THIS TOPS THE MIATA; The new hardtop is one more reason to love the MX-5.(Mazda Motor Corp.)

Byline: MARK VAUGHN

Unless you are, as Groundskeeper Willie said, "a noodle-armed choirboy,'' anybody with a hint of triceps on his right arm can wrest the softtop of the Mazda Miata up or down in one swift motion. Well, noodle-armed choirboys, rejoice. Mazda now offers a power-retractable hardtop.

Let's just say right here that the whole thing works splendidly, takes only 12 seconds as advertised, and there are almost no drawbacks.

Except that it's 77 pounds heavier than the soft-top MX-5 (only 77 pounds because the roof is made out of polycarbonate, not steel). And yes, it costs about $1,800 more. And you can't cut through it with a switchblade to retrieve your keys like you could with the old top (the hardtop could be seen as a bonus security enhancement).

Otherwise it's all pluses. It is quieter and better-insulated, with no squeaks or wiggles. Mazda used thicker steel and added structural brackets around the roof opening, which is 1.8 inches wider and 3.2 inches longer. The rear quarter-panels and decklid surround are also new to accommodate the roof. Springs and shocks are a little stiffer, and the front antiroll bar is 0.05-inch thicker to compensate for the added weight.

A recent week spent in a power-retractable hard-top roadster saw an impressive amount of interest and ogles, including many requests to operate the top on command. So many people recognized it by its formal name, the Power Retractable Hard Top, that at first the recognition seemed encouraging for the new model-until ...