Wednesday 5th August 2009

Mazda MX-5 Superlight Revealed

20th anniversary concept takes Mazda MX-5 performance to a new level

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These are the first pictures of the Mazda MX-5 Superlight concept, an intriguing new take on the popular sports car which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

Superlight MX-5 gets the speedster look

Destined to be unveiled in the metal at the Frankfurt motor show in September, Mazda says its new concept captures the essence of the world’s most popular roadster

‘After 20 years of global success, Mazda MX-5 is the best-selling two-seat sports car in the world,’ the company says. ‘At Frankfurt, Mazda will present a new take on its affordable roadster in an all-new show car, the Mazda MX-5 Superlight version, designed at Mazda’s studio in Oberursel, Germany.

Concept marks 20th anniversary of the MX-5

‘A pure show car, it takes the lightweight technology that Mazda is famous for to a new level, which improves driving performance, handling, fuel economy and CO₂ emissions. This is combined with a radical exterior design requiring no windshield, and sporty chassis settings for pure roadster driving fun.’

That’s all they’re saying for now, but we expect full technical details to be released when the concept is revealed. Meanwhile, here at PH we’re looking forward to our own celebration of the MX-5’s 20^th anniversary, as we’re about to add the latest production model to our in-house fleet for a few months. We’ll tell you all about it, of course!

[ceebmoj]

All ways fancied building something like this out of a black mk1 hacking the screen of with an angle grinder and making a new dash/dash cover out of CF I think it would look smart

[kambites]

It would have to knock a lot off the weight to make it worth while. If they could get it under about 1100kg or even better, under a tonne it'd be great.

[Gruffy]

Agreed. A sub-ton speedster with an affordable price tag could be very good indeed.

[Gruffy]

A one-make racing series would likely be very popular and might be justification for putting this into production.

[dwilkie]

I think it's a bit mincy to be honest

I really don't get the whole speedster appeal though, so I'd assume I'm not target market.

[Garlick]

Build this please Mazda, and make it cheap without any unnecessary equipment or niceties.

[Frankeh]

Small windscreen please. Just to keep the rain out of our eyes.

[pagani1]

I agree-Mazda could do this as a 1 make series a la TVR and Mazda dealers could enter a car each. Next fantasy-new Pagani for 30k or Sagaris2 for 30k where is Smolenski by the way? Finally new E type at below BoxsterCayman price?
MX-5 it is then.

[Chris71]

Looks like it could be fantastic. Of course there's the potential for it to end up as an overweight ostentatious pile of poo.

I think 900kg and 180bhp would be about right.

[Justayellowbadge]

I'm sure I saw something similar years ago.

[sad61t]

Wonder how it will compare to the Mini speedster rumour?
Now they just need to remove the doors a la Lotus 2 Eleven.

Pros:
* Reduce the weight.
* Stiffen the chassis.
* Better side impact protection.
Cons:
* Higher production cost as it would need a more specialist assembly line.

[Gizmo!]

Chris71 said:

I think 900kg and 180bhp would be about right.

Hell yeah!

Not sure about the no-windscreen thing though. I mean, it looks fantastic, but I can't afford £4000 for a carbon-fibre helmet...

[ctallchris]

I would get one of these (assuming i fit in it (6'8" of notbeingabletodriveanythingbuttvr's goodness)

[Great Pretender]

Justayellowbadge said:

I'm sure I saw something similar years ago.

That looks like a bar of soap dropped in the shower room of the MX5 owners club HQ.

[piquet]

"it takes the lightweight technology that Mazda is famous for to a new level, which improves driving performance, handling, fuel economy and CO2 emissions."

yes whenever i think of mazda i think of lightweight technology, how with the mx5 each generation is lighter then the one before to improve driving performance, handling, fuel economy

mark 1 940kg
mark 2 1000kg
mark5 1095kg

[snotrag]

kambites said:

It would have to knock a lot off the weight to make it worth while

Yes, because being overweight is what everyone criticises the NC MX-5 for...

kambites said:

It would have to knock a lot off the weight to make it worth while. If they could get it under about 1100kg or even better, under a tonne it'd be great.

...which weighs not a significant amount more than 1100kg already in full fat 2.0 GT heated seat, sat nav, electric roof guise...

One of Mazdas greatest achievements is that the NC model weighs in at such a tiny amount (30 kilos? IIRC) more than the NB.

A lightweight model like this should very easily come in at less than a ton.

@ Garlick / PH - Which model you gone for? Hope its a 2.0 Sport Tech softop...

I got the catalouges through the door the other day, local dealers are suggesting a test drive, i should probably take them up on that!



ETA -

piquet said:

"it takes the lightweight technology that Mazda is famous for to a new level, which improves driving performance, handling, fuel economy and CO2 emissions."

yes whenever i think of mazda i think of lightweight technology, how with the mx5 each generation is lighter then the one before to improve driving performance, handling, fuel economy

mark 1 940kg
mark 2 1000kg
mark5 1095kg

Are you kidding! That minimal weight increase is an incredible acheivement!

Edited by snotrag on Wednesday 5th August 12:18

[dirty boy]

Garlick said:

Build this please Mazda, and make it cheap without any unnecessary equipment or niceties.

Spot on, here's hoping.

[KENZ]

Great Pretender said:

Justayellowbadge said:

I'm sure I saw something similar years ago.

That looks like a bar of soap dropped in the shower room of the MX5 owners club HQ.

Looks like someones stuck a bath tub in it.

MX5 needs a bubble windscreen and for it to weigh under 800kg

Edited by KENZ on Wednesday 5th August 12:26

[GravelBen]

Great Pretender said:

Justayellowbadge said:

I'm sure I saw something similar years ago.

That looks like a bar of soap dropped in the shower room of the MX5 owners club HQ.

Or it might do if it was an MX5...

[Fire99]

I'd say with the MX5 the relative weight increase in percentage terms is significant between the different body revisions.

16% is noticeable in a tiny, low powered car.

It's certainly an achievement to keep weights low considering all the regulations they have to comply to, not to mention a market that wants its cake and eat it but there are noticeable driving differences between the models.

To deserve 'superlight' in an MX5 it really needs to be noticeably under 1000kg.