Mazda’s latest MX-5 has already been highly praised for its commitment to lightweight fun, but the Japanese firm is taking things even further at the 2015 SEMA trade show. The MX-5 Speedster and Spyder concepts have been teased before their official reveal in Las Vegas.
Mazda’s designers describe both cars as “vastly different takes” on the fourth-generation roadster. The super-light Speedster on the left of the teaser image is said to hark back to minimalist two-seater sports cars of the 1950s, ditching its roof and even the windscreen in a serious pursuit of cutting kilograms. Although we can only see the view from above, it’s clear the folding roof mechanism at the back has been replaced by two buttresses behind the seats.
At the other end of the vintage spectrum is the MX-5 Spyder, which brings design cues from classic roadsters and a bespoke retro leather interior. It also gets a distinct roof design in the same vein as the Porsche Boxster Spyder. Both cars are said to be “significantly lighter” than the regular MX-5 thanks to featherweight components from a number of aftermarket suppliers.
It’s expected the two MX-5 concepts will retain the standard car’s existing engines and power outputs. But, this being SEMA, we will probably see a vast array of beefed-up examples from various US tuning firms on display. The show opens to the public on November 3rd, and we’ll be out there giving you coverage from the show floor.
Read more about the cars of SEMA 2015 here...