{"id":33249,"date":"2024-08-22T15:43:16","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T19:43:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=33249"},"modified":"2024-08-22T15:44:33","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T19:44:33","slug":"payne-cruisin-future-classics-mach-e-n-miata","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/payne-cruisin-future-classics-mach-e-n-miata","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Cruisin’ future classics, Mach-E ‘n’ Miata"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pontiac<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The Woodward Dream Cruise is one of the world\u2019s biggest auto events, bringing an estimated 40,000 cars and 1 million spectators to a 16-mile stretch of Metro Detroit\u2019s main street. I love the variety. Unlike other cars shows, the Cruise is free and open to every type of automobile, from vintage milk trucks and Motown muscle cars from the 1960s to current-generation pickups and European exotics.<\/p>\n

\"Odd<\/figure>\n
\n

Odd couple: The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E (left) and 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club.. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

This year, I took an odd couple to the Dream Cruise: the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT and Mazda MX-5 Miata Club, both future classics.<\/p>\n

The Mach-E and Miata are automotive bookends representing the diversity of models in the industry today. The Mach-E is an automatic, all-wheel-drive electric vehicle with twin electric motors, four seats, a frunk and more thrust than the Space Shuttle. The Miata, by contrast, is a manual, petrol-powered rear-wheel-drive roadster that seats (barely) two, and is more fun than an inflatable tube on a snow hill.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Dream Cruiser. With 634-pound-feet of torque, the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT can hit 60 mph out of Woodward stoplights in just 3.7 seconds. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n

For all their differences, the two vehicles have their roots in 1960s sports cars. Mach-E is Ford\u2019s first SUV inspired by the Mustang muscle car, and the Miata was inspired by the iconic English Lotus Elan. The pair also offer a chilling glimpse into a dystopian future auto landscape where governments force manufacturers to make only EVs. In 25 years, will internal combustion roller skates like the Miata be banned? A relic of a golden age? Let\u2019s hope not.<\/p>\n

For now, these models are a celebration of individual transportation.<\/p>\n

Friday fun day<\/h2>\n

On Friday afternoon, the rains cleared and Mrs. Payne and I rolled toward Woodward for some cruising in the Miata. At a stoplight, we went topless. The car, that is.<\/p>\n

The Mazda\u2019s soft top is one of the industry\u2019s engineering marvels. No, it\u2019s not electronic. It doesn\u2019t have a screen, or a dial. But in three seconds, I unhooked it from the windshield and stowed it behind me without getting out of the driver\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Woodward Dream Cruiser. The 2024 Mazda Miata is whip-quick with its lightweight, 2,368-pound chassis. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n

I popped the front latch, pulled the soft top back over my head, and stuffed it into the cubby behind my head. It\u2019s as simple as taking a blanket off your bed in the morning.<\/p>\n

I turned off traction control, shifted into first gear and slid the rear end out with controlled throttle as I accelerated onto Woodard\u2019s damp pavement. The short wheelbase Mazda is playful, easily controlled whether on the track or on the road. Like the analog soft top, the old school shifter is crisp and easy to throw.<\/p>\n

The Mustang Mach-E is a different kind of giggle.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
\n
The 2024 Mazda Miata is a drop-top roadster, fit for two. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

While the Mustang\u2019s heritage also includes drop-top coupes, the Mach-E doesn\u2019t offer a convertible option. Drop-top EVs like the GMC Hummer have been few. My $64K GT tester, however, let the sun shine in with a panoramic glass roof and was further enhanced with a stylin\u2019 Bronze Appearance package. Incredibly, the GT performance model puts more torque (634 pound-feet vs. 625) to the ground than the King of Mustangs \u2014 the $80K supercharged V-8 Mustang Shelby GT500.<\/p>\n