A lot of digital ink has been spilled about the next Miata, even though there have been zero spy shots of the new roadster. The fifth generation is still likely a couple of years away, but that hasn’t stopped Mazda from discussing the direction its beloved convertible will take. In an interview with Australian media, a company higher-up reassured enthusiasts that the MX-5 won’t betray its legacy as a lightweight sports car.
Speaking with GoAuto, Mazda’s General Manager of Global Sales and Marketing, Manabu Osuga, shared a magical number: “I can tell you that we are sticking with [the design for] a car that will be under one ton of weight … employing our ‘gram strategy’ as we did with the current series.” At less than 1,000 kilograms (2,204 pounds), it would make the next Miata even lighter than the ND3 on sale today in the United States.
In North America, the current car weighs 2,366 pounds (1,073 kilograms) in its lightest form. However, it’s even lighter in some regions where the MX-5 is offered with a tiny 1.5-liter engine. As a matter of fact, in EU markets, Mazda sells the roadster exclusively with the smaller engine. Unfortunately, the 2.0-liter unit had to be removed from the lineup after failing to meet emissions regulations.
Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
Osuga was referring to the soft-top model, as a potential future RF version with an electrically retractable hardtop would inevitably bring a weight penalty. Mazda knows it’s imperative to keep the Miata as lightweight as possible and is consequently ruling out electrification, at least for the time being.
“I am not going to say there isn’t any possibility [for a hybrid version]. But right now, that technology is very heavy, and if we apply that to the MX-5, we will not satisfy our fans. Eventually, in the future, if the technology is there, then we will think about it. But at this moment, the internal combustion engine is the way [forward].”
It’s an interesting statement, given how Mazda is already facing compliance issues with the Miata in EU markets. The 2.0-liter engine disappeared from the continent a couple of years ago, but perhaps the upcoming Skyactiv-Z unit will make it possible to install a larger engine again. Set to premiere in the hybrid CX-5 in 2027, it’ll be a 2.5-liter mill developed to comply with Euro 7, which comes into effect later this year.
Motor1’s Take: Having a larger, non-electrified engine in the Miata NE would be exactly what purists ordered. Who knows, it might finally break the 200-horsepower barrier, after Mazda came extremely close last year with a Japan-only 12R special edition rated at 197 hp.
Mazda has already confirmed the six-speed manual gearbox will continue, setting it up for success, especially with few rivals left to worry about. BMW is retiring the more expensive Z4 this year, without a successor in sight. The Toyobaru twins remain coupe-only, leaving the MX-5 in a league of its own.
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