While we’re a bit skeptical as to the possibility of Mazda putting a ~110 hp 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated petrol engine under the bonnet of the upcoming MX-5/Miata (due for its reveal next week), we do think it is going to get multiple engine options.
Australia’s GoAuto confirmed this and hinted at a smaller capacity variant, after having spoken to the brand’s local managing director, Martin Benders, who did acknowledge the likelihood of “potentially [having] more engine options.”
With turbocharging apparently completely out of the question, at least in this report, the prime candidate to power the car is the SKYACTIV 2.0-liter that motivates the Mazda3. It either makes 120 hp, in its lowest setting (only available in Europe), though the 155 hp variant that constitutes the bottom of the range everywhere else will most likely be used.
The 120 hp 2.0-liter could very well be used as a bottom of the range engine, while at the other end of the power spectrum, the 2.5-liter from the Mazda6/CX-5 could provide the necessary extra motivation, though as the source article suggests, its extra weight would go against the brand’s lightweight philosophy.
Note: Current-gen model pictured
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