Receiving a rock star welcome worthy of the band that would follow him on stage, Derek Jenkins, Director of Design for Mazda introduced the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata in front of a crowd of owners and enthusiasts in Monterey yesterday evening.
Before rolling out the bright red roadster, Jenkins said “We’re lucky at Mazda to have such an icon. So the pressure was very high. We started with the basics: simple, lightweight, affordable and of course completely in sync with the driver. We had to get the balance right between the classic roadster and something totally modern and new.”
The car then appeared through a cloud of smoke to cheers from the Miata enthusiasts in the crowd. After a brief description of the design details – the new Miata is lower, wider, lighter and has crisper lines than the previous model – Duran Duran took the stage to entertain the partiers for the evening.
While Mazda has not released performance details, we believe it will feature a 2.0L DOHC turbocharged engine that will make about 180 hp. It should have a six-speed manual standard with an available automatic. Rumors are that a high-output version of the motor will be available and we will have more details as they become available.