Autoblog

2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata to get SKY-G power, 50+ mpg?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:56:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Mazda, Rumormill

Mazda MX-5 Miata Superlight Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Are big changes ahead for the Miata? As a blog that's gone on record as adoring the current iteration (and all previous - Ed.) of Mazda's quintessential sportscar, that notion is a bit worrisome. Still, it sounds as if the company is going in the right direction. According to Inside Line, the 2011 MX-5 Miata will shrink in size a bit with an expected curb weight of just 2,200 pounds. That low weight should pay big dynamic dividends as well as boost efficiency, but the big news on that front will be an all-new engine.

Powering the next-gen Miata will reportedly be either a 1.3-liter or 1.5-liter version of the four-cylinder SKY-G engine (G as in gasoline) that Mazda showed off earlier this year at the Tokyo Motor Show. With an expected power rating near 150 horsepower, the current model's power-to-weight ratio would remain intact (the 2009 model boasts 167 hp), and Mazda reportedly predicts the downsized mill will return in excess of 50 miles per gallon in the little sportscar. Consider our interest piqued.

Gallery: Mazda Superlight Concept

[Source: Inside Line]

2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata to get SKY-G power, 50+ mpg? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rendered Speculation: 2012 Mazda MX-5 could go lighter and smaller

Noah Joseph — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Mazda

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Mazda MX-5 (or Miata) has shown remarkable resilience to the bloating trends of age. While other automakers tend to make new cars bigger and fatter with each successive generation, notwithstanding the optional retractable hardtop version, the Mazda roadster has remained relatively compact and light on its feet. But while the MX-5 Superlight concept due to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show takes the current Miata into ever lighter territory, reports suggest that the next-generation model could prove even lighter.

With a compact four-cylinder engine and lightweight chassis, the replacement for the current MX-5 is reportedly being prepared for its debut in 2012. What this would mean, however, for the fate of the reputed MX-2 - a speculated sub-Miata roadster - remains to be seen.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport]

Rendered Speculation: 2012 Mazda MX-5 could go lighter and smaller originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rendered Speculation: Mazda preparing sub-Miata MX-2?

Noah Joseph — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Mazda, Rendered Speculation

We've seen it happen a million times: a small car is successful, then the automaker ruins it by making it larger and heavier to satisfy what it thinks the average buyer is after. Fortunately, that hasn't been the case with the Mazda MX-5, which - retractable hardtop option notwithstanding - the Japanese automaker has always been careful not to spoil the core elements of the MX-5. So we'll take reports that Mazda is preparing an even smaller MX-2 with a grain of salt. But a small one.

According to the speculation, a future MX-2 would come in noticeably smaller than the full-size Miata, and therefore require smaller engines. Something between 700cc and 1.6-liter engines are reportedly in store, with a turbo at the top end delivering 160 horsepower. No word on layout, but we'd grudgingly expect a front-drive set-up when the purported MX-2 is unveiled as early as 2012.

[Source: Auto Express]

Rendered Speculation: Mazda preparing sub-Miata MX-2? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda MX-5 to celebrate 20th birthday at Le Mans

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:32:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Mazda, Event Alert

Mazda MX-5's 20th Anniversary at LeMans - Click above for a high-res image gallery

It's hard to believe it's been two decades since Mazda first showed the world how to build a classic British sports car right. The roadster known as the Miata and MX-5 at different times and places around the world is 20 years old and to celebrate, Mazda has invited 200 examples and their owners from across Europe to a party in France next month at the 24 Hours of LeMans.

Over the course of two decades and three generations, Mazda has sold over 850,000 MX-5s and it remains one of the most entertaining roadsters available. While it's never been the most powerful sports car and some dismiss it as a secretary's chosen chariot, the compact, lightweight roadster has won over even the most insecure alpha males with taut handling, a balanced drivetrain and one of the simplest convertible mechanisms known to man.

European MX-5 owners who want to participate in the party should contact their national MX-5 club or Mazda France. The 200 attendees will watch the race from the Mazda camp alongside the circuit and a best in show will be awarded, along with plenty of goodies.

Gallery: Mazda MX-5 20th Anniversary Le Mans

Continue reading Mazda MX-5 to celebrate 20th birthday at Le Mans

Mazda MX-5 to celebrate 20th birthday at Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 May 2009 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next Mazda Miata to be lighter; get smaller engines and electric power steering?

Dan Roth — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:27:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Convertible, Performance, Etc., Green, Technology, Mazda, Rumormill

Click above for a high-res gallery of 20 years of the Mazda Miata/MX-5

Low weight and greater efficiency might not be the sexiest of selling points for a sports car unless you're a devotee of Lotus founder Colin Chapman's "add lightness" philosophy. Thankfully for those less-is-more enthusiasts, however, Mazda has steadily adhered to that formula with its MX-5 Miata - and now, word from the crew at GoAuto is that company engineers are working even harder to adhere to that design philosophy, with thoughts of smaller, force-fed engines and lighter curb weights dominating discussions for the next iteration of the iconic roadster.

There have long been rumors of a rotary-powered MX-5, but that's probably not in the cards. A modern take on the RX-7 is supposedly being worked up to take a new version of Felix Wankel's whirling dervish of an engine zipping into the future, with the MX-5 getting a newly developed line of four cylinders with direct injection and forced induction (finally!). A heavy-breathing Miata, packing the muscle of a MazdaSpeed3, for instance, might move the neo-MGB into a new realm at the top of its range.

Three words that tend to generate a half-frown on enthusiasts faces are being thrown about in the same sentence as the new Miata: "Electric power steering." We can see the push for the greater energy efficiency that EPS offers, but hopefully Mazda can make the Miata's helm joyously alive instead of Toyota Corolla-style numbness, all shot up with Novocaine (as most such systems tend to be).

Chassis details are also in the realm of conjecture at this point, but with words like "lighter" being shoved at us, we expect some significant re-engineering going on under the skin. That skin, by the way, will likely be more expressive than the rather safe MX-5 we have now, with Mazda's design chief Laurens van den Acker on record as saying the plan is for the car to "be more dramatic and give it some balls."

Gallery: Chicago 2009: Twenty Years of the Mazda Miata

[Source: GoAuto]

Next Mazda Miata to be lighter; get smaller engines and electric power steering? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2009: Mazda MX-5 Miata seems happy to be turning 20

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Convertible, Performance, Mazda

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Mazda MX-5 live from Chicago

As we told you last week, the Miata is turning 20 this year and Mazda is celebrating with a little nip and tuck. Sure it's called the MX-5 now, and sure 20 isn't that old in people years, but seeing as how the Mazda3 has already gone loopy with that big goofy grin, it was only a matter of time before the MX-5 had its own makeover. With more than 800,000 of these modern affordable roadsters on the streets, the Miata has cemented itself atop the sports car pantheon. For 2009 Mazda has added more horsepower but not at the expense of fuel economy. The 2.0L engine gets a bump from 166 to 168 hp, with mileage that Mazda has promised will be higher than the 2008 model's 22/27. Not content to leave well enough alone, Mazda even tweaked the MX-5's already crisp suspension. Looks like plenty of reasons to smile to us. Check out the gallery to see live shots of the 2009 Mazda MX-5 from the Chicago Auto Show and hit the jump to read Mazda's press release.

Gallery: Chicago 2009: 2009 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Continue reading Chicago 2009: Mazda MX-5 Miata seems happy to be turning 20

Chicago 2009: Mazda MX-5 Miata seems happy to be turning 20 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CAR gets way early first drive of Mazda MX-5

Dan Roth — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Europe, Mazda

CAR magazine has gotten an opportunity to try out the refresh of the MX-5, which has left them impressed enough to say it's "still the best car Mazda makes." There's nothing revelatory coming for 2009, just more consistent refinement of a winning formula. The biggest change is a bit of rhinoplasty that adds more of the family nose to the MX-5's visage. The headlamps have taken on a shape that echoes the car's siblings the 3 and the 6. Grille openings, and the shape of the front airdam, call to mind the RX-8, and new sill extensions stretch between the wheels. The tweaking adds a whiff more aggression to the convertible's look, which some have found effeminate in the past.

Rather than get caught up in the recent massive horsepower war, Mazda's been careful to maintain the MX-5's stellar chassis manners that allow drivers to make the most of the horsepower with the car's penchant for serving up handling enjoyment. There have been refinements to the hardware: the transmission now has shorter throws, and the engine gets a forged crank connected to new pistons, and a new valvetrain also helps orchestrate a power peak 300 rpm higher, now at 7,000, and redline bumps out to 7,500. For those that don't want to shift themselves, there's a six speed automatic, and the front suspension has been revised to improve steering feel and action. The MX-5 has evolved from an MGB throwback to a classic in its own right. Now, if they'd just make a proper fixed-head version. Thanks for the tip, Nguyen Ta!

Gallery: 2009 Mazda MX-5

[Source: CAR]

CAR gets way early first drive of Mazda MX-5 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EU patent office leaks 2009 Mazda MX-5 facelift

Noah Joseph — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Mazda

Click to view more renderings of the 2009 Mazda MX-5

Automakers go to great lengths to keep their upcoming products secret, but sometimes leaks are out of their control. Case in point, the recent leak of the upcoming redesign of the Mazda3 and now a facelift for the Mazda MX-5/Miata. With the roadster's full replacement reportedly delayed until 2012, Mazda is apparently going to give the current model a mid-cycle refresh with some more aggressive styling tweaks.

The leaked image, which Mazda apparently filed with the European Union Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM), shows a restyled front end and that's it. The new mesh grille borrows from the Mazdaspeed3, the headlights grow a more aggressive slant, the foglights are restyled into eye-shaped surrounds, and the turning indicators are moved to behind the flared wheel arches. Other changes to the car's design may be in store as well, however the images, which you can view in the gallery below, show only the front end. Sources suggest the revised MX-5 may hit the market later this year or early the next, with a possible unveiling at the Paris Motor Show this fall.

Gallery: 2009 Mazda MX-5 patent renderings

[Source: Autoblog Spanish]

EU patent office leaks 2009 Mazda MX-5 facelift originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Mazda MX-5 is coming with Mazda6 cues

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:58:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Mazda

According to an attendee at a recent Mazda dealer meeting, we'll be seeing a refreshed version of the MX-5 late next year as a 2010 model. After catching a brief glimpse of the new MX-5, a forum member at Miata.net posted that the 2010 model will be sporting headlamps and taillights similar to those found on the redesigned Mazda6, and will benefit from a few other improvements including a slight increase in power. While we can't confirm any of this, we've heard similar rumblings in the not-so-distant past, and with the redesigned Mazda3 right around the corner, Mazda might be trying to lend a bit more stylistic cohesion to its lineup before full revamps take place after the turn of the decade.

However, one piece is missing from the Miata puzzle. What about the Mazdaspeed version of the MX-5? It's been assumed that Mazda would release a boosted version of its iconic roadster before the next model debuts. If the facelifted version is indeed bound for the 2010 model year, that could be an indication that a Mazdaspeed MX-5 is on its way. Here's hoping.

[Source: Miata.net]

2010 Mazda MX-5 is coming with Mazda6 cues originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazdaspeed success proves you don't need NASCAR, F1 to prove your worth

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Mazda

Head out to any open track day and it's likely that you'll find more Mazda vehicles making the rounds on the tarmac than almost any other make. It's not rare to find out that at least one of the instructors doing a ride-along campaigns a Spec Miata, and during our last event, the same guy that flogged his caged MX-5 around the course (and was kind enough to help us figure out turn six) got into a Mazdaspeed3 for the long trek home from Thunderhill.

Mazdas currently account for around half the cars running during SCCA events, something that seems to be better for the brand than throwing big money at NASCAR or F1 in pursuit of serious performance credibility. And it's not just good for perception. Mazda sold $6.9 million in parts to grassroots teams last year and is expected to increase that amount to $7.8 million this year. While that's a small percentage of the overall Mazdaspeed sales for the year (MS products account for around $130 million total), it's obvious that Mazda has set the pace for any other automaker that wants to get in on the ground floor of racing.

Mazda's success is primarily based around its expansive lineup of products - everything from basic bolt-ons to ceramic apex seals for rotary engines -plus, SCCA-licensed racers can buy cars at discount, hit up the dealer for parts and if they forgot something come race day, there's a good chance that Mazdaspeed has a trailer at the event. The old adage of "race Sunday, sell Monday" holds less value today than it has in the past, but Mazda could redefine the saying to "Sell (parts) Friday, race hard Sunday."

[Source: Autoweek]

Mazdaspeed success proves you don't need NASCAR, F1 to prove your worth originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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