Mazda MX-5 RF named ‘Best of the Best’ in Red Dot design awards

THE MAZDA MX-5 RF, launched in the country on March 30 at the Manila International Auto Show,

has recently received a top award for design.

According to Mazda’s local distributor, Bermaz Auto Philippines, the MX-5 RF has been named “Best of the Best” at the 2017 Red Dot product design

awards. The MX-5 RF is the hardtop version of Mazda’s fourthgeneration MX- 5 sports car,

which won the same award upon its launch in 2015. The RF in the

hardtop model’s name stands for retractable fastback.

“With the MX- 5 RF, Mazda has truly come up with a timeless sports car design that is worthy of praise and admiration,” said the president and CEO of Philippine

Mazda distributorship, Steven Tan. “The [car’s] retractable fastback design is unique because not only does it complement the already stunning lines of Kodo — Soul of Motion styling that made the original soft-top a gorgeous sports car, but it also provides an innovative package that efficiently combines a pure open-top driving experience with the practicality, comfort and security of a powered hardtop — which many Filipinos have been waiting for in the MX-5.”

The MX-5 RF’s electrically retractable hardtop can be put or stowed away in only 13 seconds, according to Mazda.

It explained the MX- 5 RF’s award is the “highest honor available from the internationally acclaimed annual competition,” which is “bestowed only for truly outstanding and groundbreaking designs.” Citing Red Dot organizers, Mazda said that “Best of the Best” winners are the “products of design visionaries who managed to

achieve a perfect harmony of functional quality, seductiveness and usability.” Mazda said the Red Dot jury this year was composed of 39

designers, professors and journalists who chose 102 “Best of the Best” winners from the more

than 5,500 entries it received

from 54 countries. Criteria for

selection include innovation, functionality, ergonomics, symbolic and emotional content,

self-explanatory quality and ecological compatibility. Red Dot is one of the world’s

largest product competitions. The car maker said the MX-5 RF’s award is the sixth Red Dot

prize for Mazda models that sport the Kodo design language. Along with the MX- 5 soft- top, the Mazda CX- 3 and Mazda2 also won awards in 2015 while the Mazda3 and Mazda6 clinched honors in

2014 and 2013.