Wednesday 5th November 2014

Mazda MX-5 Global Cup racecar

Not sure about the new MX-5? Maybe this new Global MX-5 Cup car will help sway you

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MX-5s make great affordable competition cars, be they for mirror-tweaking club racers in cheap to prep Mk1s or more professionally run versions of the current car like the Jota Sport Mk3s PH drove in the recent Birkett Six Hour Relay. And Mazda hasn't wasted any time revealing a new competition spec version of the fourth-gen car, unveiling a new Mazda Global MX-5 Cup at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

Identical cars for a series of global championships

And if you still weren't convinced by the new MX-5 maybe this will be enough to change your mind. The track ride height, packed out arches, roll cage and subtle aero subtly beef up the MX-5's looks and the Cup racecar looks the proper job. As with the road car Mazda remains cagey about technical specs but has confirmed it'll run a 2.0-litre Skyactiv G (for gasoline) and the final package of tyres, suspension modifications and other upgrades will be confirmed next year after a winter test programme. Once confirmed the race cars will be sold "ready to race" for the 2016 season from what Mazda describes as "a single supplier", yet to be announced.

The new car gives Mazda an opportunity to set that standard to create a truly global competition MX-5, able to run in championships around the world to identical regulations and intended to conclude with a Global Shootout at Laguna Seca in 2016. We've checked the diary already. Guess what, we're available!

Final spec TBC but already looks the biz

"We're excited to take the elements of success of the existing Mazda MX-5 Cup series, and introduce them to a new global audience," says Masahiro Moro, Mazda's global boss of marketing. "It has long been our goal to see Mazda fans around the world competing in identical MX-5s, and the launch of the 2016 MX-5 Miata is the perfect time to make this goal a reality." He's got a personal interest too, Moro one of the drivers of the official Mazda Jinba Ittai car PH got up close and personal with in the recent Tsukuba four-hour media race. We had an informal invitation to go back all the same - sounds like an ideal opportunity for the car's competition debut.

 

[GTEYE]

Still not convinced by the new MX-5.

Dare I say it, it almost looks too small in the context of other cars on the road and certainly looks smaller than the NC it is replacing.

Will certainly need to see one in the metal to make final judgement.

Racer certainly looks purposeful though...

[RenesisEvo]

GTEYE said:

...and certainly looks smaller than the NC it is replacing.

That's because it is smaller:

Autocar said:

The new car is also 105mm shorter in overall length than the outgoing version, though its wheelbase has only shrunk by 15mm. It is also 20mm lower, but 10mm wider.

I think it looks good from the front, still not sure on the rear view, it all sweeps up and narrows, a bit too much of a departure from the previous generations. Substantial side impact bars are nice to see. I'd certainly love to have a go in one.

[Tribal Chestnut]

So we don't like this trend of cars getting bigger with each generation, and then moan when they get smaller. Did I miss something??

[Sway]

Looks lovely. That side stripe is inspired, be interesting to see one without it.

Not too clear from the article, but are the arches flared on this compared to the roadcar? Or are the wheels pushed out to fill them better?

[SmilerFTM]

Sway said:

Looks lovely. That side stripe is inspired, be interesting to see one without it.

Not too clear from the article, but are the arches flared on this compared to the roadcar? Or are the wheels pushed out to fill them better?

I can't see much of a difference

[Dan Trent]

Sway said:

Looks lovely. That side stripe is inspired, be interesting to see one without it.

Not too clear from the article, but are the arches flared on this compared to the roadcar? Or are the wheels pushed out to fill them better?

Not that clear from the press release either, to be fair! I don't think there are any physical/bodywork changes though. Very light on detail thus far but I'd hazard some extra width on the tyres and the lower ride height help fill the arches over road car.

More when we have it.

Cheers,

Dan

[daytona365]

Am I the only person in the world that's totally underwhelmed by anything to do with an MX5 !

[Tribal Chestnut]

daytona365 said:

Am I the only person in the world that's totally underwhelmed by anything to do with an MX5 !

Nope. I have an NA and it's fine as a cheap, fairly light and nice handling, reliable little vehicle, but that's all it is. Doesn't get the blood flowing though.

[Tribal Chestnut]

daytona365 said:

Am I the only person in the world that's totally underwhelmed by anything to do with an MX5 !

Nope. I have an NA and it's fine as a cheap, fairly light and nice handling, reliable little vehicle, but that's all it is. Doesn't get the blood flowing though.

[WillBrumBrum]

I think both the new MX-5 and new Zenos have eye infections. Take them to the doctor and facelift them both and you'd have superb cars (also loving that side impact protection on the MX-5).

[zerovira]

Really nice, I think this time mazda really nailed it. Cup car is even nicer than standard, and for me the order of nicest mx5's is now

1) NA
2) ND
3) NB
4) NC

so it is the best since the original, and I mean that as a compliment. And the fact that it is actually smaller and lighter only make it better, this and the keep to N/A engines is really growing up some serious character about the miata.

Kudos to mazda!

[Gilhooligan]

First time I've seen the new mx5 with bigger wheels. Certainly makes it look a lot better. The side profile looks really great now but that rear end is still not working for me.
I hope mazda make a bolt on hardtop for it as the NC looked great with one.

[dlockhart]

SmilerFTM said:

Sway said:

Looks lovely. That side stripe is inspired, be interesting to see one without it.

Not too clear from the article, but are the arches flared on this compared to the roadcar? Or are the wheels pushed out to fill them better?

I can't see much of a difference

front bumper and slight mods to the bonnet are the only ones I can spot (apart from the rollcage)

[pSynrg]

daytona365 said:

Am I the only person in the world that's totally underwhelmed by anything to do with an MX5 !

Not at all, they've never given me any kind of a buzz. However its spiritual inspiration, the (original) Lotus Elan is one of my all time fave cars. Saying that, I haven't driven an MX5 of any kind (apart from in games/sims) so maybe that is the key...

Incidentally and slightly on-topic I have a similar reaction to any Aston Martin story, they bore me to death (Jaguar/Land Rover are invoking similar feelings these days...)

[anonymous-user]

It looks like a baby F Type. And I really like it.

[pSynrg]

GravelMachineGun said:

It looks like a baby F Type. And I really like it.

I think maybe more baby XK than F-type?

Now please excuse me as I fall into a coma.

[soad]

No sign of paddle-shift!

[Fetchez la vache]

Sway said:

Looks lovely. That side stripe is inspired, be interesting to see one without it.

It does seem to work well as it creates an illusion of removing some of the visual heft of the thing which made it look a little ungainly in the first place.

[GTEYE]

Tribal Chestnut said:

So we don't like this trend of cars getting bigger with each generation, and then moan when they get smaller. Did I miss something??

Yes but that didn't really apply to the MX-5, it was already pretty light and compact. The most recent MX-5 was still tiny compared to say even a Ford Focus.

[MrGeoff]

GTEYE said:

Tribal Chestnut said:

So we don't like this trend of cars getting bigger with each generation, and then moan when they get smaller. Did I miss something??

Yes but that didn't really apply to the MX-5, it was already pretty light and compact. The most recent MX-5 was still tiny compared to say even a Ford Focus.

I don't get the argument here. Why make a car bigger than it needs to be? The Ford Focus has a different criteria and market in mind to an MX5. An MX5 is meant to be a light weight, small car. Why does it need to be bigger?