WhichCar By Wheels

Ian Callum tells Wheels how he designed the most crucial new Jag in decades

WHEELS: What were the biggest challenges for you and the team in designing a smaller Jaguar?

CALLUM: The great thing about the XE is that we’re starting with a whole new architecture; the design team was actually involved in creating where they wanted the wheels to sit and where they wanted the overall proportions to be – the big engineering questions.

I also wanted to make sure that the coupe profile that we’d developed and really invented for the XF and the XJ prevailed, because this for me was the ultimate sports saloon car.

In some ways it will take over the mantle of the XF as a sports saloon because it’s smaller, and it’s certainly going to be more nimble.

I didn’t want us to reinvent the whole Jaguar look – good luxury branding is about consistency – so I was insistent that the overall graphic, especially around the front of the car, was very much part of the current theme.

It’s more assertive, it’s got a more upright grille, and slimmer headlamps, but people will recognise the essence of the current Jaguar look. The stance obviously is very important, the wheel-to-body relationship is important, the size of the wheels is important.

Typically, we’re an inch larger than our competitive set in terms of wheel size. Minimum is going to be 17-inch; we’ll go up to 20s. And the car’s been designed around those sizes; it’s not something that’s been added in afterwards.

WHEELS: With the F-Type, you described the huge battle you had over keeping bonnet height as low as possible – trading millimetres with the engineering boys. Was it easier or harder to keep the XE’s bonnet low, being a saloon?

CALLUM: With the size of the engine, it’s always going to be one of the big challenges.

The new four-cylinder engine isn’t small by any means, it’s a two-litre, and modern engines tend to be tall because there’s a lot of stuff in the cylinder head. And it’s challenging.

We’re fortunate that we still have, in the European models, airbags under the bonnet to give us the lowest bonnetline possible for the engine height.

Ironically a straight-four is m­­ore difficult to package because of the height of it.

WHEELS: Aluminium: advantages and challenges?

CALLUM: From a design point of view it is hugely challenging. It requires a little more fullness to hold its form, but also it’s limited in how much depth you can draw out of it for areas such as rear haunches and shapes and such like.

WHEELS: You once said you preferred designing saloons to coupes. Has that been true with the XE?

CALLUM: I think I prefer them in the way that they’re more challenging. You’ve got real constraints with them because of the packaging; you’ve got to fit in five people and their luggage.

I love the idea of a challenge and, in spite of all that, getting something overtly sporting out of it, and I think we’ve succeeded quite well with this car.

But I think I’d rather still do a sports car in terms of the emotional value of it, and I probably said that before I did the F-Type.

JAGUAR’S new XE, revealed last night in London, is a cleverly seductive car that needs to succeed.

This low and lovely compact rear-drive sedan – styled by long-time Jaguar design chief Ian Callum – should be every bit as satisfying to use as it is to look at, and must be in order to compete with the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4.

“We set out to deliver the best drivers car in the segment,” chief program engineer Nick Miller told journalists ahead of the XE’s reveal.

It will be the first Jaguar into production using an all-new and lightweight aluminium-intensive platform with promisingly sophisticated suspension and steering.

The XE also introduces Jaguar’s new, designed-from-scratch Ingenium family of modular engines. Including the new factory to manufacture these engines, around £1.5 billion ($A2.6bn) has been spent by Jaguar to bring the XE to market.

To repay this massive investment, the XE – and the other models that will use the same platform – must deliver a large boost in Jaguar’s global sales volume. Exactly how big, no-one will say, but the consequences of marketplace failure would obviously endanger Jaguar’s health.

On sale from May next year, the XE will compete against the big-selling Germans and Jaguar promises starting prices in Europe will be similar to those of the equivalent BMW and Mercedes-Benz models.

There’s no reason why the same should not apply in Australia, where the XE will arrive months later, in August.

Here are the highlights from a series of technical briefings delivered in the lead-up to the XE’s big-budget Earls Court reveal.

Drivetrains

FIRST of Jaguar’s clean-sheet-design Ingenium family of turbocharged modular engines into production will be a 2.0-litre diesel.

This engine is aimed straight at the heart of Europe, where fuel is expensive and high emitters are taxed. Jaguar promises 3.8L/100km consumption and 99g/km CO2 emissions.

The turbo-diesel is just the first instalment of the series. Jaguar engine engineering chief Paul Whitwood promises new variants will appear every three to six months for the next three years, all of them built around a basic 500cc cylinder module.

A turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol four will be next, Jaguar confirms. What comes next is less clear.

A three-cylinder version of Ingenium is a certainty for future hybrid models, though whether petrol, diesel or both isn’t clear.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Whitwood says an in-line six-cylinder version of Ingenium makes more sense than a V6. So Jaguar could produce a rival for BMW’s excellent in-line 3.0-litre turbo six.

The final possibility is a turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, which would be a more efficient replacement for Jaguar-Land Rover’s naturally aspirated and supercharged 5.0-litre V8s.

Such developments are some way off.

The model unveiled in London was the XE S, which will use the same 250kW/450Nm supercharged V6 as the F-Type.

The XE S will have the same eight-speed ZF-made automatic as the F-Type, but a lighter version will be used in the four-cylinder cars.

A six-speed ZF manual, the first non-auto Jaguar for six years, will be offered with the 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine.

Jaguar engineers confirm the XE’s platform is able to accommodate all-wheel drive. It’s a necessity, as the architecture will also serve as the basis for the company’s sporty SUV, due in 2016.

Body

JAGUAR describes the XE’s platform as aluminium-intensive. Some 75 percent of the sedan’s body is made from aluminium, including alloys that can be made mainly from recycled metal.

A weight advantage is promised, compared to its steely competition. The weight of the lightest XE will be 1474kg.

The doors, bootlid and rear of the XE’s floorpan are all made from steel, chiefly to endow the car with 50/50 weight distribution, according to program chief Nick Miller.

The use of steel doors and bootlid also facilitates future weight cuts, as these are easily replaced with aluminium components.

Chassis

THE multi-link coil-spring rear suspension of the XE is more sophisticated than the class average. In fact, it’s the kind of design usually found only in cars one or two classes above, claims Nick Miller.

A primary design objective was to deliver both supple ride and sharp handling, along with a useful cargo compartment.

Only driving will show whether Jaguar’s dynamic objectives have been achieved, but the XE’s 455-litre boot capacity is impressive.

Up front, the XE has a double A-arm suspension, again with coil springs. No air suspension is planned, but Jaguar will offer passive and active damping systems.

The XE is the first Jaguar to adopt electric steering assistance. It’s needed to support safety and convenience features such as lane-keeping assist and self-parking, but vehicle engineering manager Jon Darlington promises superb feel and precision will also be delivered.

Will it work?

OUR first close-up look at the first in Jaguar’s new generation is hugely impressive.

The company’s engineers and designers seem to have seized their opportunity to show the world how good they are.

The XE is a car we can hardly wait to drive…

WRC: Atko off the bench, but VW closes on title

THE fight won’t be as explosive (or childish) as the volatile intra-team Formula One battle between Mercedes team-mates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton next weekend when world rally title rivals Sebastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala cut loose during Rally Australia.

The Volkswagen drivers have been given free rein to fight each other for victory, the team hierarchy emphasising the absence of team orders.

Though an admirable approach not without risk, it’s one the fans will appreciate.

Frenchman Ogier has a solid but not uncatchable lead in the WRC, though only Latvala and third-placed Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway can accumulate enough points in the remaining rallies to catch the defending world champion.

VW is also poised to wrap up the manufacturers’ championship with Ogier and Latvala requiring just five points between them to seal the title for VW.

Defending champion Ogier and Finland’s Latvala collectively need just five points in Australia to secure the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship manufacturers title early for VW.

If Volkswagen successfully defends the title in Australia, it would be the earliest in a season that a WRC title has been decided in 25 years.

Rallying, though, is anything but unpredictable, as VW discovered in Germany at the previous round, when both Ogier and Latvala crashed out and WRC newcomer Hyundai won its first rally at the world level.

Up to that point the two drivers had won every round of the season, with Ogier claiming five victories and Latvala three.

Hyundai has entered three i20s for Rally Australia, including one for local hero Chris Atkinson, who will be desperate for a strong result after warming the bench for much of the season.

Atkinson joins lead driver Neuville in the Hyundai Motorsport entry, while Kiwi Hayden Paddon returns to the i20 representing the Hyundai Motorsport N team.

This will be Atko’s first WRC event since Mexico in March.

Fresh from his maiden WRC win, and having scored a podium at Rally Australia last year, Neuville has the potential to spoil the rally for Ogier and Latvala, and Atkinson.

Atkinson has not contested Rally Australia since it has relocated to Coffs Harbour, but hopes to make an impression.

“Your home event is always special and the fact I haven’t done it for a few years makes it even more significant,” said Atko.

“My target for Australia is to be consistent and be in the fight for a good result, but I’m not underestimating how difficult it will be to be on the pace after six months away.

“The car is showing some good speed, so everything is heading in the right direction.”

Based in Coffs Harbour – halfway between Sydney and Brisbane – Rally Australia kicks off on Friday, 12 September, after a Rally Show held in the city centre on the previous day.

F1: No hat-trick for Dan

A GLITCH with his launch mapping left pole man Lewis Hamilton struggling back in fourth moments after the start of yesterday’s Italian Grand Prix, but he fought back nobly to score a stunning win over his adversary, fellow Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg.

It helped Hamilton’s cause that Rosberg wilted under pressure from his teammate.

Hamilton is now 22 points behind the German in the title fight.

The GP was also a strong one for Williams, with Felipe Massa claiming third ahead of Valtteri Bottas.

Daniel Ricciardo took fifth, again ahead of the bloke on the other side of the Red Bull Racing garage, Sebastian Vettel.

After a crap start cost Ricciardo several spots, and left him back in 12th amidst the heart of struggletown, his second half charge back into the points was something to behold.

How sweet it was for him to catch and pass Vettel with five laps remaining.

“The strategy helped today; it kept the tyres fresh enough to go those extra few laps at the end,” said Ricciardo.

“I saw the cars in front of me pit and the pace was still good enough, so seeing that we didn’t have great pace when we were out of position, we thought we would try something different and that’s why we went long, which helped towards the end of the race.

“I was more comfortable with the prime tyre and was able to do some good moves, which kept me smiling.

“The start wasn’t ideal; it’s one of the longest runs up to Turn One here from the start line and it’s not a place where you want to have a bad one, but I dropped the clutch and didn’t get the traction, so we will have to look at that.

“But we kept a cool head and picked our way back through the field. I think fifth, even with a good start, was the best we could do.”

Some memorable duels, principally between Sergio Perez and Jenson Button, were added highlights.

NASCAR: No Chase for Marcos

YET again Tasmania’s Marcos Ambrose won’t be part of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup playoffs.

Sixteen drivers are eligible to be the 2014 NASCAR champ, winning races to earn the right to be eligible for the biggest prize in American stock car racing.

A few big names missed out, including superstar Tony Stewart, a non-qualifier for the second straight year.

Stewart, who became front page news when his sprint car struck and killed rival driver Kevin Ward Jr in a dirt race last month, won championships in 2002, 2005 and 2011, but missed the Chase in 2006, 2013 and 2014.

He ran in the top 20 all night in the final qualifying race at Richmond, but, like Ambrose, wasn’t really a contender.

Stewart finished 15th with Ambrose 33rd, three laps down. Ambrose placed 23rd in the Sprint Cup points.

Brad Keselowski won at Richmond from Jeff Gordon.

A SIZZLING new version of Audi’s TT RS is in the pipeline – and it will again be powered by a turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine.

The next track-eating RS is at least two years off and is undergoing an extensive development program to keep it competitive with a new-wave of tougher competition from inside and outside the VW Group family, including the Porsche Cayman S and Boxster S.

Chatting at the launch of the new TT Coupe in Spain, Audi technical project manager Markus Siewart said the old RS flagship was a very successful model that would be repeated. He dismissed suggestions Audi might go smaller in capacity for the TT RS and hinted at a more powerful version of the 2.5.

There has been speculation that the next RS could borrow from the eye catching TT Quattro Sport Concept seen at the Geneva show.

With a potent new 309kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder turbo engine, it looked ready for limited production, but Audi insisted it wasn’t a taste test for the next TT RS.

It’s guesswork whether the concept will emerge in piecemeal form.

Siewart concedes the five-cylinder engine requires big internal changes because of the demands of ever tougher European emissions standards.

The last RS produced was an end-of series Plus variant with 265kW and 465Nm, and employed a seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic with all-wheel drive.

Siewart has also declared there will be no e-tron version of the new TT. Packaging is the issue there.

What is for certain is that the new TT Roadster, co-developed alongside the new Coupe, will be in production by the Northern spring or summer next year, and Australia-bound thereafter.

Still on the subject of the new generation-three TT, a turbo-diesel model is not among Audi Australia’s plans, despite the oiler’s 4.2L/100km/h fuel boast and 7.1sec zero-100km/h time.

Though it was sold here in its last iteration, not enough Australians bought the last TDI.

A rear camera was not sighted on the new TT and TTS models Wheels put to the test in Spain – the safety feature is simply not yet available globally, though this will change.

When it does, it will be standard on cars for our market. Meanwhile audible warnings have to suffice.

Also, a 1.8 entry-level TT was not sighted at the international launch in Spain last week, but will probably return to the line-up after revisions. And Audi Australia has a priority to add the price-leader to its TT shopping basket.

Australia is also continuing its love affair with big wheels and low-profile rubber.

Euro spec TTs get 17-inch rims and tyres but Audi Oz has confirmed 18s for our market.

“I can confirm 18-inch alloys for the entry model TT, but for the TTS it is still too early to confirm,” Audi spokesperson Anna Burgdorf said. “However, either 19-or 20-inch rims are being discussed.”

A space-saver spare will be standard in all Australian market variants.

SOME Fiat 500s end up as a novelty run-about, some become 21st birthday presents. Others are lucky to have an Abarth badge slapped on their nose and live the life of a hot hatch. But we’re certain every single one dreams of becoming an Abarth 695 Assetto Corse.

The 695 Assetto Corse is an evolution of the 500 Assetto Corse car built for several European one-make series. It’s essentially an Abarth 595 given the gladiator treatment. It’s stripped of anything superfluous, installed with a full-roll cage and Sadev six-speed sequential transmission, and its 1.4-litre four banger’s outputs are jolted to 151kW and 300Nm thanks to a larger turbocharger. In other words, it’s the ultimate bambino.

Three have been sitting idle since their participation in February’s Bathurst 12 Hour. So to make use of them, and provide the press with a taste of the brand’s most hard-core offerings, Fiat dusted off the trio and let us scribes loose around Victoria’s Broadford circuit during the Fiat 500 and Abarth Series 3 model launch.

The cars aren’t identical to their European brethren. In preparation for the Bathurst 12 Hour the cars were given PPE Engineering treatment to ensure they could handle Mount Panorama and survive the race while rubbing side-mirrors with international GT3 brass.

The vehicles scored Bosch’s trick Collision Avoidance System for Motorsport (CAS-M) technology that’s been used in Le Mans cars. This tech consists of a rearward facing radar and camera that displays oncoming traffic on a screen mounted on the driver’s A-pillar. The CAS-M technology has since been removed.

Unlike the endurance teams, though, our drive was to be short and sweet: Three laps with an instructor to get the slicks up to temperature (we had Steve Glenney, regular Time Attack gun), then three of our own. Simple. But it was initially a little daunting. These three specially imported tin-tops had a Bathurst enduro on their CV and their proud caretakers, PPE engineering and Fiat’s press team, were looking on from pit wall.

However, leaving pit lane was the most difficult part. Even getting in and sitting in the race car was tedious. You had to dodge the roll cage, decipher the five-point harness, and while Steve Glenney’s no giant, he sure liked his Sabelt bucket seat furlongs from the steering wheel. Then, with arms and legs almost at full extension, we were hurried to get out on track. After a stall or two, a push got us going.

Three laps went quick, but it was enough to prove there’s a weapon race car hiding in the Abarth 595 road version. The Assetto Corse’s 151kW is plenty fast for its 970kg and snatching each gear (with a pull towards you) of the sequential six-speed is an endorphin release for anyone who grew up on Gran Turismo. Downshifts were equally as satisfying and were accepted with or without mitigation of the twin-plate metal-ceramic clutch.

The race calibrated steering proved beautifully light and linked to an obedient front-end that responded extremely well to inputs. The chassis still had the inherent wiggle of the Abarth’s chassis, thanks to its wheelbase, but PPE’s efforts to dial in as much stability as possible made it ultra-easy to find a rhythm with the 695 Assetto Corse. And the aluminium pedals felt satisfyingly chunky.

Its biggest flaw, of very few, was visibility. The combination of winged bucket seats, a low-seat and the Abarth’s invasive A-pillars made it hard to see out of the thing properly. Fiat’s endurance drivers must have been kissing the CAS-M screen at the end of the 12 hour.

Afterwards we were reeling that Australia doesn’t have its own Trofeo Abarth series. The 695 Assetto Corse is simply hilarious fun, a perfect entry-level vehicle for tin-top racing. And we’re sure Fiat would have little trouble filling a grid – we’re told the cars themselves cost 35,000 Euro (about $48K) from factory.

Fiat Chrysler’s unsure what’s next for the three 695 Assetto Corse cars. It says another go at the Bathurst 12 Hour is a possibility but at this stage nothing is confirmed.

While there’s no mention of selling them, Fiat Chrysler are proud owners, if there ever comes the opportunity to snatch one at the above price, we hope Fiat let us know.

THE words ‘exciting’ and ‘Lexus’ usually sit together as comfortably as ‘Israel’ and ‘Palestine’. This hard-core, V8-powered RC F changes all that.

Eager to shirk its conservative, fuddy-duddy image (even Lexus calls itself a “safe brand”) the RC F not only replaces the iconic, now-defunct LFA as the company’s halo model, but boasts track-honed credentials that put it firmly in the crosshairs of the new BMW M4 and upcoming Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and Audi RS5.

Lexus’s approach, though, couldn’t be more different.

Where the Germans utilise new, high-tech, turbocharged engines, the RC F uses the same Yamaha-tuned 5.0-litre V8 as the old IS F, tweaked to produce 351kW and 530Nm. It’s officially the most powerful V8 Lexus has ever built, but there are brains behind the brawn.

Under low loads, the big bent-eight is the first engine in the world to slide seamlessly from the normal Otto cycle into the Atkinson cycle – a mode previously only available to hybrids – for a 12-14 percent boost in economy.

There’s no dual-clutch gearbox, either. Chief engineer Yaguchi insists they are still too slow and jerky, so Lexus instead opted to mate the RC F exclusively to its ageing, yet smooth-shifting eight-speed torque-converter auto.

But if the drivetrain is nothing new, the same can’t be said of the RC F’s styling. In a world of conservative, muscular rivals, the aggressively sharp RC F is a polarising breath of fresh air. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying it has presence.

Don’t dismiss the RC F as simply a door-two IS, though. It rides on its own version of Lexus’s modular rear-drive platform, taking its nose from the GS, its centre from the IS convertible and its rear from the IS sedan.

It’s far from a regular RC, too. Nearly all (70 percent) of the RC F’s adaptive suspension is new compared to the standard RC, it’s even more rigid thanks to additional bracing, and a limited-slip diff is standard (a torque vectoring electronic rear diff is optional).

Translate this to the road and the result is the most engaging, best handling Lexus since the LFA. It might be old, but the big, snarling V8 is a highlight. It barks on start-up and, while lacking torque down low, get it above 2500rpm and it pulls sweetly and cleanly all the way to the 7300rpm cut-out.

It’s an old-school donk with none of the M4’s futuristic urgency or low-down punch, but that only adds to its character. It’s quick, too, hustling the RC F’s not inconsiderable 1800kg from 0-100km/h in 4.4sec.

The gearbox is seamless and unobtrusive around town, yet sharp enough when you point the RC F at a track, even though it’s not as fast or intuitive as a dual-clutch.

Stick it in Sport or Sport + and the torque converter locks every gear from second up, meaning shifts feel positive and mechanical, rather than silky smooth. It makes the RC F a visceral experience, which only improves in the corners.

Turn-in is sharp, the steering well weighted and fluid if not overly engaging, and the firm, track-honed suspension ensures the big RC F has very little body roll.

However, it’s not as focused as the M4 or even the old C63.

At the limit, the RC F has none of the German’s poise or balance and, while that initial turn-in is crisp, get too greedy at the apex or too impatient with the throttle on exit and the nose will push wide.

Still, there’s nice front-to-rear balance, so stab the gas hard and the RC F will indulge even the most ham-fisted driver with lurid, controllable oversteer.

Feel through the brake pedal is excellent, as is the RC F’s stopping power thanks to uprated 380mm slotted rotors up front and 345mm at the back.

Inside, F-specific bucket seats hug the driver, while Lexus’s reputation for quality is evident.

The cabin feels premium and solidly screwed together, but its conventional layout is somehow disappointing given the RC F’s vivid exterior styling. And while an intuitive remote touch interface replaces Lexus’s old, clumsy mouse-operated infotainment system, the RC misses out on new technology found in the coming NX, such as remote phone charging and an electric park brake (RC owners have to make do with a dated foot brake).

It’s not perfect, then, but like the IS F before it, the RC F offers a real alternative to its proven German rivals.

It brings character and stonking V8 performance to an otherwise conservative Lexus range and, while its appeal against its proven rivals will hinge on price – Lexus Oz warns it will carry a hefty premium over the old $130,000 IS F – the RC F proves an exciting Lexus is no longer an oxymoron.

Model: Lexus RC F Engine: 4969cc V8 (90-degree), dohc, 32 valve Max power: 351kW @ 7100rpm Max torque: 530Nm @ 4800-5600rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Kerb weight: 1780kg 0-100km/h: 4.4sec (claimed) Price: $170,000 (estimated) On sale: Q1 2015

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MAZDA dropped the covers on a lightweight fourth-generation MX-5 roadster in Monterey, California today, hinting at a likely $10,000 price cut, but also a lengthy wait for Aussie buyers.

It will be late 2015 before the “feline design” two-seater arrives in Australia, with pricing expected to start at around $37,000 – a full $10K below the current model.

In what amounts to a hard reboot of the MX-5 concept, the million-selling sports car goes back to its roots, with more than 100 kilograms cut from the current third-gen model, launched in 2005.

Safety regulations and added equipment produced a successively expanding waistline that bloated the original 1989 from a humble 940kg to 1130kg over the course of 25 years.

The new model is the automotive equivalent of The Biggest Loser. And low weight is the key to performance, handling and braking.

Obsessive weight reduction, known in Mazda-speak as Gram Strategy, has trimmed the 100-plus kilos while meeting even tighter safety and emissions laws and adding much needed connectivity to the cabin for the first time.

Extensive use of lightweight alloys (bonnet, boot, front guards and both bumper reinforcements) and a reduction in wheel size and tyre footprint contributed to the slim down.

The signature 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, however, is maintained.

Every roadster gets a 7-inch tablet style screen – to be called Mazda Connect in most markets – with full sat-nav and a suite of on-board novelties, USB ports and a proximity key, all housed in a California-designed interior that ups the luxe ratio with soft-touch surfaces, detail stitching and no faux fibre.

The two-time Wheels Car of The Year winner (the 1989 and 2005 models) is radically re-proportioned, with the key dash-to-axle dimension lengthened. The driver has been moved back and down, the front wheels pushed forward and the rear overhang shortened. And the hip point, one of the most vital dimensions in a sports car, is lower as well.

The new model sits closer to the ground, with the likely direct-injection 2.0-litre atmo petrol powerplant also lower in the engine bay and mounted longitudinally.

It is matched to new six-speed manual and auto transmissions.

Mazda isn’t quoting exact numbers, but the centre of gravity and yaw moment of the car are both said to be reduced. So is the cowl height, with slimmer A-pillars making for better forward vision.

Overall, the 2015 model is 105mm shorter but slightly wider and lower, yet feels bigger inside with the signature high transmission tunnel topped off with the short-throw manual (at least on the show model).

The longer dash-to-axle dimension and pushing the front wheels forward results in a slightly shorter wheelbase – 2315mm vs 2330mm for the current car.

In the metal, the new model looks planted, sucked to the ground with high front guards and a noticeably lower bonnet, tiny cat-eye LED headlights and tucked-in tight rear end.

There’s a noticeable dip down to the doors from the side view and cat-like haunches.

The soft-top roof can be operated while remaining easily seated, Mazda claims.

A wind-blocker means the rushing breeze won’t mess up the ‘do, although that might be heresy to purist wind-in-the-hair drivers. The good news it folds away. Just like the cupholders.

Yes, cupholders in a sports car. These at least detach and can be stored in the boot if serious punting is afoot.

One more thing that speaks volumes (pardon the pun) is the addition of headrest speakers “to enhance driving enjoyment with the top down”.

LIVE COVERAGE: Click here to view our live feed from the launch

The new MX-5 will be fitter, faster and better equipped to fight the Toyota 86 for the throne of cut-price, rear-drive sports car when it arrives in Australia early next year.

Just unveiled in the USA, the new MX-5 scores brand new styling, a new engine and gearboxes, and a significantly updated chassis.

Mazda’s engineers have torn 100kg out of the new, fourth-gen MX-5 compared to the old model – and made it smaller, culminating in the most compact generation MX-5 ever.

Mazda Austalia has also hinted the sports hero’s price could fall when the car lands in Australia next year, recently telling MOTOR it’s looking closely at how to make the car more affordable.

Mazda is keeping its corporate lips sealed on power and torque outputs, but expect an increase from the MX-5’s new direct-injected, four-cylinder unit.

Weight savings come from a lighter folding roof, as well as new aluminium bonnet, bootlid, front guards and front/rear bar reinforcements, while Mazda has also employed its “gram strategy” to kill any unnecessary weight.

The engine has been moved closer to the vehicle’s centre for a 50/50 weight split and lowered centre of gravity. Grip will be modest, as per MX-5 tradition, thanks to 195/50 rubber strapped to stock 16-inch wheels, while the steering moves to a new electrically-assisted rack and pinion.

As well as grafting on the new corporate “Kodo” design language, Mazda’s stylists have moved the MX-5’s cabin rearward and lowered the passenger hip point for a more squat, long-bonnet look.

The MX-5 scores a new interior, with the classic small steering wheel and a giant, centrally-mounted tacho behind it, as well as headrest speakers and reduced wind buffeting with the roof down.

MX-5 program manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto said the MX-5 had grown fat and large over the years due to increased safety and emissions requirements, but that his engineering team has tried to return to the original car’s principles of driver enjoyment and lightness.

“We continued to enhance the model’s driving pleasure while meeting increasingly pressing customer demands for comfort, safety and environmental performance,” said Yamamoto.

“In developing the fourth-generation MX-5, we returned to the original aims of the first generation that had restore the culture of the lightweight sports car and then took on the challenge of embodying the fundamental pleasure of driving an open-top lightweight sports car in a product suited to today’s needs.”

“Mazda firmly believes the fun of being one with the car … must be maintained.”

And he’s aware of the pressure of stuffing it up, adding, “I am both profoundly appreciative and keenly aware of the great responsibility I bear.”

The fourth-generation MX-5 will be called the Roadster in Japan and Miata in the USA.

Keep an eye on our live coverage where we’ll keep you posted on new MX-5 details and pics as we get them.

Meanwhile for more from the new MX-5 world premiere, follow editor Dylan Campbell on MOTOR’s new Live feed as he reports live from the USA.

ASTON Martin has poached highly regarded British executive Andy Palmer to be its new CEO.

Palmer, 51, had been tipped as a future CEO of Renault-Nissan, the world’s fourth-largest car maker.

He was chief planning officer at Renault-Nissan, as well as executive vice-president, a member of the executive committee and chairman of Infiniti, the brand’s prestige arm. He also looked after program management, electric vehicles, global marketing communications and global sales.

He has played a crucial role in the brand’s strong manufacturing and product line in the UK, where the Qashqai crossover was the sixth-bestselling vehicle in 2013, and was also a vocal supporter of the Leaf, reducing CO2 and the autonomous car.

Palmer is a noted car enthusiast who had joined Nissan in 1991, after a spell at Austin Rover.

In 2013, he was named the world’s third-most influential CEO in a study for Forbes magazine.

At Aston Martin, he replaces Ulrich Bez, who retired from the position at the end of 2013 after turning 70.

Aston Martin is now a more profitable company than when Bez took the reigns, despite sales figures almost halving.

The colourful Bez nursed the brand through the GFC and helped it maintain its lustre, despite lacking the resources of its rivals.

Bez crucially understood the value of the brand, but also mustered a deal with Daimler to take a 5 percent stake in the company in 2013, giving it access to newer technology, including engine hardware.

Aston Martin recently confirmed it will build the Lagonda sedan and Daimler’s stake will be used to reinvigorate its ageing line-up.