Autoblog

We finally had the opportunity to check out the 2009 Mazda MX-5 in person, and despite the tweaks being minor, we like what we see.

This is one of those instances where the press pics don't do it justice. It's difficult to see the RX-8-inspired revisions to the front end, but on closer inspection, the new headlamps, five-point air dam and blistered arches all flow effortlessly into its predecessors lines. Out back, the redesigned taillamps are easy to miss, but we'll be the first to say we prefer the outgoing models red lenses.

More importantly, the 2009 model gets an extra 500 rpm before redline, new 16- and 17-inch aluminum wheels and an upgraded gearbox that has new carbon-coated synchronizers for easier, smoother shifts. Additionally, the front suspension knuckles and roll center have been revised to provide even more steering feel and a more confident ride.

Sales are set to begin in Europe towards the middle of next year, with North American sales beginning shortly thereafter. Hit the jump for the press release.

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]

Winding Road sat down with the newest print issue of Autocar and discovered that Mazda dealers are particularly pleased with the soap-bar aesthetic of the current MX-5. More to the point, they're hoping that Mazda designers don't nuke the fridge when the iconic roadster goes under the knife next year.

According to Autocar's sources, the new MX-5 won't benefit from the swooping Nagare theme that's expected to influence all of Mazda's future designs, primarily because dealers are happy with the current car. However, Mazda's designers want to kick up the MX-5's flavor, saying that the car was "never radical enough" for their tastes. Since we've always been split on the styling of the current MX-5, we're hoping both parties can be assuaged with a balance between mild and wild. We'll see, and we're looking forward to the clean sheet makeover the MX-5 gets in 2012.

[Source: Autocar via Winding Road]

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]

There are a handful of vehicles that we've been forced to do without here in the States, but the one that hurts just a little bit more than the rest is the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe. Back in 2003, Mazda manufactured a handful of the hardtop MX-5s based on the last generation NB platform and kept them on the shores of automaker's homeland. For those of us not particularly partial to convertibles, it was manna from the automotive Gods and we've been praying for years that Mazda would finally see the light and offer a fixed roof variant of the MX-5 in the U.S.

According to Japan's Best Car, Mazda might be considering a comeback based on the current generation (NC) platform, as shown in the rendering above. While it might only be informed speculation on Best Car's part, they maintain that a launch of the coupe could come as early as 2010, which is right before the MX-5 is due for another refresh. It would be a fitting send off for the current car and would finally give those of us who crave a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive coupe a viable alternative to the more expensive offerings from other automakers.

[Source: Best Car via Auto-Otuko]

BMW has consistently argued that a vehicle like the X5 is not fitting with the whole 'M' philosophy of increased performance through reduced weight but despite this spy-photographers have recently come across a new X5 prototype rolling around the streets of Munich with some very distinct M styling cues. The test-mule was seen sporting a new front bumper with much larger intakes than usual, while the back of the car was adorned with a quad-tailpipe arrangement sitting lower than the usual V8 models.

A further clue to this mule being a high-performance version was the sound of the engine. The photographer claimed it sounded very different to any of the X5's current powerplants, suggesting that it could be a new V10 version or possibly a twin-turbo V8 set-up. The final giveaway is the prototype's performance tires, signalling that we may have a new M car on the way.

We can picture the purists around the world shedding a tear at the thought of BMW adding an M badge to an SUV but if Porsche can get away with selling a sports off-roader, and AMG can pump up the Mercedes M-Class than we suppose BMW could too.

[Source: World Car Fans]

The Mazda MX-5 Miata has won a lot of fans since the introduction of the original in 1989. A lot of fans, and a lot of buyers – 800,000 buyers, to be precise, as Mazda announced that production milestone after seventeen years on the market.

Mazda found it had a winning formula with the original Miata, and while other carmakers have succumbed to the temptation of overgrowing and bloating their successful models when they come due for replacement, the Zoom-Zoom brand has been smart enough not to mess with success. The newest MX-5, introduced in 2005, is an enhancement of the original, staying true to the concept of a small, lightweight, well-balanced roadster. And the market has responded favorably.

The Guiness Book of World Records recorded the MX-5's place in history when production had reached 531,890 in May 2000. Now that the little-roadster-that-could has hit the big 800,000 mark, Mazda says it is reapplying for an update on the record. We'll look forward to reporting when the millionth MX-5 rolls off the assembly line.

After the jump, we've got two videos of the newest MX-5 with the power retractable hard-top. Click through to witness the amazing disappearing roof act.

[Source: Mazda]