Next Mazda MX-5 Miata Turning to Carbon Fiber to Get Even Lighter
Mazda MX-5 Miata engineers have a serious obsession with weight loss.
The Japanese automaker is already turning its attention towards the next-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata and are planning to make it even lighter by using carbon fiber. Although the fifth-generation MX-5 won’t arrive until 2021 at the earliest, MX-5 program manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto shared that it is unlikely the MX-5 will get smaller, but it should get lighter. “The size is right,” said Yamamoto in an interview with Autocar. “But in the future, lightweight materials will be very important and will be used in this car. Now carbon fiber is very expensive, but we have in development affordable carbon fiber, so the MX-5 will be lighter in the future.”
SEE ALSO: 2016 Mazda MX-5 Review
With even more weight being shed, there’s a possibility that the engine powering the MX-5 will get even smaller. Yamamoto admits that as the vehicle weight gets lower, a smaller engine and smaller tires can be used. That means a three-cylinder engine could be under the hood of the next-generation MX-5, delivering similar performance figures to today’s four-cylinder mill.
Yamamoto had some bad news, though, saying that the Speedster and Spyder concepts based on the MX-5 are just dream cars, adding that they aren’t feasible to produce.
Discuss this story on our Mazda MX-5 Miata Forum
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.
More by Jason Siu
Comments
Join the conversation
i'm willing to bet the Miata does get a couple of inches shorter. If it gets any lighter, it will immediately move to a 3 cylinder powerplant.
3 Cylinders? Wrong direction, Mazda. Throw a little six banger in there and let's get going.