egmCarTech

There has been a lot of debate between designers and dealers on the next-generation Mazda MX-5. Mazda’s new design chief, Lauren Van den Acker, is now saying that the next Mazda MX-5 needs to be radical, a big step from the current model. Originally, dealers didn’t want a major change from the current model since customers were happy with the shape – yet the design team wanted to go all out and offer the market something fresh and new.

“The last one was too conservative and we can’t do another car like that. We need to make it more dramatic and give it some balls,” said Van den Acker in an interview with AutoCar.

The 4th generation model will arrive in 2012 and Mazda says it will still be a small rear-wheel-drive roadster but will be lighter and more fuel-efficient. In the meantime a facelift will arrive at the Paris Motor Show in Oct.

It was recently reported that Mazda has cancelled plans to built a MazdaSpeed version of the MX-5 due to the current market conditions.

Source: AutoCar

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