2016 Mazda MX-5's SkyActiv Chassis Previewed In New York

It's been 25 years since the Mazda MX-5 Miata sports car was unveiled at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show, but Mazda has chosen to celebrate the model at this year's New York Auto Show. It has done so by bringing at least part of the next-generation vehicle along to tease enthusiasts. That part is Mazda's new SkyActiv chassis, a light-weight, rear-drive platform set to underpin the fourth-gen 'ND' MX-5 due in early 2015, as a 2016 model.

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It's a message of intent from Mazda: The new car's mission is to bring the 2016 MX-5 back to its light-weight, compact roots. While the current car is no heavyweight by modern standards, it's long since climbed above the original car's curb weight, and its footprint has grown to accommodate modern safety features and larger engines.