Despite the taking course on the production of crossovers and electric cars, Mazda is not going to stop the production of its iconic roadster MX-5. Work on the new generation of the compact sports car is ongoing, and the car should hit the market in the next few years. It is promised that the fifth generation of Mazda MX-5 will keep its key features – small dimensions, low weight, perfected controllability, and internal combustion engine. But in the end, the roadster will become at least a hybrid.
“The Mazda MX-5 is one of the symbols of our brand, which requires a special attitude. Right now, we think the car will remain in the lineup as it exists – the same size and weight, with the same concept, and with an internal combustion engine. Yes, we will have to electrify the roadster at some point, but we will fight to keep the overall concept of the model,” Joachim Kunz, Mazda’s head of product development and engineering for Europe, told Autocar.
According to the top manager, the MX-5 is working on the headquarters of Mazda in Japan, which considers the roadster as its brainchild and almost does not allow foreign units to interfere in the work on the model.
Japanese engineers believe their task is to keep the concept of the car unchanged and transfer key values to the next generation of Mazda specialists. Recall, that the history of the Mazda MX-5 began in 1989 and since then four generations of the roadster have entered the market, selling more than a million copies. The car is considered the most popular two-door open-top model in history. A new generation of the Mazda MX-5 is scheduled to hit the market in 2024.