Mazda's first electrified sports car looms and the next Miata is just around the corner

Oddly enough, seven years have passed since the fourth generation of the Mazda MX-5 arrived . Throughout all this time, the small Japanese sports car has not needed to change its style to keep up, it has simply renewed its range of engines and finishes.

But time passes and today the commercial cycle of any model is shorter than ever, so it is inevitable to think that the MX-5 ND will disappear sooner rather than later. And it will do so to make room for the first electrified Miata in history.

A new challenge for Mazda

After more than 30 years of history, the Mazda MX-5 keeps its essence intact . It is one of the very few cars that can boast of it; regardless of trends, after four generations it continues to offer the same recipe as always and, thanks to this, it is synonymous with fun behind the wheel.

However, we live in the age of electrification and it was a matter of time before the Miata also jumped through hoops. At first they were just rumors, but later it was confirmed that the legendary two-seater would be electrified, just like the rest of Mazda, to meet the Japanese brand's goal of having all its cars electrified by 2030.

What we do not know is what type of electrification Mazda will choose for its small sports car. Today, those from Hiroshima have fully electric cars, plug-in hybrids and micro-hybrids, but next year they will also bet on extended-range electrics , when the electric Mazda MX-30 arrives equipped with a rotary gasoline engine that will work as extender to extend the total autonomy of the car.

Taking into account that one of the requirements of the MX-5 is lightness , it is unlikely that its fifth installment will be completely electric, however, this option does not seem so far-fetched after seeing the latest video of the brand.

Mazda has uploaded to its YouTube channel a video in which its President and CEO, Akira Marumoto, talks about the short-term future of the firm. Near the end of the video, starting at minute 34:55 , it seems that Mazda is giving clues as to what the next MX-5 will be like through a prototype .

It first appears on the screen of a smartphone and its silhouette fits perfectly with what could be the fifth generation of the Miata, although it is a coupe and not a roadster, like the current model. In any case, the Mazda MX-5 had a coupe version a long time ago, with its second installment, and it's just a concept.

It is striking that its doors are of the scissor type, but also the bodyless structure of this prototype. And it is that its chassis could fit with that of a 100% electric car with the engine located in front and the batteries behind.

A few seconds later, this prototype is shown in more detail, albeit very fleetingly. Its lines are sharper than those of the current model and it features striking details, such as the illuminated Mazda logo at the front, digital mirrors or the illuminated Mazda logo at the rear.

Best of all, Mazda mixes the images of this concept with others from the previous generations of the MX-5 and that leads us to think that it could be advancing the forms of the successor to the legendary sports car .

After all, it is clear that the MX-5 will not suffer the same fate as the Ford Fiesta and will continue to live, even if it embraces electrification. Another possibility is that this prototype furthers the forms of the successor to the RX-7 that we have been waiting for so long. Be that as it may, it remains to be seen if Mazda is capable of continuing to respect its essence.