Possible Front Wheel Drive MX-5

[Sarah]

Mazda are apparently considering ditching rear wheel drive for future models, check out this article.

http://uk.autoblog.com/2012/03/07/ne...share_facebook

Needless to say this would be very disappointing if they did.

[concealer404]

If it's going to be as ugly as all the renderings i've seen, then no big loss. Open diff FWD for all i car, it'll make me vomit just as hard if it were RWD.

[I<3flippyheadlights]

Low powered, front wheel drive cars are fun and easy to handle. Appealing to the mass consumer would be that much simpler. But when it comes to the Miata, it should stay a FR car. Mazda might let us down.

[Tekel]

Mazda and all their ads about the Passion of driving and zoom zoom, and first kill the rx, now this would essentially kill the mx. So much for driving Passion...

[shane]

I don't see this ever happening, it would be branding suicide......

[concealer404]

I don't see this ever happening, it would be branding suicide......

You act like they make their money on the Miata.

[shane]

Well not many companies are at the moment, still they have quite a following, they aren't in business to lose that..

[concealer404]

Well not many companies are at the moment, still they have quite a following, they aren't in business to lose that..

They lost over 1 Billion dollars last year, the MX-5 sells less than 40,000 units worldwide. They're clearly examining the feasibility of continuing the Miata as it is. Can't say i blame them, to be quite honest. Cater or make expensive decisions in the favor of the 5% of people who drive that are actually enthusiasts, and you go out of business VERY quickly.

[friday]

Global sports car = sporty econobox car???

I would rather the MX5 be canceled than become FWD.

[concealer404]

Inb4 Lotus Elan.

(Which actually handled beautifully, for what it's worth.)

[I<3flippyheadlights]

They lost over 1 Billion dollars last year, the MX-5 sells less than 40,000 units worldwide. They're clearly examining the feasibility of continuing the Miata as it is. Can't say i blame them, to be quite honest. Cater or make expensive decisions in the favor of the 5% of people who drive that are actually enthusiasts, and you go out of business VERY quickly.

+1
Like I said before, making it an FR will be more appealing to the masses (if they can make it cheaper that is even better) I would rather mazda keep making money then try and appeal to the small amount of people who are enthusiasts. Besides, do you plan on buying a ND? For that matter a NC?

[concealer404]

+1
Like I said before, making it an FR will be more appealing to the masses (if they can make it cheaper that is even better) I would rather mazda keep making money then try and appeal to the small amount of people who are enthusiasts. Besides, do you plan on buying a ND? For that matter a NC?

I know i won't buy an ND unless it looks completely different from every sketch or rendering released so far.

I'm not a fan of the NC either.

But i'm a very small percentage that nobody should care about, including Mazda if they want to stay around.

[KAL]

In a recent survey, BMW found that 80% of the 1-series owners thought their car was front wheel drive.
http://www.autonews.com/article/2010...OG12/303219984

I wouldn't blame Mazda for re-thinking the Miata in times of crisis. Great handling and a fun drive is still possible with front wheel drive. Look at the Renault Sport-models for example.

Toyota and the '86 is a sucsess in terms of coverage - but Mazda isn't in the position to do the same, i guess. «Here is the new Miata, and it is still RWD!» Maybe we'll see a four wheel drive roadster with an electrical engine on the rear wheels?

[MartyMcfly]

You act like they make money.

ftfy. lol

[— Phatmiata —]

sacrilege!

I would buy a Miata if the F#*!ing greedy banks would loan money!