Mazda MX-5 Will Go Back To The Basics In 2014
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?]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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I am the owner of an NA, the first generation Miata/MX-5. I have never owned any of the other models, and my only experience with one was a short drive in a friends NB, the second generation. The NC, the 3rd generation does nothing for me. I can't quite see an ND, assuming they follow the sequence, fulfilling anything in my lust department. I somehow can't wrap my head around a "multi-purpose" Miata/MX-5 that will fill everyones needs depending on its level of trim. I can be proven wrong, but I'm concerned that the new car wil become a nothing because it failed to get anything "just right".