you will find patches dedicated to what the mainstream call ‘quirky’ cars. Chevrolet Corvairs share space with Alfa 75s (I should know where to find that as I just bought one…), Tatras and Australia’s favourite, the Leyland P76.

Please don’t be fooled by the mentality of the pack. These quirky cars create cult followings because of their differences, and because of the opinionated, impassioned discussions they create.

Cars like the Subaru SVX.

Conceived just as Subaru really blossomed into the mainstream market with their Legacy/Liberty series, the SVX (or Alcyone in the Japanese domestic market) was designed and styled, by Giorgetto Giugiaro no less, to be the premier showcase for Subaru’s now-famous Subaru All-Wheel Drive technology.

Giugiaro’s design took inspiration from a fighter jet, the broad, angular glasswork and dark toned roof combining to create the impression that the top-half of the car is a canopy made purely of glass. Inside this runway sense is further heightened- the still substantial glassware allowing the cabin to fill with light, the wonderfully cosseting seats slightly angling the occupants’ vision toward the centre of the road ahead, as if sizing up the tarmac for takeoff.

This image- individual, plush, luxurious, laden with technology- hinted at the SVX’s key target market, the United States, where over half of the near 25,000 production run were sold over six years and included a little known ‘cut-price’ front wheel drive version that was exclusive to this market.

Compare this to the local Australian market, where only 280 were sold from 1992-1997 and you begin to understand why they are such a rare sight on our roads today.

Though they were developing some seriously capable turbo technology, Subaru eventually decided that the SVX powerplant should be less highly strung (more American influence?) and decided on a large capacity, naturally aspirated ‘boxer’ six. This was mated to a four-speed automatic transmission with an early version of the adaptive shift technology that we take for granted today. This altered the changeup point dependant on throttle position and ranged from ‘economy’ to ‘power’ modes. Why no manual? The simple explanation is that Subaru at the time did not have anything that would stand up to the pressures that the big six and all-wheel drive system exerted on the drivetrain.

Displacing 3.3 litres and blessed with DOHC, 4 valve heads, the all-aluminium ‘EG33’ produced 169kw @ 5400rpm at a time when locals were excited by the return of the V8 Falcon, with its 165kw output from a full 5 litres. Torque wise, the SVX churned 309nm @ 4,400rpm through its intelligent all-wheel drive system, which defaulted to a front/rear torque split of 35/65. If it sensed a split in traction, drive could be redistributed towards 50/50 to restore grip levels.

As befitted large Japanese coupes of the time (consider here the Toyota Supra and Mitsubishi 3000GT) the kerb weight of the SVX came in at a portly 1615kg, which gave its impressive engine quite a workout as it lugged the coupe to 100km/h in around 8.5 seconds. Contemporary road testers complimented the smoothness and flexibility of the engine, but it lagged behind its peers in accelerative terms; in fact one gets the impression that the SVX fell short of the performance expectations Subaru had set. This, combined with a new price north of $70,000 could explain why so few found homes in Australia.

The dynamic story was different when it came to ride and handling, the weight assisting in keeping the car planted when pressing on, the slightly rear-biased drive helping to quell its natural tendency to understeer as the supple suspension tune dialled out the worst of the bumps.

Perhaps it was this smooth yet responsive composure that fed Tony Parle’s obsession with all things SVX. After greeting Tony and his wild, modified SVX desert crusher, I am convinced this is the case. “It’s funny that you suggested we meet in a McDonald’s car park, this SVX is called ‘Pickle Power’ because my business is involved in distributing all the pickles to McDonald’s restaurants!”, he laughs as my boggled eyes try to reset in their sockets.

The ‘Pickle Power’ sobriquet was picked up when Tony entered the car in the Kidney Kar Charity rally in 2008, an annual long distance event that benefits the Kidney Foundation. The 2008 event covered around 4,000kms in 8 days, from ‘Sydney to Mudgee via Mildura’. Turns out this was just a jaunt in the park for Tony and his vehicle, which is currently showing a whopping 540,000kms: “Driving for me is thinking time. There are no distractions and I find it very relaxing. I often take my wife on trips through the deserts of outback Australia to go camping, and I wanted to do it with something that no-one else thought could stand up to the punishment,” he says. Adding credence to this is the fact that Tony had driven from Griffith in New South Wales to Melbourne that morning, at least a 5 hour trip, and a viable explanation for the variety of squashed insect life in its grille. “Where are you staying?” I ask nonchalantly. “I’m not staying; I’m turning around and going straight back home!” is his response. That is true commitment.

As we walk around the car and Tony explains the modifications, new stories continue to light up his face, tales of others’ disbelief upon seeing his sportscar spearing through the sand. “I just love these cars. Besides this one I have two more at home, a low kilometre ’92 in White and another that has Targa Tasmania history…and I am keen to get it back there. But it’s this one that turns the most heads, especially when I am using it to tow Land Cruisers out of the Kimberley!”

You can see why it draws the crowds. On top of that extrovert SVX styling, this one is lifted 2 inches on a set of rally-spec DMS struts and sits on 70 profile, puncture resistant rubber. It simply oozes presence, with the big light pod bracing the bonnet and the Terratrip adding to its mystery, a mystery that has seen grown men almost come to blows over the possibility that it could arrive at a rest stop in the middle of the Simpson Desert more quickly than their own dedicated off-roaders.

It is when your eyes fall to the centre console that you become completely sold on the fact that this Subie has what it takes to tackle the Oodnadatta track. “That is an STi six speed manual complete with the Driver Controlled Centre Differential (DCCD). The standard auto is fine for the road, though you want to run a transmission cooler. The manual gives me more driving options, and boy do those STi boys build them tough,” he laughs.

Other modifications include sump and transmission guards along with an upgraded, custom built radiator. “Body wise, they are so strong because Subaru built them with thicker than standard steel, hence why they weigh what they do. But it’s great for me- we have hit trees and other objects in the desert, but we kind of just bounce off and keep on going.”

Tony loves the engineering behind the SVX and is well known in the online international community www.subaru-svx.net as someone who is always willing to lend advice. When not driving, he can often be found at the farm tweaking parts destined for installation into ‘Pickle Power’ so they can be tested and deemed reliable enough for use in the race car.

When Colin arrives in his immaculate, 120,000km ’92, Tony is immediately enquiring as to whether he has had the gearbox cooler fitted. “That was the first thing I did, thanks to the forum,” he replies.

Colin’s car hunkers down on a lovely set of gold STi rims, the centre caps of which he had custom made to say ‘SVX’. Again, Colin was after something different to the mainstream. He had been convinced of the legendary Subaru reliability by a Liberty, and he liked the fact that the SVX was a 2+2 arrangement so he could share time in the car with his young children. “They love coming out in it, because it is such a unique looking thing. It’s so comfortable to drive and has power adjustable everything. I enjoy keeping it for nice weekends, drives to Arthur’s Seat and other scenic drives. It’s a great cruiser.”

He purchased the car a couple of years back after researching online to make sure he knew what to look for. “This one had a dented body, but I bought it for a good price and had it repaired,” he says. “Besides the trans cooling, the rear wheel bearings can cause trouble as they need to be fitted a certain way. If they are noisy they can be costly to fix,” adds Tony. Warped brake discs are another item to watch out for.

Sliding into the passenger seat of Colin’s velour trimmed example, I am struck by how open the cockpit feels, and how relatively cramped the rear seats are in something that is so imposing on the outside. As we pull away I note the muted but cultured flat six burble as it emits spent gas from two small, rectangular exhaust pipes. Pick-up is smooth and it is matched by the ride even on these larger, 17 inch rims (standard wheels are 16 inch). It gives the impression of ironing over the bumps and it corners with a poise that belies its weight, even if you can feel it roll onto the outside front tyre in tighter turns.

After a stop for photos, my return run is as passenger in Tony’s machine. The contrasting car stories are quickly apparent; Tony’s leather seats well crumpled, the floors caked in desert dust, the Terratrip reminding you of this vehicle’ purpose. You of course sit higher, but the ride is so well controlled by the suspension upgrades that you feel a similar sense of bumps being ironed out. The six-speed conversion reveals a keenness to rev that is masked by the auto, as Tony’s car leaps forward more vigorously and is accompanied by a more urgent bark from the exhaust.

Of course, during our travels we are greeted with finger points and questioning looks- people are genuinely interested by these unidentified driving objects. Both owners take it in their stride as you would expect, but does the attention get wearing? “It certainly makes for a good conversation starter. In the outback I tune in the CB radio and the truck drivers are bewildered when they see it closing in. They all say the same thing: ‘That will never make it to the other side!’ but there I am waiting for them to catch up, hours later!” exclaims Tony with pride. Colin, too, has had approaches from people wanting to know what it is: “They don’t believe it’s a Subaru but are usually complimentary,” he says.

As Colin and Tony say their goodbyes and take off into the early afternoon sunshine, I cannot help but be impressed with this glimpse into SVX world. The attractiveness of the styling patch may be subjective, but the passion that goes into making up the stitches is inspirational.

This car was to become the Mini, which was introduced to the world in August 1959 and reshaped the small car segment forever. Its engine (an 848cc ‘A-Series’ Austin unit producing 34bhp (25kw)) was mounted transversely with the gearbox situated in-sump, creating a super-compact unit. Initially available under Austin (called the Seven) or Morris (Mini Minor) badges and driving the front wheels, the 3.05m long Mini incorporated many ingenious tweaks, such as the sliding windows which allowed storage inside the doors and the rubber cone suspension which removed the need for conventional springs. The result was a car that could, at a squeeze, seat four adults. In fact, the 80% of the floor pan was available for passengers and their luggage.

By 1961 the car’s reputation was well established. John Cooper, creator of the first ever Formula 1 championship winning mid-engine chassis and friend of Alec Issigonis, had taken a keen interest in the Mini project from the start. Its space conscious layout had maximised the car’s wheelbase (the 10-inch wheels are spaced at the outer corners of the car) and this did great things for chassis balance. He convinced BMC to build a run of 1000 Mini Cooper’s with tuned 55bhp (41kw), 997cc engines and front disc brakes. This in turn led to the full-on Cooper S of 1963, initially of 1071cc and 70bhp (52kw), with a little known 998cc, 65bhp (48kw) screamer also being developed. 1965 saw the ultimate spec ‘S’- with a 1275cc motor and 76bhp (57kw) coupled with vastly superior torque to the smaller capacity, oversquare layouts previously used.

In its various guises the S conquered all before it on circuit and rally stage alike, with Monte Carlo rally victories in 1964, ’65 and ’67 (being disqualified from victory in 1966 due to a lighting technicality). A 1275cc version even won Australia’s most prestigious motor race, the 500 mile Gallagher 500 at Bathurst in 1966. The car was so popular that several companies (including Leyland in Australia) began building Minis tailored to their local market and offshoot models such as the Clubman van were put into production.

1972 saw the demise of the Cooper S, with the second generation “square nosed” bodywork taking over. This series was not as well received by purists and a round nose shape was re-established 8 years later.

The Mini then continued under BMC/Rover direction, with appropriate updates to reflect increased safety and standard equipment requirements as time drew on. By the year 2000 the British car industry was struggling again with little development funding available. BMW saw an opportunity to modernise the concept for the 21st century and acquired the naming rights for a Mini of their own.

It is only fitting that we have an example of the original style Mini to set off the celebration. This Cooper has been modified to S specification and is owned by Ron Simmonds, who raced them in period.

Ron is a true character of the historic racing scene in Australia. As chief commentator of the VHRR, his authoritative voice presides over our nation’s most prestigious historic race meetings including the Phillip Island Classic and Historic Sandown. It was perhaps inevitable that Ron would be a racer, as he called Stan and Alan Jones neighbours growing up in suburban Melbourne. He recalls beating Alan in a soapbox derby race before they were old enough to drive, both harbouring dreams of Formula One world championships. “Obviously only one of us achieved that!” he laughs.

He first raced a Mini in 1965, competing with a 998cc Mini deluxe. “I started at Sandown that year and won the handicap race, just beating Bob Jane in his Mustang who was bearing down on me,” he recalls.

In 1969, after a run in a Cooper S at the Datsun 3 hour race at Sandown, he entered for Bathurst in the same car but was turned down as the entry list was oversubscribed- a regret as he never managed to get on the grid at Mount Panorama.

After a stint racing in the UK to chase his open-wheel dream, Ron returned to Australia and continued campaigning Minis in hill climb and race events through the seventies.

Today he participates in club level regularity events in this 1964 Cooper. Its 1275cc S spec engine is fed via an unsilenced 45mm Weber. Of course, with the Mini’s transverse engine mounting, the Weber is located just ahead of the firewall and the car’s occupants are treated to a barrage of induction noise as the revs ramp up.

As a passenger to Ron, effortlessly familiar with the car as he is, you gain more of an understanding as to how these tiny machines could hold their own against any competitor on any surface. It leaps for the inside of a corner and clings there like an angry dog gnawing a postman’s leg.

This ‘dartiness’ is re-confirmed when I climb behind the wheel and settle into quite an upright driving position. From this vantage point, it feels as if you are directly presiding over the front wheels, which goes some way to explaining the millimetric precision with which the better Mini drivers can place them on circuit. From a driving position comfortable for my legs, the gear lever is quite a reach, though Ron explained that “there were shifter extender kits available in period.” On initial feel, the gear selection is vague with a long throw and I am extra careful in selecting the non-synchro first gear in traffic.

Once underway, the steering does a great impression of feeling wired to the impulses of your brain. Pick the line as you approach a corner and it’s almost telepathic as those 10-inch wheels will the car into the corner and cling; a flat and adjustable stance enhanced in this car by quite firm springing (cone suspension in this car) as it’s set up for club events. Its diminutive stature allows you to maximise the available road, making these winding country lanes appear as though they are freeway wide, and the vision afforded by the thin a-pillars brings a confidence to drive through poorly sighted corners that is hard to replicate in more modern machinery. Contemporary road tests that refer to the mini’s handling as ‘go-kart like’ are certainly not far from the truth even today.

The obvious handling prowess is well matched by a surprisingly willing and torquey engine, which again feels connected to the driver, reacting with precision to the pressure of your right foot. No wonder it was such an accomplished race and rally machine.

When BMW introduced their modern interpretation of the Mini in 2000, the media who were at the unveiling immediately questioned the link to its illustrious forbearer based on sheer size differential alone (not to mention the 17inch wheel option!). Today, parking the 1964 version between its newer brethren, they may have had a point. From a driving perspective, though, many discovered there was some magic to be found, particularly in the higher powered Cooper S which ran a supercharged version of the standard car’s 1.6 litre Chrysler sourced motor, producing 125kw @ 6000rpm and 220nm @ 4000rpm.

The feature car owned by David James links further to the Minis past accomplishments with its number plate paying tribute to a major victory of the original S in the sixties (first reader to decipher it wins a prize!). As I climb into the cabin, there is obviously more room and more creature comforts in keeping with modern progress, but as we pull onto the road following Ron and co-editor Sheldon in the ’64 car, David makes an important observation: “When I first bought the car, it had the awful run-flat tyres on it which just destroyed the steering feel. I went back to a normal performance tyre and it transformed the handling.”

Seating position adjusted nicely, it’s time to take off. Wow, the clutch kicks back quickly once you start letting it out! This edginess is endearing for it suits the car’s character perfectly. It clings to the surface, and takes in direction changes with aplomb even on the pugnacious surface of our test route.

The difference in scale when compared to the ’64 becomes further apparent as we watch Ron darting from apex to apex but the driving experience offers up a modernised version of mini-magic, enhanced with a decent dose of accelerative performance.

The linearity and punch of the motor nicely compliments the chassis, responsive as it is to your throttle inputs, which in turn allows you to focus on refining lines and exploiting the excellent grip and poise provided. Understeer is not an issue, and only a particularly nasty, cambered kick in the road causes a momentary scrabble of torque steer as the suspension regains composure.

Unfortunately the same can not be said of the newest car here. Gary Timms has brought along his 2009 S, complete with 6-speed automatic gearbox (though it does have paddles for manual shifting) and run flat tyres. This second series of the BMW-Mini was introduced in 2007 and houses a more efficient and powerful turbocharged 1.6l four that is shared with Peugeot. This engine provides 128kw @ 5500rpm and 240nm from 1600-5000rpm. Usefully there is an over-boost function on full throttle which allows a brief dose of 260nm.

The exterior is quite similar to that of the previous generation, but the interior has more of a quality feel to its controls. It is well laid out and has a feel of European quality as dictated by the parent company. A particularly funky touch of the newer car is the button that allows you to change the colour of the interior lighting- a bit distracting when the passenger plays with it while driving! Of course the large, centrally mounted speedometer and ancillary gauges carry on the tradition of the BMC cars.

On the road, and a couple of things quickly become apparent- perhaps it’s the autobox masking it, but the car doesn’t feel as instantly strong as the supercharged version, despite the torque figures. Once over 2500rpm though, the newer car sprints its way through the rev range, losing the supercharged whine (a matter of aural personal taste) but gaining in smoothness and revability. As is trendy in 2009, there is a sport button, which we leave well enough alone on this challenging drive, the roads demanding finesse from the damping. Besides, those stiff side walled run-flats do more than enough to make the ride more jarring than it should be. It feels as though we are bouncing over the surface rather than flowing along, as in the other Minis here. There are mixed messages feeding back through the wheel so you lose confidence upon turn-in; it gives the impression that it will understeer quite readily, even though you know ultimate grip is there. It makes you less inclined to throw it at a corner- an assumed pleasure in the other cars.

It’s the same once the throttle is picked up- it scrabbles for traction well before the DSC cuts in to quell the onset of torque steer. The nose also readily chases cambers, adding to the degree of discontent behind the wheel. As proved by David’s car, regular performance tyres would work wonders.

On the positive side, the new model’s paddle shift ‘box works wonderfully well, allowing you to brush the rev-limiter without changing up, and snapping in downshifts on corner approach without dancing heel-toe on the pedals. The turbo motor revs smoothly and is stronger through the top end than the supercharged car, even with the autobox dimming the motor’s responsiveness. A manual must be a rocket.

On the final strop back to our base, the afternoon autumn sun allows time for reflection. Through 50 years and 2 parents, the Mini DNA remains intact. Sure, the moderns tower over the almost fragile looking original, their size dictated by changing customer requirements and the need for ‘filling out the arches’ with gargantuan wheels, but the basic keenness for cornering that is at the core of any Mini experience shines brightly through. Now, if only BMW would throw some resources at a factory Mini rally team for the 21st century…

Two years later, Hall had joined the Mazda research team and continued to sow the seed amongst the Japanese engineers. Its chance to sprout came in 1983 when Mazda held an in-house design competition with three entries to be considered; a front-drive hatch similar in concept to the Honda CR-X, a mid engine concept mimicking the Toyota Mr-2, and a traditional British influenced small capacity roadster, with rear wheel drive. The roadster won, project P729 was instigated and the precursor to the MX-5 began development in earnest.
The final product, powered by an 86kw (116bhp) 1597cc DOHC four was shown at the Chicago show in February 1989 with several styling cues influenced directly by that sixties English roadster market that it was striving to revive. Seasoned road testers commented on several design features that emulated the Elan- the shape of its cam covers and contours of the bodywork, not to mention the pop up headlights. Even the drive experience nodded to its illustrious forebear, with manual steering a standard, narrow tyres on small wheels, an engine with a thirst for revs (accompanied by a slight rortiness to the exhaust note) and even an engineered-in ‘click-clack’ to the gear shift for added sixties ‘authenticity’.
To Mazda’s credit they never denied seeking inspiration from the past. MX-5 concept engineer Norman Garrett attributed Chapman’s “driver and car as one” approach as a model for his team to pull towards a similar goal. They were known to have two Elans at their disposal during development and came to know them intimately, Garrett stating that the Elan captured their “essence of our philosophy with simple, timeless design.” He went on to say that the MX-5 had more of a personality, though he was perhaps being a touch one-eyed. To redress the balance, we decided to bring an original example of each car together on a lovely Melbourne summers day to form an unbiased opinion.

The Elan

Our featured Elan is a 1968 Series 4 DHC owned by Rex Beach. It is an Australian delivered car that was shipped unpainted to Geoghegan’s, who were the Lotus agents at the time. This car is in true time-warp condition having covered 38,000 miles from new with full ownership history and has never fallen under a restorer’s touch: “It’s just well maintained- but there is always something that needs maintaining!” laughs Rex. He has made subtle reliability upgrades including the installation of a modern alternator and thermostatically controlled fan that enable the 1558cc twin cam ‘four’ to fire with ease after a flick of the key and not get too hot. Originally rated at 110bhp (82kw), this car has larger, 45mm Weber carburettors rather than the Strombergs most Series 4 Elans utilised.

The car was painted at Geoghegan’s in the Gold Leaf team colours, inspired by the Lotus GP car schemes of the period. Adding a poignant touch are the black Lotus badges, a nod to the immortal Jim Clark who passed away in April 1968.
“The knock-off three-eared wheel spinners are thought to be based off the winning Lotus Indianapolis cars of the time,” Rex explains as the static photos are taken. This example presents as better than new, unmarked black seats and perfect dash highlighting its microscopic mileage. And the detail…even the more modern tyres it wears are dimensionally correct at 155/80/13.
Rex graciously lets me behind the wheel, and I ease my 6 foot 2 inch frame (complete with Christmas kilograms) over the bodywork, into the tiny bucket seat. Shutting the door squeezes my right shoulder, which combines with the tapered foot-well to create a somewhat claustrophobic environment. Grip the evocative tiller, complete with a copy of Chapman’s signature, click the gearshift into first, let out the clutch and…stall it. “The pedal bites solidly at the higher end of its travel,” Rex smiles. Cue quips from the crew about me going for my licence next week! On the second attempt, more throttle and a firmer left foot releases the Elan nicely.
You can really hear those big Webers filling their lungs as you extend the firmly sprung throttle through the length of its travel- but the best thing about a well sorted Elan is its steering. It feels lithe and delicate like the rest of the car (save the carbs and the fabled twin cam exhaust note, all crackly on the overrun) but still tells you what you need to know about the surface beneath. “I get the most pleasure from it out on a curvy road where you just set it up for the corner and sail it through. I don’t push it too hard on the straights except on track…it’s all about nailing the corners,” Rex enthuses as we glide through a sequence of 2nd and 3rd gear bends.

An active member in the Lotus club of Victoria, Rex explains that the only way to truly and safely test its limits is on a circuit, but “then with the short wheelbase, when it finally does let go, you are facing the other way almost instantly. I’ve had that experience at Sandown before…”
Back at road speed, the Elan feels approachable and forgiving in its responses. Turn it in and there is minimal weighing up through the wheel, as expected in a sub-700kg machine. You do, however, sense the nuances of road surface through your fingertips. Let this settle in your mind for a second before the seat of your pants tells you that weight is transferring to the outside front wheel, assisting direction change through supple springing. Turn-in phase complete, you pick your trajectory, adding throttle pressure to balance the forces as weight transfers rearward, digging the back tyres in to slingshot you through the exit. Its poise is utterly addictive; feeling tip-toe agile yet somehow planted and able to provide astonishing levels of grip for a car made in the sixties, running miniscule tyres, and “All this with Triumph Herald steering!”
The Elan is synergy defined- a whole being greater than the sum of its parts (including Lotus Cortina switchgear and Alfa Giulietta stop and indicator lenses), and oozes personality out of every pore.

The MX-5

David James is well known in MX-5 circles, having previously been president of the Victorian MX-5 club, and still being heavily involved today. His example is one of the 45,000 made in 1989 and sports the increasingly hard to find hardtop. The car is unmodified save for some adjustable Koni shocks, set to full soft for road use. An accomplished rally navigator, David also assists in driver training programs held for the little roadsters and is very familiar with the car’s handling tendencies. He certainly looks comfortable in the vehicle as we stand roadside, shutters clicking as he passes by.

Climbing into its cockpit is less of a moment than in the Elan, for is it a much simpler experience. Again height seems to be my issue for on the standard seats my head can easily clatter the roof, my line of vision filled with the upper edges of the windscreen. David informs me that a “friend who is 6 foot 7 drove one for years by removing most of the padding underneath,” but I stop short of asking if I can do the same.
Simplicity of design oozes from the MX-5, with subtleties like the rear tail-lights and diminutive chrome door handles adding a touch of class. “It’s such a well thought out car, everything about it was designed to be user friendly,” David beams. “About the only thing I would change is the position of the electric window switches which are on the rear of the centre console. You always find yourself fumbling for them while on the move.”
From the moment we pull out in the MX-5, the differences to the Elan are perceptible. The main controls meet their design brief of being a car fit for a world market, being tactile yet easy to use. Its steering (also unassisted through a gorgeous three-spoke Momo) is instantly heavier although that is to be expected with another 250kg or so riding on fatter, 185/60 tyres with 14 inch ‘Minilite’ style wheels.
You do miss out on the fuel system symphony through temperamental carbs but the exhaust note, an area the Japanese carefully considered in the development phase, makes up for it. Appropriately effervescent, it is further enhanced sans hardtop, or, in other words, ‘as it should be’.

Engine-wise the MX-5 spins eagerly and responsively to its 7200rpm redline, and is well matched to a wonderfully slick, short-throw five-speed gearbox. The motor loves revs, as its 135nm torque peak @ 5,500rpm indicates, but there is never really a step up in its delivery, no top end sparkle to really make the Mazda dance. This contributes to its friendly nature, but is not ultimately exciting when compared to the Ford based twin cam in the Elan, which feels alert and torquey at lower revs before hardening its note as the redline approaches. Again, the weight advantage contributes significantly to the Elan’s superior acceleration, its snorting engine note also worth at least 20 imaginary horsepower.
Back in the MX-5, everything feels a dimension bigger- neither Rex nor David believing the actual size difference when the cars are side by side later on. As a consequence the key human interfaces feel weightier and more solid in the Mazda (except, interestingly the clutch pedal) and this is reflected in the handling balance. There is less a sense of delicate poise, and though agile when compared to most, it falls short in such exalted company.
Mixed curves reveal more of its repertoire, its aluminium ‘Power Plant Frame’ (a structure bolted between gearbox and diff) contributing to the Mazda feeling more ‘all-of-a-piece’ than the Elan, but the disadvantage here is that subtle transitions in weight are not as well defined. More reassuring is the meatiness evident in the MX-5’s steering, allowing you to more completely feel the build up of cornering forces; a bonus in communicating on-track grip limits. “They really come alive on the track, everything just blends together so well,” adds David. Even under brakes, the car feels planted with a nicely firm pedal building confidence in its stopping abilities. At corner exit, even under heavy throttle, oversteer just never seems to enter the equation. This would make an ideal track car for someone new to rear-wheel drive. Exhilarated, I hand the keys back to David.

Conclusion

Both of these cars are icons of their time and feel almost magical compared to frumpy modern machines with their agility and user-friendly, unfiltered controls. But it is difficult to truly judge them based on ‘personality’ as it is a matter of personal taste. Are Lotus electronics endearing or frustrating? That depends on the person.

Ignoring their relative values, if you wanted to choose one for weekends only, and are handy with the tools, it would be the Elan. Its engine is more characterful, and developing your skills over time to match its handling characteristics would provide a source of great pleasure. It also has the cachet of a Lotus badge which is difficult to ignore.
The MX-5 is more instantly friendly, a car you could use every day if you wanted, as David proved for many years. Its cornering traits are more predictable, its limits less daunting to challenge. And it’s utterly reliable while providing most of the thrills found so abundantly in the Lotus. When you do factor in price the Japanese roadster becomes still harder to ignore, but I just have to. Though my mind prefers the Mazda, my heart loves the Lotus.