Will Mazda show the next Miata's chassis in NY?

Fri, 21 Mar 2014

Mazda is being very sneaky about what it is bringing to the New York Auto Show, and it might have something to do with the next-generation MX-5 Miata. Australian website Motoring.com.au spoke to a company insider who told it that at least the chassis for the roadster would debut in Manhattan. The rumor goes that the show will act as the kickoff for the PR campaign for the new model.

We contacted Mazda USA PR Director Jeremy Barnes to find out more, and he would neither confirm nor deny the rumor. "Just because you read it on the Internet doesn't mean you should repeat it," he said to Autoblog. That's not exactly an outright, No.

Supporting evidence that the new drop top might be appearing in the Big Apple includes Mazda's plan to celebrate the model's 25th anniversary at the show. It's bringing 15 cars from the first three generations to display. "It will be absolutely worth attending the New York Auto Show if you're a Miata fan," Barnes said. That at least hints that there might be something he's not telling us. Otherwise it's a lot of sizzle without much steak.

The new MX-5's platform has been developed as a joint venture between Alfa Romeo and Mazda. Although, there is now a question whether Alfa is going to actually use the platform because Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne refuses to build the cars outside of Italy. Thankfully, the wait won't be very long to find out whether some portion of the new Miata is being unveiled because the New York Auto Show opens on April 16.

By Chris Bruce