Mazda's cheeky little MX-5 roadster has been upgraded for 2013 with a new front bumper that Mazda says is “more aggressive, as well as more aerodynamic”, and new interior trim, with the panel décor matching the inlay on the steering wheel spokes.
And Mazda SA says the new MX-5 will be available in South Africa from the fourth quarter of 2012.
But it's what's under the bonnet - and deep in the footwell - that's more important.
The throttle linkage and pedal actuation have been redesigned so that the car's acceleration is both more controllable and more linear, while the vacuum brake-booster have been revised to improve its return movement - in other words, controllability as the driver releases the brakes.
All of which, says Mazda, makes the car much more accurately controllable when going from braking to acceleration - on winding country roads, for example - and lends itself to the very European practice of heel-and-toe braking into a corner.
Or, to put it in a purely Japanese way, it takes the MX-5 development slogan concept Jinba Ittai- “horse and rider as one” - a big step further, making the car more intuitive, and more fun to drive - and yes, Cyril, the Mazda testers say it's significantly quicker through the twisties too.
But wait, as they say, there's more.
The 2013 MX-5 also has a new 'active bonnet' pedestrian protection system that raises the trailing edge of the bonnet if a pedestrian impact is detected, softening the initial impact and creating extra airspace under the bonnet as a crumple zone before the pedestrian hits the top of the engine.
The new bumper is also designed to scoop a pedestrians legs out from under them, according to Mazda, rather than break bones on impact.
You could say the MX-5 has a soft heart under its sharp new exterior.