The next generation Mazda MX-5 will retain the combustion engine. The new 2.5-liter Skyactive Z engine will meet Euro 7 standards and keep the weight below 1,000 kilograms.
The next Mazda MX-5 will continue to have a combustion engine. Mazda is developing a new Skyactive Z engine for the car.
The goal is to keep the weight of the upcoming MX-5 under one ton.
Mazda is sticking to its core values with the popular roadster. The current fourth generation, known as the ND, is approaching its 10th anniversary. Therefore, a successor is also on the way,
But the world's best-selling roadster will not become an electric car. Integrating batteries and electric motors would make the car too heavy.
It goes against Mazda's principle of a lightweight sports car.
"Whatever the future of the MX-5, it must remain incredibly light," said Mazda's technical chief, Ryuichi Umeshita, in an interview with Road and Track .
Even the manual gearbox is allowed to survive. This is despite increasingly strict emission regulations in the automotive industry. Puritans should be able to breathe a sigh of relief for the same reason.
Mazda MX-5 engine: Skyactive Z and Euro 7
The new engine will be a four-cylinder petrol engine. It will not be a small three-cylinder engine, as some might fear.
The engine will be called Skyactive Z. It will replace the current Skyactive-G engines. It will meet the upcoming Euro 7 emissions standard.
To achieve this, Mazda uses a method called 'Lambda 1'. It constantly seeks the most optimal ratio of air to fuel. This provides the most efficient combustion.
The method also ensures – at least according to the Japanese – the lowest possible emissions from the exhaust, something that would normally stifle the engine's horsepower.
Therefore, Mazda is increasing the displacement of the new engine. It will be 2.5 liters. This is to compensate and ensure that the engine is both cleaner, more economical and more potent.
Next MX-5 generation: Future and predecessor
The current Mazda MX-5 has a 2.0-liter engine as the largest variant globally, although in Europe that engine was removed from the lineup last year.
Here, the MX-5 is only sold with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, leaving some European customers wanting more power.
If Mazda succeeds in getting the new 2.5-liter Skyactive Z engine approved for the Euro 7 standard, there is hope.
Then Europeans might once again experience an MX-5 with a larger engine and manual transmission.
However, you have to be patient. The first cars with the Skyactive Z engine are not expected to be launched until around 2027. The new MX-5 is probably some way off in the future.
The Mazda MX-5 has always been a popular car among enthusiasts. At Boosted.dk you can find articles about previous generations and conversion projects.
For example, read about the MX-5 with a V8 engine , which was almost like a brand new car. But which unfortunately had to die in 2021.
