Mazda’s commitment to internal combustion will extend to the next-generation MX-5, which is set to receive the Japanese manufacturer’s newest and most advanced petrol-engine technology rather than a plug-in hybrid or battery-electric powertrain.
Mazda last year launched its first BEV, the MX-30 crossover, but just a year before that ushered in its innovative Skyactiv-X petrol engine technology, which uses spark-controlled compression ignition (SPCCI) to improve efficiency and performance.
This could enable some petrol-powered Mazdas to remain on sale as their respective rivals go electric.
The MX-5, in particular, is a likely candidate, given that its relatively low sales volumes have a negligible impact on Mazda’s European fleet average CO2 emissions.
The manufacturer has previously confirmed that a Skyactiv-X engine will be used only in all-new models that have been designed around it and its associated mild-hybrid hardware.
The first cars to gain a Skyactiv-X engine were the 3 family hatchback and its CX-30 sibling, and Mazda has previewed a new straight-six that could appear in the next-generation 6 executive car.
Skyactiv-X technology is now offered in various European-market models without a turbocharger (the 3 is available in the US with a 2.5-litre turbo engine), making it highly likely that the MX-5 can stay true to its naturally aspirated roots in its fifth generation.
A small supercharger does feature as part of a Skyactiv-X engine, but only as a means of pressurising the air inside when it’s running on spark-controlled ignition (in so doing avoiding the accelerative lag caused by a turbocharger).
This story is from the October 13, 2021 edition of Autocar UK.
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This story is from the October 13, 2021 edition of Autocar UK.
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