SPY PICS: New Mazda MX-5 caught testing

A new Mazda MX-5 is on the way, and while the partially camouflaged spy shots seen here suggest it will only be a mild facelift, rumour has it this is actually a new-generation test mule disguised to look like a tweaked ND series.

Our sources out of Europe – where the car was spotted – couldn’t shed too much light on the situation, but there’s a strengthening undercurrent of this being the new ‘NE’ generation MX-5.

Nothing about the front fascia has changed beneath that black and white camo wrap, save for the lack of a badge, and the same is true at the rear-end, despite the lack of camouflage.

However, there are hints that this MX-5 could be a new-generation prototype – namely, the apparently widened rear haunches and the masked wiring from the underbody that runs up to the base of the fabric roof, skirting each side of the wheel-arches in the process.

We anticipate this wiring relates to kinematic posture control (KPC) suspension, which is Mazda’s integrated anti-roll technology.

A 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrain is expected to feature on the NE Mazda MX-5, helping reduce fuel consumption and potentially running the KPC.

However, fundamental ingredients such as a small-capacity naturally aspirated engine, rear-wheel drive and light kerb weight are sure to return.

MX-5 sports cars have traditionally had lifespans of around 10 years, meaning we more than likely won’t see the new-generation until at least 2024 and probably won’t drive it on Aussie soil until the following year.

Of course, the spy photos might also simply herald a swansong model for the current generation with a different KPC tune, perhaps building on the already sharpened dynamics of the MX-5 GT RS.

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