It is not often that the launch of a car causes a worldwide furore. But back in 1989 the excitement surrounding the launch of the original Mazda MX-5 was hard to overstate.

I happened to be in California on another Mazda launch when the PR folk produced a pre-launch MX-5 - sold as the Miata in the US - which we were allowed to take out as a ten-minute treat.

The head-turning effect on the good folk of Orange County, of a car that, at the time, no amount of money could buy, remains with me to this day.

The latest model is the Miata's grandson and while its arrival might not have created the same commotion as its predecessor, it is an altogether beefier, powerful and more sophisticated vehicle.

Mazda this time let me loose in the latest 2.0-litre Sport model, complete with the world's fastest folding powered hard-top.

Although longer, wider and taller, the soft-top model weighs only a few kilos more than the previous model.

The Roadster Coupé, with its power folding hard-top, weighs just 37kg more than the soft-top. There has been some shuffling about of components, with the engine being moved further back, while the battery and fuel tank were moved forwards, so that the car keeps an ideal 50/50 front and rear weight distribution.

The weight distribution, combined with the longer wheelbase, wider track and lower centre of gravity, has produced a rear-wheel-drive sports car that is just as taut, responsive and as much fun to drive as the original.

Its more aggressive body lines, larger alloy wheels, 160 horsepower engine and twin exhaust tailpipes, make the new car more appealing to men, with six out of ten being sold to male customers.

With prices ranging from £15,730, buyers can choose from soft or hard-top and a choice of three powertrains - 1.8-litre or 2.0-litre with a five-speed gearbox and a 2.0-litre with six-speed gearbox. The hard-top is an ingenious piece of packaging.

It can be lowered or raised in just 12 seconds and folds into such a compact space behind the seats that, with the top down, the boot space is unaffected.

The 2.0i Sport model is packed with goodies, including 17-inch, ten-spoke alloy wheels, six-speed manual transmission, front fog lights, Bilstein shock absorbers, heated leather seats and climate control air-conditioning.

The one thing that it lacks, like its predecessor, is a decent clock. But then perhaps time is less important for sports car drivers.

Auto facts Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupé

  • Price: £21,080
  • Ins group: 13
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 34.5mpg
  • Top speed: 131mph
  • Length: 399.5cm/157.3in
  • Width: 172cm/67.7in
  • Luggage capacity: 5.3 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 11 gallons/50 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 193g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles