It was only one month ago that the rumor mill was saying that the upcoming fifth-gen Mazda MX-5 would be electrified. Multiple sites reported that the NE Miata would likely be a hybrid of some sort, based on a designer working at Mazda Europe. But a new quote from a Japanese executive says that’s not the case.
Recently, Australian’s GoAuto quoted Manabu Osuga, general manager of global sales and marketing at Mazda Japan, who confirmed that the NE Miata would be powered by a traditional gasoline engine. “We are sticking with a car that will be under one ton of weight,” Osuga said, “Employing our ‘gram strategy’ as we did with the current series.
The “gram strategy” Osuga mentions has long been used by Mazda to obsessively shave every bit of weight off a car no matter how seemingly inconsequential, even if it’s only a gram (0.0022 pounds). The approach was used on the original NA Miata, as well as the FD RX-7. “Right now [electrification] technology is very heavy, and if we apply that to the MX-5, we will not satisfy our fans,” Osuga continued.
Osuga’s statements were music to an enthusiast’s ears. They confirm what Mazda chief technology officer Ryuichi Umeshita said about a year ago about the next Miata: “I would say the most important thing is that it is lightweight. And that the second most important thing is that it is lightweight.”
Of course, plans can change during a car’s development, so it’s good to hear Osuga reaffirm Umeshita’s vision of a car weighing in at just 2204 pounds, which would make it even lighter than the ND and nearly identical to the mass of the NA. “We know that we need to make sure the fundamental concept of the MX-5 appeals to its fans, because this car is a brand icon,” Osuga told GoAuto.
However, he didn’t rule out electrification down the line, perhaps for the NF. “Eventually, in the future, if the technology is there, then we will think about it. But at this moment, the internal combustion engine is the way.”
Given that the current ND debuted in 2015 and still looks fresh eleven years later, fans of true lightweight sports cars can breathe a sigh of relief. If the NE has a similarly long lifespan, a pure driving experience will still be around for quite some time. The fifth-gen MX-5 is expected to debut in 2027.
There’s the seemingly haphazard rush away from electrification, and there’s taking the right strategy for the right model. This is the latter. Buying a Miata’s a “heart” rather than a “head” choice if there ever was one, and keeping it as light and tactile as possible is the way to go.
This is the way.
Best news of the early morning! And real gauges, buttons, and a small screen that can be turned off with the flick of a switch please!