In a clever fashion, Mazda has proved that its MX-5 Miata is the world’s fastest convertible in a drag race set in Southern California.
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Winter: the perfect time to test crossovers, snow tires and convertibles, right? Well, maybe not that last one, but anyone who wants to buy a convertible, like this 2013 Mazda MX-5, should know how it fares in all four seasons, not just in drop-top temperatures.
Clearly there’s plenty of excitement surrounding the next-generation Mazda MX-5 model, to the point that the rumors are starting to become hard to keep track of.
No big surprise here, but Mazda has given its popular MX-5 Miata sports car a refresh for the 2013 model year, which is now on sale over in Japan.
To go with the supposed 1.3L turbocharged powerplant the next-generation MX-5 will be getting, Mazda‘s MX-5 development boss Hirotaka Kanazawa also revealed that the 2014 MX-5 will go to a back-to-basics approach towards being a fun sportscar, just like the 1989 original model.
“We will return to the original. It will be lightweight and the cost will be lightweight too. It will be easy to handle and fun to drive,” he said in an interview with What Car?
The next-generation convertible will also utilize Mazda’s new Skyactiv technologies and as we reported before, it’ll shed some weight – though now it’s a more believable figure of 2,200-lbs. Originally Mazda hoped to get it around 1,780-lbs but now it appears that the next-generation MX5 will be more in line of the original which weight 2,178-lbs.
Mazda is also exploring the idea of multiple models in order to appease all the MX-5 enthusiasts out there. Whether they want power or comfort, they’ll be able to make a choice rather than being alienated. Design boss Ikuo Maeda also hinted that the company’s new Kodo design language could find its way onto the MX-5′s design.
[Source: What Car?]
Mazda‘s European division has given die-hard Miata fans something to celebrate about. The Karai Special Edition Miata MX-5 has been adorned with plenty aesthetic accessories, interior race-inspired upgrades and comes with a special Sinn timepiece. Unfortunately only 165 of the Karai Miatas will be produced and sold only in Germany with a price around $43,500.
Karai, which means “sharp” in Japanese, defines this Miata’s styling accessories that sets it apart from your run-of-the-mill Miata. The eye-catchy lime green shade is called “Metal Green Metallic” and is contrasted by a glossy black retractable top, glossy black mirrors and 17-inch wheels.
For the interior, the Karai Special Edition gets some race-inspired pieces from Recaro, with sport seats in a black leather trim and Alcantara, accented with white stitching. The leather steering wheel receives white stitching to match while other pieces of the interior has been refinished in glossy black to contrast.
GALLERY: Mazda Miata MX-5 Karai Special Edition
Mazda is looking to return to its roots when the next generation MX-5 Miata debuts. According to a report by InsideLine, the car will take inspiration from the MX-5 Superlight Concept and weigh just 2,200 lbs. Mazda has already announced that starting in 2011 it aims to cut the curb weight on all of its new models by at least 220 lbs.
Even more impressive is that it is expected to use the company’s new SKY-G engine, which Mazda debuted recently at the Tokyo Auto Show. Displacing just 1.3-liters, this 4-cylinder isn’t a hybrid or a diesel, but reportedly makes as much as 150-hp and can get anywhere from 50-mpg to 70-mpg!
Mazda has yet to reveal how it managed to get such a high fuel economy number out of this setup, but InsideLine is reporting that industry juggernaut Toyota is impressed and interested in the technology.
Recently Mazda did show a hybrid version of the SKY-G engine in its Kiyora Concept which debuted at the Tokyo Auto Show. Powered by the same 1.3-liter version of Mazda’s new SKY-G engine combined with a six-speed Sky-Drive automatic transmission, Mazda’s i-stop start/stop system and regenerative braking, Mazda says it can achieve 75 mpg.
[Source: InsideLine]