Next-gen Mazda MX-5 Miata mule spied 'Ring testing - Autoblog

Just a mule (ie it doesn't look anything like the next gen, but has bits and pieces from the next gen).


yay! There is life in the next miata...

 

This makes me sad in the pants. They said they wanted the next gen to be the same weight as the '89. Not that I believed it was possible, but that at least they would be going the right way.

 

Not quite sure AB has the knowledge to make that conclusion. If Mazda engineers are planning to drop 2200 lbs, they gotta find that weight somewhere...

Plus like the article says, Mules look like current gen cars...So where do they make that conclusion from??

 

Like I said on Monday, just waiting for the ND... even though an NC just popped up on CL for like $9500... gotta stay strong.

I hope that the raised tail light and half-assed rear splitter and exhaust make it to production, though.

 

If it's not actually longer or wider, why would they just make that up?

And second, is there any car in the last 10 years that is smaller/lighter than it's previous model? I can't name a single one.

 

Because auto journalism makes real journalism look like actual journalism.

 

The newest mazda 6 is lighter. Its even a mazda.

 

Mazda 2 was lighter, the lightest NC was lighter than the fattest NB...

If the Mule is a late chassis mule the track and wheelbase will be identical to the final one, but that does not mean that the body overhangs will scale.

If the crash structures can be made lighter (10 years of development) there is hope to meet the weight target.

 

Lighter and smaller are not one and the same.

I am not saying it won't be smaller, I am just saying we have no idea what the body of the car will actually look like or be.

Longer wheelbase is a possibility if this is pretty close to the concept car underneath, but they cannot claim "longer" or "wider" without being more specific on body vs. chassis/suspension.

As for weight, there are a number of cars, actually the 370z is lighter than the 350z (at least that is what Nissan claims, not sure about real world numbers).

 

Somebody pointed out on mnet that the wheels are 4 bolt.

 

In addition to the ones listed above, the new M4 is supposedly going to be lighter than the E92 M3, the new Cayenne was hundreds of pounds lighter than the previous generation, the new Range Rover is hundreds of pounds lighter than its predecessor, etc.

The C7 might even be lighter than the C6, but don't quote me on that.

It is a pretty recent phenomenon, but there are a number of the latest vehicles that are as light or lighter than the cars they replace via material substitution.

 

And they look to be smaller in diameter (i.e NA/NB size).
A little more "cab rearward"? If the windshield is where it will be.

Is there a BMW Z3 under there? (but where actually is a Alfa under there as well...)

 

The next generation Mustang has been reported to loose over 400lbs off its current weight of around 3600lbs. Its new times and weight must be shed in search of "free" efficiency.

 

The car isn't getting heavier if they've gone back to 4-bolt wheels.

 

Watch the bolt pattern be 4x114 as a troll to every Miata owner

 

It's going to be 4x98 like the Fiat.

 

oh god

 

I hope its going to weigh 1800 lbs and make at least 700hp

 

I heard on M.net that it's going to be twice as heavy, FWD, 3 cylinder turbo diesel and maybe have 4 seats. You can clearly see all this in the pictures.

 

So a Mazda3 convertible? I'm ok with this if it looks like a Miata.