Although the Mazda Miata/MX-5 has defined the entry-level sports car segment since its launch in 1989, the small roadster has never really pushed the envelope on design. However, thanks to Mazda’s new Nagare design language, the next-generation MX-5 promises to be more radical than any preceding iteration.
According to Mazda’s design boss Lauren Van den Acker, past versions of the MX-5 have been too tame, which makes a more radical version of the next car all that much more important. “The next MX-5 needs to be a big step,” he told the UK’s Autocar. “The last one was too conservative and we can’t do another car like that. We need to make it more dramatic and give it some balls.”
However, the next version of the MX-5 is still a few years ago. The drop top is slated for a 2010 refresh – which should make its debut at this October’s Paris Motor Show – but an all-new car isn’t expected until 2012. This should give Mazda designers plenty of time to come up with a more radical Nagare-inspired design.
Along with more radical styling, look for the 2012 MX-5 to shed some weight and also get a boost in power and fuel economy.
