If you’re looking for an icon of the auto industry, then Mazda’s venerable MX-5 is definitely on your list. Having been on sale for over thirty years at this point, the car has more lasting power than historic small Brit cars from for which it gained its inspiration. The Miata is one of the best-selling sports cars of all time and certainly one of the most raced in the world. And according to a recent admission from a Mazda executive, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
In a discussion with AutocarJoachim Kunz, Mazda’s head of product and development for the European market, says the MX-5 is offered a completely different set of specifications to meet the automaker’s goals in the market. Alleged this car is considered to be completely outside of the brand’s more mainstream models, and so it would not need to meet the same sustainability and profitability goals.
“It’s our brand symbol and it’s always been treated very special,” said Kunz Autocar. “For now, it looks like we will have this car forever, with this size and concept and internal combustion engine. Of course, one day we will have to telegraph it, but we wanted to keep this pure concept.”
Mazda is working to build its full lineup from just two modular platforms, one large and one small. According to Kunz, the MX-5 will still use its own small sports car platform and will not need to switch to a FWD layout to continue. It also clearly has nothing to do with the fact that the ND-generation car has been welded almost unchanged since 2015, as Kunz explains it is necessary for the MX-5 to live longer than the others. Mazda’s products show that a ten-year development cycle is not out of the question.
Enthusiasts rejoice, because the darling of the auto enthusiast market is not going anywhere. We’ll have compact, lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, manual-shift, gasoline-powered Mazda sports cars until the universe dies of the inevitable heat. And that’s something we can all get excited about. Mazda, not dead heat. I mean, unless…
