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Next-Generation Mazda MX-5 Miata Makes Spy Photo Debut, Features Wider Rear Fenders

A lightweight roadster with the kind of handling that would put a smile on anyone’s face. That’s what makes the MX-5 Miata great. Introduced in 1989, the world’s best-selling convertible with seating for two prepares to welcome its fifth generation sometime in 2024 as per the rumor mill.
2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata NE test mule 37 photos
Photo: CarPix
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Spied by the carparazzi for the first time ever, the NE test mule in the photo gallery looks pretty unassuming at first glance. Fitted with German plates and steel brake rotors, the white-painted car also features a little camouflage up front. Zoom in, and you may notice a radiator behind the front grille.

A blue sticker that reads 00761 is present on the driver’s door, right next to the door-mounted mirror. Fitted with very familiar wheels that flaunt Bridgestone Potenza rubber boots, the NE test mule is also equipped with dual exhausts and something that you won’t see on the ND. Take a closer look at the rear fenders, and you’ll see they’re an idea wider than stock.

Tire dimensions are unfortunately a mystery, but wider tires and/or a wider track should come in handy in the corners. The final piece of the puzzle is the chromed badge on the trunk lid, which reads Skyactiv-G. Over in Europe, where the Euro 7 emission standard is going into effect in 2025, the Japanese automaker will find it hard to comply with upcoming regulations without some kind of electrical assistance. Three years ago, R&D boss Ichiro Hirose hinted that some kind of electrification is coming to the fifth-generation roadster.

His colleague, design chief Ikuo Maeda, told British motoring publication Autocar.co.uk that “we need to make a vehicle that people can own without worrying that they are not being eco-friendly.” As a result, the rumor mill deliberated in favor of the Skyactiv-X to the detriment of Skyactiv-G.

Currently available with displacements of 1,998 cc and 2,998 cc, this engine family uses spark-controlled compression ignition to reduce fuel consumption and emissions while improving performance. Each cylinder features a spark plug to handle the inherent problems of compression ignition combined with gasoline rather than diesel fuel. The final piece of the puzzle is a Roots-type supercharger that expands the compression ignition’s operating window.

The mild-hybrid version of this engine family is dubbed e-Skyactiv X, and the primary difference is the M Hybrid system. It features a belt-driven integrated starter generator that converts kinetic energy into electric energy under deceleration, along with a DC-DC converter and a small battery.

Will the next-gen Miata come with mild-hybrid technology? There’s no confirmation in this regard at press time, but Mazda has undoubtedly taken the e-Skyactiv X 24-volt mild hybrid into consideration for the NE.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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