If a report out of the US is correct, the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 is not only lighter than the outgoing model, but will also be less hefty than later versions of the first-generation convertible.
According to Car and Driver, Mazda’s official weight for the “ND” MX-5 is 998kg for the 96kW/150Nm 1.5-litre direct-injection four-cylinder model, and 1058kg for the 116kW/200Nm 2.0-litre version.
These figures are for vehicles equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. For those who want their new MX-5 to shift gears automatically, they must be prepared to lug around an extra 22kg or so.
This makes the next-generation 2.0-litre MX-5 around 65kg lighter than the third-generation car (above), which tipped the scales 1123kg in Australian-trim when it debuted back in 2005 with a manually operated soft-top and a 118kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder motor.
If the quoted figures hold true, the entry-level 1.5-litre version of the new MX-5 will weigh less than later versions of the first-generation MX-5.
When the original “NA” MX-5 (above) debuted in the US back in 1989 as the Miata, it weighed 960kg and came with a standard 87kW/136Nm 1.6-litre engine, manual steering, 14-inch steel wheels and a 5-speed manual.
By the end of the first-generation’s run in 1997, the North American MX-5 tipped the scales at 1040kg, having gained items, such as a 99kW/155Nm 1.8-litre engine and dual airbags, along the way.
The new MX-5 will be launched in Australia around the middle of this year.
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