The Mazda Iconic SP Concept might have us dreaming about the electrified future of the MX-5, but the current generation of the popular roadster still has a few aces up its sleeve. A high-ranked official said they want to keep the MX-5 ND in the market “for as long as possible”, and hinted at “very cool” special editions.
Shigeki Saito, Program Manager for the MX-5, spoke to Australian media CarsGuide at the Japan Mobility Show 2023 giving away interesting details about the future of the current model: “We like to do whatever we can, utilizing the ND, because we think that it has a very high potential”, adding “We are already planning to make something very cool – we are already thinking about cool special editions.”
More: Mazda Iconic SP Is A 365 HP Twin-Rotor Hybrid MX-5 From The Near Future
The ND is no stranger to special editions, like the 30th Anniversary (2019) and the 100th Anniversary (2020). There have also been market-specific models like the Sport Recaro (2015) and R-Sport (2020) for the UK, or the Eunos Edition (2020) for France. Still, Saitos’ comments make us believe that Mazda is plotting something even cooler, along the lines of the Spyder and Speedster concepts from SEMA 2015, or the RF Kuro and Speedster Evolution concepts from SEMA 2016.
Speaking about the next generation, Saito said that Mazda will deliver a fully electric MX-5 once “the shift to EVs is even more accelerated”. He said that they don’t have a specific timeframe for the launch of the MX-5 NE, as they are waiting for new battery tech to allow the sub-1,000 kg (2,205 lbs) weight target: “We’re not really sure, but if we look at the trend of battery size and weight, maybe in like less than five years, it’s going to be a very small and very light battery that would be available to use”. This means that Mazda could introduce the next-gen MX-5 closer to 2028, which is later than we expected.
Age Is Just A Number
The Mazda MX-5 ND debuted in 2014, meaning that it could be up to 14 years old if it survives until 2028. This would make it by far the longest-running generation of the MX-5, surpassing its predecessor (NC) which lasted for a full decade.
Saito didn’t specify the target end of production for the ND but said: “For as long as possible we’d like to keep ND, and then of course we’d like to satisfy compliance with so many regulations” hinting at model year updates or mild facelifts in the future.
The updated 2024 Mazda MX-5 was introduced last month with redesigned LEDs, a new infotainment, an incremental power boost for the smaller 1.5-liter engine, and a new Asymmetrical LSD for manual versions.
