The MX-5 will never give up, says Mazda

The current generation MX-5, first launched in 2015, will continue to be updated and is not in danger of being phased out due to emissions or other regulations.

“How do you stay true to the concept of what a car stands for and bring it into a new generation of technology? That is not decided. But I think it would be fair to say that the MX-5 will never die,” said Martijn ten Brink. “I think it will be around forever and will have to move with the times. This is a challenge, but the people at Mazda are excited about this model.”

In a wide-ranging interview at the Brussels Motor Show, Ten Brink also discussed Mazda designers exploring new shapes and sizes for its models that emphasize aerodynamic efficiency when its new electric architecture arrives in 2025.

“We have to think about aerodynamics in a different way. I think we’re going to get more variety in terms of design from all the different brands. And I think our design experiments will also take us in new directions, but they’ll definitely have to be very aerodynamic.” Ten Brink said Mazda’s size meant it had to do things differently and make models for global markets rather than taking different approaches region by region.

“We have to be successful in Japan, Australia, the US and Europe with the same vehicles,” he said. “It’s a huge challenge for a smaller manufacturer because we can’t fully focus on one thing,” he said.