The next gen Mazda MX-5 is been touted to be a small vehicle, both by size and weight. The weight of the car had been detailed as 2,200 pounds only. The topic today therefore would revolve around the finer or smaller details of the car. For looks the Mazda MX-5 is going to be inspired by the Nagare concepts rather than the Superlight concept which was seen in the roadsters.
The Nagare had been up for display at many shows in 2006 in its concept attire. The style of the car had wave like features as well as being streamlined profile. This design is now evident in the 2010 Mazda3, the 2011 Mazda5 and all the other recent cars from Mazda. There is chance that the Mx-5 would also follow the same deign path though there is the factor of mass acceptance of this design for this important model for Mazda.
Rumors have it that the engine for the MX-5 would be a direct injection four cylinder unit having a displacement of 1.3 liters. What’s also know is that the car will have frugal drinking habits and should be capable of doing 50 plus miles on a single gallon of fuel. Mazda may opt for a slightly bigger 1.5 liter engine to power the cars that are to be sold in US. This makes it just 0.1 liters smaller than engines for the original Miata/MX-5, which means the new car will really need to be light weight in order to come up with credible performance.
Power ratings for the 1.5-liter SKY-G engine is expected to be around 125 hp and torque of 105 lb ft, which is significantly lower than what the current models are able to produce which stands at 167 hp and 140 lb ft torque. However, the crucial power-to-weight ratio for the new upcoming model remains largely unchanged in comparison to the 2010 model owing to the new car shedding a considerable 300-350 pounds. In fact, lesser weight for the new model has resulted in a much better handling and transitional performance of the car. Further there are reports of larger sized engines of the SKY-G series to be in the making for the next generation of MX-5 models. Or maybe rotary hybrid engines too might come into the picture to power the future models.
For transmission duties, a six speed manual gear box will be standard fitment while there will also be a dual clutch mechanism that will available as an option, .
