Autoblog

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.


[Source: Autoblog Spanish]

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]

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]