Mazda MX-5 to get 2.5-liter engine and manual transmission

Mazda has confirmed its intention to equip the next generation of the MX-5 roadster with a new 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine, while retaining the manual transmission. This is reported by the publication Road & Track with reference to representatives of the automaker.

As noted by the head of the Mazda design department Masashi Nakayama, the main priority in developing the new version of the model remains low weight of the car. The target mass indicator has not changed – less than 1000 kilograms in a ready state. This corresponds to the parameters of the current version of the 990S, which is supplied to the Japanese market and is equipped with a 1.5-liter engine.

The dimensions of the car will remain within the limits set by the fourth generation of the MX-5 (ND index) – the length will not exceed four meters. The use of turbocharging, as before, is not planned. Mazda’s Chief Technical Officer Ryūichi Umeshita said that the new model will be powered by a 2.5-liter Skyactiv-Z engine. Although the exact parameters are not specified, Umeshita emphasizes that the power plant will provide a combination of high power and good fuel efficiency.

The company’s position on the transmission remains unchanged – for the new MX-5, a “mechanics” will again be offered. This decision is especially important for fans of the model, given the industry’s steady trend towards automation, caused, among other things, by new safety requirements and the mandatory equipping of cars with driver assistants.

Given the tightening of environmental standards, Mazda will most likely introduce a mild hybrid system based on 48-volt technology into the new version of the roadster. This may increase the chances of a modification with a 2.5-liter engine appearing on the European market. Currently, only the 1.5-liter version is available in the EU, while the 2-liter Skyactiv-G engine remains on the US market.

The debut of the new generation MX-5 is expected to take place no earlier than the end of 2027. It is for this period that Mazda has planned to release the first production car equipped with the new Skyactiv-Z engine – it will be the CX-5 hybrid crossover. The engine is being developed taking into account the Euro 7 environmental standards, as well as the LEV IV and Tier 4 norms that apply in other regions.