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MRnewsBot
06-04-2012, 08:32 PM
2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata and Alfa Romeo Spyder - First Look

http://www.roadandtrack.com/future-cars/first/2014-mazda-mx-5-miata-and-alfa-romeo-spyder

Mama Miata! Mazda and Alfa team up to build roadsters.
By Nick Kurczewski / Photos by Theophilus Chin/Chris Doane Automotive
May 30, 2012

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2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mazda and Alfa Romeo are joining forces to build the next-generation MX-5 Miata and Spyder. The 2-passenger roadsters will place a priority on keeping things simple, and small. As we already noted a couple months ago, Mazda’s engineers are working hard to trim weight (reportedly as much as 200 lb.) from the 2014 Miata. This could be aided by the Japanese automaker’s growing lineup of SkyActiv models, which offer improved performance and fuel economy thanks to their significantly lighter chassis and powertrains. That same engineering approach will certainly be applied here.

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2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Unique Personalities

For the moment, Mazda and Alfa are keeping the specifics of the arrangement under wraps. In a previous statement, the two companies said they would "develop two differentiated, distinctly styled, iconic and brand-specific lightweight roadsters featuring rear-wheel drive. The Mazda and Alfa Romeo variants will each be powered by specific proprietary engines unique to each brand." Judging from these artist illustrations – not official images, mind you, but a pretty good guess – it appears each car has its own unique shape and personality.

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2014 Alfa Romeo Spyder

The next Miata should sport much more pronounced fenders and a blunter front and rear end. Horizontal bars and a large Mazda emblem dominate the bigger grille. Those over 6-foot have always struggled to squeeze into the Miata cabin, so expect Mazda to focus some attention on boosting interior room and comfort. Considering the car's ongoing weight loss regime, it’s possible Mazda could eliminate heavy and complex features like the current model’s optional retractable folding hardtop.

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2014 Alfa Romeo Spyder

In comparison, the Alfa Romeo Spyder has a sleeker and more expensive look to it – no surprise, since the Alfa is likely to cost more. There is definitely a hint of the classic “boat-tail” Spyder that Dustin Hoffman drove in the film “The Graduate.” Unlike the wide-eyed Miata, the Alfa could feature LED-intensive lighting at the front and rear. Ornamentation and superfluous details appear to be kept to an absolute minimum on this Alfa. A character line runs from the front fender to the door handles, and that’s pretty much it.

These are pint-sized roadsters, so the engine lineup is guaranteed to consist of rev-happy 4-cylinders. We’ve speculated that Mazda could opt for a normally aspirated 1.8-liter, or turbocharged 1.3 or 1.5-liter engine. Personally, the latter options sound the most intriguing – come on, Mazda! Alfa can easily dip into the Fiat parts-bin and install the highly entertaining and turbocharged 1.4-liter MultiAir 4-cylinder into the engine bay for the Spyder. A choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic equipped with paddle-shifters should be available in either vehicle. Expect Mazda to try to peg pricing as close as possible to the current Miata’s base price of approximately $25,000. We’d expect the Alfa price tag to fall closer to $30,000.


http://www.roadandtrack.com/future-cars/first/2014-mazda-mx-5-miata-and-alfa-romeo-spyder

Barrym
06-13-2012, 06:06 AM
I think the Alfa looks sleeker and more artistic. Look at some of the best looking sports cars. Porche, Jaguar, Audi TT. Smooth not a lot of extra lines. I dont like the current NC smiling grille and I dont like the outrigger looking fender flares that to me looks like an after thought. The rear on the picture looks like it got into some kind of an accident. Why does the Miata have all those extra lines. It seems that a sleeker body with less superfluous lines would be cheaper to build and look better at the same time.

I think that the Miata/Mazda design department are a bunch of Anime cartoonists trying to recapture the Speed Racer days.
I vote for something smooth. sexy, not alot of busy lines and btw put some more power under the hood.
Barrym

terranwelder
06-14-2012, 07:32 PM
Im sad both are fugly. What ever happened to the clean look of the Na and NB.

Johnnie
06-14-2012, 11:52 PM
Tell them I hate it.

Willywongka
06-15-2012, 04:58 AM
They look like shyte~! I'm hoping and praying I'll like the ND... please come through Mazda!

thedguy
06-18-2012, 05:52 PM
Judging from these artist illustrations – not official images, mind you, but a pretty good guess
The pictures are nothing more than proof of why R&T is closing it's doors. There is no news so they are just making shit up.

kung fu jesus
06-18-2012, 07:55 PM
I like the alfa.

bankjob
06-18-2012, 08:03 PM
The Miata looks like a Chrysler

drv2fst
06-18-2012, 08:47 PM
Alpha looks nice, Miata looks like it was donked and then kicked up the ass.

Ohsixspeedsix
07-06-2012, 08:27 PM
The Miata looks like a Chrysler

Because it pretty much is lol.

Advancedspecv
07-16-2012, 05:01 PM
The Alfa is definitely the better looking of the two. The Miata looks like a crossfire that was beat with an ugly stick!

concealer404
07-16-2012, 05:12 PM
The pictures are nothing more than proof of why R&T is closing it's doors. There is no news so they are just making shit up.

This.

You guys have nothing to worry about until Mazda actually releases their own sketches and/or concept.

Ohsixspeedsix
07-16-2012, 07:16 PM
Yeah im not believing any of these concepts until I see the real thing.

BlueMotorsport
08-02-2012, 10:08 AM
Im sad both are fugly. What ever happened to the clean look of the Na and NB.

this those are both beyond ugly and the mazda rear looks like a mustang rear squeezed to fit the miata -___- so ugly ugh

iRoadster
08-02-2012, 01:46 PM
Road&Track, you will not be missed.