That said, I like those little SkyActive engine. The 2.5 hauls @SS, despite what the numbers say. I just think that if they keep the same engine and just put a close ratio manual transmission in for better acceleration, they could cut fuel economy a bit. Then again, who knows... The twins look like can give good fuel economy when not driven like a racecar

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That is one of the traits I do like about Mazda... Follow their own road. And agree 100% on the 400hp compromise, which is the main reason I like the twins; they went the other direction.

Sexy...


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Oh, and this thread just gives me more reasons to keep poking my head in the forums... Jeje

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If your goal is a faster car, since the Skyactiv 2L has a lot of torque for a light car, you could do a regrind on the intake cam to push the powerband up with a higher duration. Should be able to get at least 180hp like that, if it doesn't bother you that you lost power below 5k, and no emissions issues since it's an invisible mod.

I just got WRX less than a month, and now I think Miata is going to win my money next year... If and only if they get the look right.

If they built a coupe like this from the factory for the USDM, I would've bought a Miata a long time ago.

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

S2k, Solstice, Sky, MR2/MR-S, Z3 etc etc.

Not like a Miata due to: Price or weight. The other thing is that none of them had longevity, they all were products of companies that pulled the plug when sales slumped.

Like mentioned above: Mazda kept the weight down, the power down and the price down and also stuck with it regardless of sales volume. I think the bigger question is not "will someone make a competitor to the Miata" but instead, "will a company besides Mazda ever make an affordable sports car and stick with it as a matter of principle?"

I'm hoping Tada-San and Toyota have become that company but just in case that isn't a reality, then I hope Mazda and Fiat make a new a Miata that really fires on all cylinders.


Which brings me to the Alfa (Fiat).. Is anyone else super excited for a roadster that has Mazda (Japanese) reliability and Italian styling? That seems like the greatest idea ever.

it still blows my mind that you understand how singular the purpose mazda had with the miata but still dont think its a great car. the frs is already more expensive and heavier than the miata. what are you hoping for?

The FRS has a lower CoG and better P:W btw.

Image is an intangible asset and difficult to quantify. It's like it was on the verge of being great and then derp'ed right at the finish line.

As a friend of mine so eloquently stated: "Sometimes a car can be just for fun but still take itself seriously for like, serious fun, not just derpy fun."

I think the term "derpy fun" pretty much sums it up.


But goddamn if I haven't had the time of my life racing them in my own chick-mobile-fwd-derp-wagon so I've got the latitude to comment.

I think it sums You up.

There's no point arguing, you can't get passed whatever is in your head to allow you to appreciate this car, and that's ok. Don't keep trying to defend your position as if we'll agree with you.

To quickly point out why I don't have one, I'm not a fan of convertibles, if the 86 didn't exist and the RX8 didn't tickle my fancy I'd have one in the driveway with a hardtop bolted on right now.

Wait are you talking about driving a Miata? I already have, it's great (NC with some bolt ons and coilovers).

I was speaking about the SkyActiv engine, I have zero questions about the capability of the chassis or suspension.

i get that you dont like it but bringing up very singular things as evidence doesnt work well. the c4 vette has a lower cog and better power to weight than both the frs and miata. does that mean its a better car? no. that car is a piece of shit. i adored my crx almost on the level i love my current miata. i probably like them both more than my brz but the difference in time makes that difficult to say. the frs doesnt have a lower cog than the na miata btw and power to weight of the camry is higher than both of these sports car. we both know there is more than that. we have differing opinions but i dont care what a car looks like when it drives like the miata does. its great that we have choices.

The 04&05 MazdaSpeed Miatas did not sell well..though that is worthy of a thread in itself.

I want Mazda to have a screaming engine...sadly...they will more than likely put a dull SkyActive 2.0 in the ND...

Which comes back to the question, "Why not buy an existing Miata and make it how you like?"

Similar things could be said of the Twins.

Who here would actually buy a Factory Turbo'd Twin...for $35-40k?

Yeah...I can understand people not liking really any car.

I think people can respect a care without "liking" it or at the very least owning it.

I respect the heck out of the bang for the buck that a Mustang GT gives you or what the new Vette is.

I had a BRZ and loved it. Then I inherited my Grandfather's NA Miata that I had be lusting over since I was 11 years old.

Got rid of the BRZ because the Miata is so fun to drive.

I have had a lot of "elite" cars (STI, Nismo 350Z, Boxster S..etc etc etc).

The NA Miata is just a blast to drive. I know it isn't fast, but its certainly fun...just like how my BRZ was.

:strokes beard: I find this acceptable. I am the one, after all, that's typing these words. ;)

If the FRS didn't exist I'd have an S2000 with a hardtop in the garage.. or maybe an ITR.
:clap:
EXACTLY!

The goal of the company is to get those people that respect the car to also want to buy it. That's a big part of brand image. The Miata is such a well known car and a "brand" unto itself that I think if Mazda as a company wants to take their image in another direction, which they've proven they do with the new KODO design, then they will probably need to take their most well known sports car in that same direction as well.

Can we talk about the Mustang just for a moment?

Atropine, you may not be a Vette/Mustang target demographic but let's say you were. What if you were a pony car buyer and didn't have "brand loyalty" so you were open. If the Mustang or the Vette met ALL your price/performance/reliability criteria but you still chose something else don't you think Chevy or Ford would want to know why? I can expect that if the Camaro, Challenger, Charger ceased production tomorrow, that Mustang sales would increase because of a reduction in market options. However, in the event that the Mustang had no direct market competitor and sales didn't increase or dropped when the demand for that "type" of vehicle did not, don't you think Ford would probably be pursuing some type of correction to broaden appeal and meet demand?

I hypothesize that while the economic demand for affordable-nimble < affordable-muscle in the USA, it has essentially remained the same and thus the prevailing decline in Miata volume is not a function of competition but rather a function of image which has stayed true to it's design theme, but that design theme is quite possibly a significant sales limitation.

Like I said, I don't know how to quantify this, I know that someone does but I don't.


The Twins and this very forum do a lot to make my case on "image", mostly brand image. Many folks bought the BRZ because it's "upscale" or because it's a "Subaru" and several Scion owners have rebadged their cars at Toyotas. This is neither right or wrong but it quite acutely identifies the importance of image.

Recent "rendering" just for fun.

http://cdn.carthrottle.com/wp-conten..._n-680x381.jpg

http://cdn.carthrottle.com/wp-conten...er-680x381.jpg

Yeah, I bought an SRT8 Challenger about a year and a half ago (because I see a TON of Mustangs/Camaros and Vettes)...due to my '95 4Runner dying...I traded the Challenger in for a Trail Edition New 4Runner (and its a stupidly awesome SUV lol). Side note...the C7 Vette...Chevrolet really really wants my money...and they may get it in a year or two lol.

I totally understand "image" appeal.

I owned a 2011 STI Hatchback...The body styles before that generation (I think that generation started in 2008?)...they were incredibly ugly to me. I KNEW they handled well and were fast...but to me they were ugly.

I can understand people not liking the styling of the Miata. Sometimes you want to feel like the "Villain" when you get in your car or on your bike. (I have a Yamaha Road Warrior...black on black with a Red Racing Stripes...the Challenger was Black with Red Racing Stripes).

Aggressive...The Miata's styling has never really been that. It hearkened back to the old British and Italian Roadsters.

I also think Mazda is tired of the "I like everything the Miata stands for and it checks all the boxes...but its a chick's car."

I think that is why they refer to it as an MX-5 now (moreso than the Miata). I also think they are aiming to make the ND more aggressive looking.

The reality...EVERYONE here is/are Car Guys/Gals. Doesn't matter what we drive, if we ran into each other at a burger joint we would have friendly conversation and enjoy each other's company while talking about stuff that we think is cool (Cars!)
:respekt:

Those renders kinda remind me of the BMW Z4... not sure how I feel about that... I don't really think that looks better than an NA or NB. :/

Really too bad Mazda will never develop an MX-5 Coupé to higher potential, just as Porsche will never develop a Cayman to full potential.

very sad. Still a great car tho. Imo the Miata needs to take that next step to move on another 25 years. The British roadster spirit plus modern performance would be legendary. But according to the Miata community, any increase in performance will ruin the car smh.

Dear Miata: I want to be inside you.

The only thing "chick car" about the Miata is the number of chicks it attracts. I have only seen men driving them and usually with a female passenger.

What is a chick car or a girl-car? Is it a car that appeals more to women or a car that seems "girly" maybe because its of look, stature or performance?

I don't know if it's where I'm from and where I am but when I ask girls what kind of car they want it's rarely any of these because it's rarely a car at all! About 80% of the replies are an SUV, Truck or a Jeep. For some reason several middle aged and older women I talked about a "fun car" expressed a desire to own a muscle car like a Mustang.

I'm not conducting scientific surveys or anything so it's all conjecture and personal experience but nonetheless, it's a tough definition to nail down that's for sure.

When I was in high school the definitive girl car (that girls primarily drove) was the VW Jetta and the Jeep. It might have been a microcosm of my high-school experience but I'd be damned if the whole cheerleading squad didn't all own Jettas and Jeeps. In fact, in my 20's, a friend of mine coined the term "Jetta Girl" arguing that anytime he spotted a Jetta on the road there was good chance it was being driven by a cute girl. Well, he was usually right on the girl part. :D

I think you're referring to the power plant frame. That's been on the car since 1989. :)

To be clear, there are two cars on the same chassis. One will have the Mazda powertrain pictured here, as well as all-Mazda-designed bodywork and interior. The other will have an Alfa powertrain and all-Alfa bodywork and interior. So you can opt for the Alfa if you don't like the looks of the Mazda, assuming of course that the deal still goes through.



I'm rather excited about the news. Mazda announced the 200 lbs lighter figure in their press event at the NY International Auto Show, so it's straight from the horse's mouth. If true, that puts the weight of the ND 500 lbs less than the 86 twins. That's lower than a lot of us were expecting.

It is going through I specifically asked a Mazda rep about it he says the deal is still in place

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQiNjlGtyu...zda-MX-5-2.jpg

I like the blue render more I dunno why it seems more Miata, I thought the white one was a Mazda 3 with it's roof cut off. But hey! Speculations!

The last one is essentially a BMW z4

You should tell the media because that's fucking new news.

Everything has pointed to the Spider and Miata sharing nothing aside from the platform, what's pictured in the OP's article:

http://images.thecarconnection.com/m...00463895_m.jpg

http://blog.caranddriver.com/rendere...omeo-roadster/

http://www.automobilemag.com/feature...xt-mx-5-miata/

I responded to your comment that "if that deal is still going through" I said the deal is still in place, not that you were wrong about them having different styling and engines, check your fucking condescending attitude at the door and learn not to be an asshole for a second, maybe you will make a friend or something.

I interpreted the comment you posted as "Alfa is designing the shape, a friend at Mazda told me so".

Which is as far as everyone else is concerned not true, again if you know something we don't go make headlines. Nobody will believe you otherwise.

Feel free to retract or change that statement but I stand by my douchebaggery Mr. Assertionswithnofacts.

White one looks like a cross between a Jag F type and a Mazda 5.

My first comment was speculation, So your response to that I did NOT say you were wrong , nor did I say I have a "friend" at mazda, or even mention anything mazda said in my first comment. you're putting quotation marks on a statement I didn't even make. but you then proceeded to say that "assuming that deal is still going through" (you put quotation marks on things people actually say asshole) And I responded to that that a Mazda rep said that the deal is still going through. I have 3 witnesses with me when the Mazda Rep from the International Auto show who was the same man who introduced the original Miata in 89, Who said they still have a partnership with Alfa Romeo, he did not say that the body or engine was going to be the same but he did say the chassis in both cars will be the same, and that they still had a collaboration with them, THAT is what the mazda rep told me, so youre telling me I have no facts or proof when you cant even re call my statements correctly, such hostility why? To my first comment you could have simply just corrected my speculation by saying no they wont be the same design, but there must be something angry inside you, is it your disappointment every-time you look down to pee in the morning? seriously get some help with your attitude you'll live longer if you're less of an asshole to people

I heard the Alfa Spider was cancelled, only Mazda MX-5 and no Alfa version. There'll be the Alfa 4C Spider. No Alfa FR Spider based on MX-5, because Alfa is developing a new FCA RWD modular platform. This is maybe why we had rumors of Mazda going all RWD, because at Alfa, the Mito will be cancelled, and all other Alfa's will be RWD, and optionally AWD.





...if this time the plan will be held and finally executed, unlike the last decade.

Link to rumor in question:

http://www.autoedizione.com/alfa-rom...015-cancelled/

Not me, they were originally claiming a ridonculous sub 2K like around 1800lbs. I'd be all over that in a heartbeat. We'll see if a few hundred pounds shaved here, doesn't get piled on somewhere else a la the more portly C7 Vette and Mustang. Even the 86 was supposed to be just over 2500lbs.

Just fyi, that blue render, which is nice, was released on April 1st...

Yeah. We shall get official info in May and see what the plans really are. They are very ambitious, but I hope this time they come to fruition.

Smart cars and the like excluded are there any cars under 2,500 lbs. at this point? Miata, Abarth, and Fiesta ST are the only cars I can think of under 2,600 worth noting.

Yeah, Alfa has been gone so long I want them to come back successfully, they need something up market from Fiat at this point, like Hyundai 5-10 years ago nobody is taking them seriously.

Coming back with a Spider with Mazda's help was a surefire way to success as long as the quality is there and the price is right, I really hope they haven't bitten off more than they can chew.

Mazda themselves never claimed anything close to 1800 lbs. Some magazine picked up some rumor from some hotshot and everyone ran with it, as always. The Lotus Elise barely comes under 2000 lbs, in the most spartan trim levels. I believe them when they say 200 lbs lighter than the current car, but which current car? The PRHT adds 75 lbs...

You seem to be under the impression that strat and I are the same person. :popcorn:

holy shit I never noticed that, either way he misconstrued my comments in an assholian manner

Turbo.
http://jalopnik.com/step-inside-the-...-in-1571275617

Nah.