| |
| Mazda MX-5 Miata Superlight Concept | |
|---|---|
| Mazda | |
| aka | Type aka here, not up there |
| Introduction | 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show |
| Class | Concept Car |
| Body Style | No Doors+2 Seats+Speedster Body |
| Length | 4,020 mm |
| Width | 66.6 in. |
| Height | 48.0 in. |
| Wheelbase | 2,330 mm |
| Weight | 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual transmission |
| Engine | MZR 1.8-liter petrol engine |
| Battery | {{{Battery}}} |
| Electric motor | {{{Electric motor}}} |
| Power | 93 kW (125 hp) at 6,500 rpm and 167 N⋅m (123 lb⋅ft) torque at 4,500 rpm. |
| Similar | Mazda MX-5 |
| Designer | {{{Designer}}} |
Although Mazda won't be following the trend of many automakers and releasing a new supercar at the Frankfurt auto show, the company is using the event to unviel the Mazda MX-5 Superlight concept, a special bare-bones MX-5 meant to celebrate 20 years of the world’s most popular roadster. The idea behind the Superlight is to emphasize the lightweight nature of the MX-5, and to that end the concept wears neither roof nor windshield. Sculpted, aerodynamic bolsters behind both seats serve as roll bars and house LED brake lights, and there’s a single, wide-angle rearview mirror mounted in front of the driver. A carbon-fiber hood extension protrudes into the cabin and serves as the top for the lightweight plastic and carbon-fiber dashboard. Inside, things are spartan enough to satisfy even the most weight-averse driver. The air conditioning, fan, carpeting, and sound insulation were all nixed to cut weight. The seats are carbon fiber and covered in the same brown leather that adorns the Superlight’s armrests and dashboard. You also get a push-button starter and aluminum shifter. Track is widened 2.0 inches, ride height is lowered by 1.1, and new Bilstein coilover shocks and Eibach anti-roll bars are fitted. Larger, cross-drilled disc brakes are gripped by new four-piston calipers, while power comes from the Miata’s Euro-spec 1.8-liter four-cylinder, which puts out just 125 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque with a unique Mazdaspeed intake and exhaust. The gearbox is a conventional five-speed manual taken from the production MX-5, as are the lightweight 17-inch alloy wheels. All the weight trimming yields a curb weight of about 2200 pounds, or nearly 300 pounds less than an American-spec model. That low weight reportedly enables 0-to-62–mph acceleration in 8.9 seconds and up to 37 mpg.
See Autopedia's comprehensive Mazda MX-5 Miata Superlight Concept Review.
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Unique Attributes[]
The idea has been kicking around Miata circles for quite some time and invariably comes down to this: Rip out everything that isn't absolutely necessary. Delete stuff like the heater and the carpeting and the stereo and go down Colin Chapman Road as far as you can. That's exactly what Mazda has done, at least in show car form. Sadly, the MX-5 Superlight Concept will never see production, but it's an amazing one-off. Mazda removed the windscreen and has stripped the car down to a curb weight of just under a metric ton - just a hair over 2,200 pounds. The job was done by Mazda’s European R&D center in Oberursel, Germany, and the company gearheads essentially turned back the clock on the third-gen MX-5, offering roughly the same size, weight and performance specs of the first-gen Miata but without the modern airbags, door beams and whatnot. “I’ve dreamed of building a Mazda MX-5 with this kind of radical form for a long time," Peter Birtwhistle, Mazda Motor Europe’s chief designer, said in a statement. "Now that weight reduction has become a dominant factor in automotive development, the time is ripe for it. We show how lightweight a car today can be.” Beyond chopping off the windshield, Mazda's designers got rid of the car's retractable top. The mods required revising the hood and scuttle with an addition made of lightweight carbon fiber. It covers the dashboard frame and provides the perch for a single aluminum wide-angle mirror that provides a nice retro look. Carrying on the retro theme, they also gave the car a pair of special roll over bars with LED brake lights.
Criticisms[]
Apparently Only A Racing Helmet Can Protect You From The Rushing Wind In The Superlight.
Worldwide[]
Mazda Never Intended For The MX-5 Superlight To Be Produced
Pop-culture[]
The Superlight Was featured in Forza Motorsport 3 as part of the Road & Track Car Pack, Forza Motorsport 4 and in Forza Horizon.
Awards[]
List out notable awards that the model has recieved while in production. Boldface the company or organization that gives out the award, and Italicize the name of the award.
See Also[]
