Synthetic Fuel Might Save The MX-5 According To Mazda

A new generation Mazda MX-5 (Miata) won’t arrive anytime soon, even though the current ND model is already 12 years old. The head of design for Europe revealed that the new NE model will “take a few more years” before it arrives.

Speaking to the Dutch AutoRAI, Jo Stenuit said that Mazda has not yet decided which powertrain it will use. He believes some form of electrification will likely be incorporated in order for the next Miata to meet emissions regulations.

Separately, Mazda’s head of European research and development, Christian Schulze, told AutoRAI that at best, the Miata would NOT use a petrol engine that runs on synthetic fuel. This would allow the model to comply with stricter regulations. However, this is mostly wishful thinking at the moment, as there is practically no infrastructure for CO2-neutral fuel, according to Motor1.

“The simplest way to reduce the MX-5’s emissions is to use synthetic fuels. That’s really the short answer. If you look at the technical reality, synthetic, CO2-neutral fuel allows you to continue to use an existing internal combustion engine without having to completely rethink the concept of the car. For a model like the MX-5, which relies so much on lightweight construction, balance and mechanical cleanliness, it’s a very logical path.”

Emissions regulations remain an ongoing issue for Mazda. Almost two years ago, the company had no choice but to stop production of the 2.0-litre engine for the Miata in Europe because it did not comply with EU legislation. Since then, only the smaller 1.5-litre engine has been available for the roadster on the continent.

Although the ND has been around since 2014, Mazda is clearly not done fine-tuning the formula. Schulze said engineers are working hard to tune the engine to meet regulations. He added that the naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines will undergo “technical adjustments”.

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