Mazda Debuts Next-Generation MX-5 Miata

Mazda Motor Corp. has released official images of its new 2016 MX-5 Miata sports car, wrapped in a strikingly more exotic skin than any of the previous iterations.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mazda last updated the Miata in 2005. The company hasn't yet revealed many details about the upcoming fourth-generation model, which is expected to go on sale next summer. The car adopts the company's Kodo design language and is more compact than previous models.

The next-generation car will weigh 100 kg (220 lbs) less than today's 2,500-lb model, according to Mazda. It also will employ the company's fuel-saving Skyactiv engine, powertrain and chassis technologies, which are expected to boost the Miata's current U.S. city/highway fuel economy rating of 21 mpg/28 mpg.

Today's $23,700 model is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers 167 hp through a 5- or 6-speed manual transmission or 6-speed automatic.