1997 Mazda Mx-5 Miata on 2040-cars

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So, just how different are the Fiat 124 Spider and Mazda MX-5 Miata?

"We leveraged a great platform." That's how Bob Broderdorf, Jr., Fiat's North American director, summarizes the creation of the 124 Spider. We all know Fiat's new roadster shares its underpinnings with the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata, but there are a lot of key differences to keep them separate in the eyes of consumers. Mazda may have engineered the platform, but Fiat added many of its own touches. Here, we'll take a closer look at the spec sheets of the two cars, and summarize the major differences between the Japanese and Italian roadsters. If you need a refresher, read our full First Drive of the 2016 MX-5 Miata, and glance at all the Fiat 124 Spider details in this post. Design Fiat Chrysler design lead Ralph Gilles is super excited about this car. "I think it's going to change lives," he told the assembled media at an event in Auburn Hills, MI, earlier this month. Yes, it's definitely exciting to add a small roadster to any lineup, especially one that uses such a proven platform. But we're not sure people are going to get all that jazzed about it from a design standpoint. You'll either love it or hate it, and we're kind of leaning toward the latter. Every single body panel is new, and the design is "100 percent Italian." There are a number of creases and angles throughout the exterior, with a squared-off rear end and rectangular taillamps. Fiat trusts you'll be able to spot the similarities between the new 124 Spider and the original, but we're not so sure. We can see a bit of the old car's grille on the new car's face, and the dual hood blisters are a nice throwback touch, but that's about it. Trust us when we say that this car looks way better in photos. In person, it really didn't wow us. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One colleague told us his wife, a long-time Miata owner, hates the look of the new one but will absolutely adore the Fiat. Good for her, and good for Fiat. But based on design alone, we'll take the Mazda every single time. What about you? Dimensions When Broderdorf said Fiat leveraged the Miata's platform, that means the Italians took it as-is. The two cars ride on an identical, 90.9-inch wheelbase. The front and rear tracks lengths are the same, at 58.9 and 59.1 inches, respectively. But that's where the similarities end.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata firsthand impressions and notebook scribblings

In a temporarily repurposed airport hanger in Monterey, CA, the world caught its first glimpse of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata tonight, and I was fortunate enough to attend in person along with my fellow auto media colleagues, Mazda execs, a couple hundred Miata devotees and, oddly, a fair number of Duran Duran fans. The klieg lights have dimmed, Simon Le Bon is no longer ringing in my ears, and I'm left to ponder what I've seen. I've scavenged my notes - and my Twitter feed - to give you some details and brief thoughts.
Fair Warning: I can't claim to be completely impartial (I own a second-generation NB and consider the Miata franchise to be one of but a few sacrosanct franchises in modern motoring), but I will share my honest first impressions of the new car, both good and bad.
Here are my notes:

Mazda RX-7 could return in 2020

We like writing about the next Mazda RX-7 because it's like writing about the Chupacabra, Slenderman, or the Florida Skunkape, all of which are imaginary creatures seen by someone who knew someone who had an uncle whose dead great-grandfather's sister took a picture of it, invariably at night, while she was drunk, with her 1933 Kodak Brownie. Autocar is the latest with an RX-7 revival, saying it could come as soon as 2020 to celebrate Mazda's 100th anniversary. Before we get to that, let's take a brief look at RX-7 rumors. In 2009 there was speculation we'd get a concept RX-7 at the Tokyo Motor Show. That same year it was predicted the RX-8 would die to make room for a new RX-7 in 2012. In 2010 Mazda was developing a 300-horsepower rotary for the RX-7 that could run on gasoline or diesel and had better fuel economy and less oil consumption. Then Autocar said we could get the new RX-7 by 2013, a rumor that turned into a new RX-9 based on the Mazda MX-5 Miata platform. In 2012 the potential arrival date had become 2017. In 2013 the company CEO Masamichi Kogai said the equivalent of "Not gonna happen," and he said it again last year, just 90 days ago. It should be clear by now that this car is Mazda's version of the Lotus Esprit. Whew. Now that we're clear on all that, what does Autocar say? That a follow-up to the extinct RX-8 is coming that will sit on the new MX-5 Miata platform, and Mazda's vice president of European R&D said there are still 30 engineers working on rotary engines in partnership with universities. The successor will be front-engined and rear-wheel drive, have either two seats or 2+2 seating, and could be called RX-6, RX-7, or RX-9. That sounds like three distinct statements, only one of which is definitely true, that could possibly just maybe add up to a new RX-7, but could even more likely add up to a rotary-engined concept car that never sees production. We've only got five more years to wait, and since we've been begging at the RX-7 doors this long... Related Video: News Source: Autocar Rumormill Mazda Coupe Performance rotary rotary engine mazda rx-7