---
title: "Future Mazda Miatas Should Be Even Lighter, Thanks to Carbon Fiber"
description: "Carmaker is working on cheaper forms of the wonder material."
date: "2016-07-25"
modified: "2016-07-25"
authors:
  - name: "Will Sabel Courtney"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/will-sabel-courtney"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/4561/future-mazda-miatas-should-be-even-lighter-thanks-to-carbon-fiber"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "compact"
  - "Convertible"
  - "mazda"
  - "miata"
  - "sports car"
---

# Future Mazda Miatas Should Be Even Lighter, Thanks to Carbon Fiber

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/072516-lightweight-miata-hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

As if it already weren't a featherweight in a world of roadgoing behemoths, [the future Mazda Miata will likely be even lighter](<https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/next-mazda-mx-5-will-be-lighter-and-more-efficient-ever>) than today's car, according to one of Mazda's higher-ups in charge of the tiny roadster.

According to MX-5 program manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto, the next-generation Miata will stay around the same size as the current car, but weigh in below the current convertible thanks to broader use of lightweight materials. [The current car, which is lighter and smaller](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/147/the-2016-mazda-mx-5-miata-will-eat-your-supercar>) than the previous model, weighs in at around 2,300 pounds.

"The size is right," Yamamoto told *Autocar,* prompting an irritated grumble from long-legged gearheads the world over. "But in the future lightweight materials will be very important and will be used in this car." Carbon fiber will be a key to this strategy, Yamamoto said, adding that Mazda is current working on developing less-expensive forms of the woven material.

And that tradeoff means the next-gen Mazda Miata could also downsize its engine. Indeed, *Autocar* claims the carmaker could even lop a cylinder off the MX-5's inline-four, but that would run counter to reports that [Mazda has ruled out two- and three-cylinder motors](<https://www.mazda-motors.com/news/mazda-says-no-to-downsized-two-and-three-cylinder-turbo-engines/>) due to NVH issues. The carmaker currently offers a 1.5-liter engine as standard equipment in the Miata in some markets, though all U.S. cars use the larger 155-hp, 2.0-liter I-4.

“It’s a simple concept,” Yamamoto told the British car magazine. “The vehicle weight gets lower, there’s a smaller engine, smaller tires. It’s a lightweight sports car.”

Of course, with [the fourth-generation MX-5 Miata](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/2681/the-2017-mazda-miata-rf-has-fastback-looks-open-roof-charm>) still fairly fresh—it first reached showrooms around a year ago—it'll be some time before we can lay our hands on this carbon-fiber-bodied Miata of Tomorrow. The fifth-generation MX-5 isn't expected to go on sale until 2021 or so. Which should be plenty of time for Subaru and Toyota to come up with their own ways of lightening [the BRZ and 86](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/2715/subaru-brz-toyota-86-confirmed-for-a-second-generation>) even further to match Mazda's moves.

## Author
Will is the former managing editor of *RIDES Magazine* and the former online editor for *0-60 Magazine*. He has worked for *Time Out New York* and *Rolling Stone*, and was the creator of *College Cars Online*, the first automotive blog specifically targeted at college students and young professionals.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/willsabelcourtney>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/willscourtney>)