IF you haven’t heard of the Japanese term "jinba ittai" you’ll start to hear a lot about it when the new MX-5 is mentioned. The term is Japanese for "rider and horse as one". And while we’re usually not enamoured with car-company marketing jargon, the phrase is thoroughly appropriate for a car that in reality makes the driver feel like he’s at one with the car. The third-generation MX-5 is just 4kg heavier than the old model but bigger, safer and stronger. The engine is also more powerful but at no point does it overwhelm what must be one of the best two-seaters around for under $50,000. The dynamics are superb, suspension first-rate and the design pays homage to the first and second-generation cars but also pushes boundaries.