2014 Mazda mx-5

[watsontb]

1.3 turbo, shed 300 lbs

All of a sudden toyoburu is stepping on their heels, gotta pick it up.


http://www.caranddriver.com/features...ta-future-cars



Now if only honda and Nissan will jump in it will be like the 80's and 90's all over again.

What do you guys think? Should Mazda just restart NA Miata production? Is the rwd coupe surging back?

[mike02467]

I don't see a 1.3 turbo being a very good idea... I mean stock for stock it might be okay, but when modding comes to question?

[watsontb]

I think they will also have a sky 2 liter.

I guess the only upside is that they have repeatedly shown that you dont need power to make a good car. They can lose some pounds, shrink the engine and keep it at the same power and everyone theoretically should be happy.

[Waarp]

That CAN'T be the new front end. It is ghastly. But I've already seen that new grille on one of thier new SUVs. I fear it is their new corporate face.

[J-Tim]

That CAN'T be the new front end. It is ghastly. But I've already seen that new grille on one of thier new SUVs. I fear it is their new corporate face.

I think that works quite well. Certainly better than that smiley face they've used on Mazda 3 and 6.

[BRealistic]

That CAN'T be the new front end. It is ghastly. But I've already seen that new grille on one of thier new SUVs. I fear it is their new corporate face.

That's an old photochop of a Mazda Shinari.

[BRealistic]

I think they will also have a sky 2 liter..

I don't see this happening.
Mazda previously said the Sky-G exhaust would stick out of the MX-5's fender.
It only works in transverse applications.

[2.0_Mazda]

i would also prefer a naturally aspirated 2 litre, but I know it won't work

1.3 seems a little small

[BRealistic]

i would also prefer a naturally aspirated 2 litre, but I know it won't work

1.3 seems a little small

So a 1.4 turbo Sonic is great, but a 1.3 turbo in a 500 lb lighter MX-5 is too small?

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

The front is a little too overstyled for my taste, but I'll withold judgment until I see the to market product.

[Lwize]

First, there was the Mustang sedan.
Now, they Photoshopped a Miata sedan?!
Looks like a Fisker.

[2.0_Mazda]

So a 1.4 turbo Sonic is great, but a 1.3 turbo in a 500 lb lighter MX-5 is too small?

Since the Sonic is a small economy car, I wouldn’t mind as much. For the Cruze, I feel it’s too small. I'm just a little more old-fashion when it comes to powertrains and it'll take some time getting used to a small turbo four in a "sports car".

I guess I should drive it before judging. Still, when I think 1.3's, I thing Geo Metro.

[2.0_Mazda]

First, there was the Mustang sedan.
Now, they Photoshopped a Miata sedan?!
Looks like a Fisker.

It's called the Shinari and the Miata was photoshoped from that car. Not the other way around.

[2.0T_Convert]

So a 1.4 turbo Sonic is great, but a 1.3 turbo in a 500 lb lighter MX-5 is too small?

My predictions -

Weight - 2300 - 2600 lbs.
Power - 150 - 160 hp.

TCL cries not enough torks and can't beat V6 Camry epic failz.

[Eightysixturbo]

I like it, tone the front down a little with the same shape and it's golden. Like the power source

[Waarp]

If this new car is gonna be lighter why do they have to put in a less powerful motor? Why not use the existing one. Are they really worried about lawsuits? I guess they don't want a Miata to ever be faster than 91 in the quarter.

[firstorbit84]

I know its just a pchop of a different concept, but I really like the look compared to the outgoing miata. Makes it look way more agressive and less like a chicks car and looks even better than a z4 imo.

Not crazy about the powertrain, as even a heavily modified and tuned 1.3T will probably never break 200hp (unless its a rotary ) There are people with 1.4T cruzes and sonics getting around 180hp with a downpipe and tune alone.

Hopefully they will offer a mazdaspeed version with the 2.3t

[Bakounine]

My old mk2 GTI 16V weighted 2200 lbs, had approx. 140 hp (with a few mods) and was a hoot to drive. If the new Miata weights the same and has around the same power or a little more, I don't see why it would not be a fun. Maybe not the fastest, but who cares? We are in NA, the land of the slow speed limits.

[Wanganrunner]

Looks like a baby Z4, do want. I like the front end.

Serious competition for the FR-S, it would seem.

[Aonarch]

I love that p-shop.

I have a feeling that the next MX-5 will be targeted at destroying the BRZ.

Also I hope the new Miata gets better fuel economy, the NC is poor for a car of its size.

[TigerinColorado]

I love that p-shop.

I have a feeling that the next MX-5 will be targeted at destroying the BRZ.

Also I hope the new Miata gets better fuel economy, the NC is poor for a car of its size.

Not sure if serious.

[stascom]

My predictions -

Weight - 2300 - 2600 lbs.
Power - 150 - 160 hp.

TCL cries not enough torks and can't beat V6 Camry epic failz.

This

[BRealistic]

My predictions -

Weight - 2300 - 2600 lbs.
Power - 150 - 160 hp.

TCL cries not enough torks and can't beat V6 Camry epic failz.

The current Miata weighs 2550 lbs.
And Mazda says they are removing 300 lbs for the next Miata.

2550 - 300 = 2250 lbs.

It won't take much turb0 p0wer to make that entertaining to drive.

[Air and water do mix]

The current Miata weighs 2550 lbs.
And Mazda says they are removing 300 lbs for the next Miata.

2550 - 300 = 2250 lbs.

It won't take much turb0 p0wer to make that entertaining to drive.

Yessir. That thing would be more than fun with 150ish hp. Hell, at that weight it doesn't even need 151 ft. lbs. of torque.

[Lwize]

It's called the Shinari and the Miata was photoshoped from that car. Not the other way around.

[Doedrums]

The current Miata weighs 2550 lbs.
And Mazda says they are removing 300 lbs for the next Miata.

2550 - 300 = 2250 lbs.

It won't take much turb0 p0wer to make that entertaining to drive.

It sounds like it will be a blast to drive.

[BRealistic]

Just ran across this (looking for something else on the autocar site)

I think this is where Mazda's current "we need to make new cars lighter" philosophy may have started... or at least where it became adopted at a corporate level.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/...rlight/243238/





Mazda MX-5 1.8i Superlight FIRST DRIVE
Test date Thursday, September 10, 2009

What is it?

The Mazda’s MX-5 Superlight concept – which is taking centre stage on the Mazda stand at the Frankfurt motor show, and which we’ve driven.
It’s a low-emissions, stripped-out, driver-focussed one-off version of the world’s biggest-selling sports car.

The car’s story began when Mazda Europe Head of Design Peter Birtwhistle, designer Hassip Girgin and the team took a 1.8-litre MX-5, stripped it down to its bare essentials – a running chassis with essential body panels only – and invited Mazda’s test engineers to drive it.
Those test drivers reported that the MX-5’s key dynamic traits – its trademark sharpness of response and natural rear-driven handling balance – were only enhanced by the lack of weight.
So they duly set about replacing some of the components they’d taken away with lighter alternatives made from carbonfibre and aluminium. They left the windscreen and roof off altogether, and fitted an alumium bonnet with a carbonfibre extension that incorporates the rearview mirror and covers the instrument cowl.

In place of the soft top, the Superlight has two large rollover hoops with integrated wind deflectors. And because the car is always roofless, the doors don’t need exterior handles. To open them, you pull a leather tie inside the cabin.

Also inside the cabin, the instrument panel is made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic; the gearlever and handbrake out of aluminium partly covered with leather. There’s no HVAC system at all, and no noise and vibration isolation either.

All in all, Mazda’s crash diet has taken 160kg from the kerbweight of this car; as a result it’s half a second quicker to 62mph and 6mpg more fuel efficient too.

What’s it like?

Exposed. That’s how you feel when you strap yourself in. There is no windscreen in front of you, no interior trim panels on the doors. And ahead of you, where the CD player should be, there are two flip switches – one to turn on the fuel pump, the other the ignition – and a starter button. That’s it.

Thumb that starter button. The car’s powerplant comes alive with an aggressive bark. It sounds big and vocal, but it’s actually Mazda’s regular 1.8-litre, 124bhp four-pot equipped with a stainless steel air intake, and a bigger exhaust system from Mazda’s 3 MPS. Instead of adding horsepower, Mazda decided to take the harder route to improving performance for this particular car, in the MX-5’s 20th anniversary year; to add by subtraction.

A helmet and goggles are a must for this test drive. Dip the clutch, throw in first gear using that ornate-looking lever, ease off the mark and straight away you notice the lack of mass. And almost as quickly you’re blown backwards into your seat by the passage of air.
Change into second gear at 45mph and the wind noise around your helmet begins to drown out the engine’s blare; you have to watch the rev counter carefully to avoid slamming into the limiter as you forge forwards.

Mazda doesn’t know the exact weight distribution of this car yet, but it feels as if the centre of mass has moved slightly towards those rear wheels; it could even be 50/50. Turn the MX-5 Superlight into a fast, sweeping bend and the nose tucks in more keenly and quickly than you’re used to. It doesn’t understeer as much as the production car. Which is to say that it doesn’t understeer at all, practically.

Lift the throttle and that playful-yet-benign rear-end starts its familiar entertainment routine. You could go on playing with your cornering line, on and off the throttle, for corner after corner; this thing’s a joy. But there’s excellent road-holding, real composure and great stopping power here too, a result of the 20mm lower ride height than standard, the 200mm wider tracks, the new Eibach anti-roll bars and the new drilled brake discs.

You feel even closer-connected to this machine than you do a regular MX-5. There’s no insulation, no creature comforts; it’s a human-machine interface reminiscent of that of certain vintage machinery. Mazda hasn’t recorded a top speed for the car yet, but we took it up to 125mph – that’s 3mph faster than the production version goes – and it was still accelerating.

Above 100mph it’s a very demanding car to drive purely because of the wind factor. But with a little more protection fitted – a deflector blade ahead of the instruments, say – it wouldn’t be half as bad.

Should I buy one?

You can’t – but it will influence new Mazda models that you will be able to buy.
"We want to push forward with weight-saving measures, because light cars are fun to drive," says Birtwhistle. "It could be possible to build this car, or one very like it, in limited numbers, but more important will be its influence on our design and engineering agenda. Because wouldn’t it be great if we could make every new Mazda 160kg lighter?".

[Waarp]

My old mk2 GTI 16V weighted 2200 lbs,

Ha! Try 2444, and thats the 87-89s!

[PsyberVW]

Less displacement, same or more power, less weight... Increased power-weight ratio with less "cost" of energy? Sounds like an improvement.

Sports cars don't need 400hp - that's not the point. At least not "out of the box". 200hp would be more than enough to make this a rocket. 140-150 is still plenty.

I think the while philosophy behind SkyActiv is what TCL has been clamoring for, for years.

A few years ago I remember all the automakers making comments on this direction - we're seeing already in BMW, Audi, and Mercedes.

Lol@ "the exhaust won't fit because it's for transverse engines.". Well DUH- make one that isn't? I'm sure the technology doesn't care which way it's facing

Also, that p-chop is HOT. I would never even consider a Z4 if Mazda made that.

[BRealistic]

Lol@ "the exhaust won't fit because it's for transverse engines.". Well DUH- make one that isn't? I'm sure the technology doesn't care which way it's facing

Actually... it does.
The high compression works because Mazda uses that exhaust manifold to remove heat quickly.
Putting bends in it early would completely ruin the quick heat removing properties of the exhaust design.

[someguy123]

Make a coupe version and the $$$$ will come.

Only a small fraction wants a convertible.

[BRealistic]

Make a coupe version and the $$$$ will come.

Only a small fraction wants a convertible.

If only.

I think they are concerned about diluting the MX-5 name if they sold a fixed coupe version.

What they could do is sell a soft top delete version and make a bolt on hard top that really works/looks good (like a club racing spec).

[Lawrider]

Makes me interested. I love how turbo cars respond to tuning, and of these small turbo I4s are great with a exhaust and tune. I am a vocal hater of Mazda so i am sure they will botch this like they have everything they ever made since the NA...but i stand on the sidelines intrigued.

[vwpiloto]

I couldn't care less about the power as long as it's decent (130-150 hp range). I think the weight reduction is fantastic, especially the amount, on what is still a relatively lightweight car. It should be extremely fun to drive, autocross and track.

[mjsbullitt]

If only.

I think they are concerned about diluting the MX-5 name if they sold a fixed coupe version.

What they could do is sell a soft top delete version and make a bolt on hard top that really works/looks good (like a club racing spec).

those look decent, but the miata coupe concepts that have been built were pretty sexy. And you would prob have a more usable interior space/trunk in that case of real coupe.

sexyness: