The current generation of the Miata, the NC (introduced as a 2006 model), has entered its seventh year of production, so it's safe to assume that an all-new car is coming our way very soon. According to sources within the company, development for the next-generation MX-5 (the ND) is well underway, but the Hiroshima-based company seemed to have hit a snag when it came to deciding on an appropriate powerplant. Apparently, Mazda engineers were originally planning to equip the ND with a naturally aspirated 1.5-liter inline-4 with SkyActiv technology, but couldn't quite squeeze the desired horsepower from the engine. A variant of the current 2.0-liter inline-4 was also considered, but it couldn't meet their fuel economy goals. Instead Mazda has narrowed it down to either a 1.8-liter inline-4 with SkyActiv or a 1.3- or 1.5-liter inline-4 with forced induction.

Whichever powerplant Mazda decides on, you can expect the car to produce roughly 150 bhp with about a 10-percent improvement in fuel economy from the current MX-5's (22 city/28 highway mpg). Another major focal point of the future MX-5 is weight. We hear the engineers are working feverishly to reduce the car's mass to 2200 lb. or less, which means shaving about 200 lb. out of the NC while retaining its exterior dimensions. Let's hope that Mazda can keep the price of the new MX-5 below the $25,000 mark, another main goal of the development team. Look for the MX-5 in 2014.

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