Change is afoot for lovers of lightweight sportscars. The only two mass-produced ones that actually exist in the U.S. right now -- the Lotus Elise and Lotus Exige -- will no longer be imported here come August.
The reasoning behind this decision has little to do with Lotus' grand plan to move up-market and everything to do with economies of scale (or lack thereof) and regulatory realities. Lotus won't be able to source the cars' Yamaha-built, Toyota-supplied, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine (that it already spent the money to emissions-certify for the U.S. market) anymore. Also, the federal safety exemption that allows the automaker to sell cars without airbags is going to expire. The Elise successor reportedly won't be along until 2015.
What's a minimalist car guy to do? Well, maybe there's hope in the next-generation Mazda MX-5.
A Mazda insider tells Inside Line that company engineers have been charged with getting over 700 pounds out of the next-gen Miata. For reference, a current-gen MX-5 Sport weighs in at 2,480 pounds.
That same source tells IL that there's no way the engineers are making that target, but tells our reporter we should expect a significant weight loss that would result in a Miata that comes close to the original MX-5's 2,178 lbs.
A smaller engine will be key to this mission -- perhaps one as small as 1.4 liters, versus the monster 2.0-liter inline-4 in today's Miata -- as will forced induction and direct injection.
Mazda laid out its intention to build a lighter MX-5 when it showed the MX-5 Superlight at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.
teampenske3 says:
06:11 PM, 06/ 8/11
I'm crying right now...because I know deep down that nothing like the Elise/Exige will ever be made by Lotus again. I peg that car to become a classic in the next decade after Bahar's obese creations come to market (if they ever do).
huyracing says:
08:13 PM, 06/ 8/11
go buy one if it means so much to you.
powell_jr says:
08:25 PM, 06/ 8/11
Go go mazda racer! (thats what I think every time I see that pic).
Good for you Mazda, give us a lighter more nimble mx-5, diesel mazda3, and a better engine in the mazda2 and you will officially be my favorite automaker (oh, wait you already are).
saturn95 says:
10:05 PM, 06/ 8/11
Sad about the Lotus, I've always liked those cars
My question about the Mazda is how much of a price increase there will be with the new Miata, I imagine that there will be quite a bit of composites and carbon fiber used.
stephen987 says:
04:31 AM, 06/ 9/11
Didn't Lotus go through the same routine back in the '70s when they killed off the Europa and the original Elan in favor of the Type 75 Elite, Eclat, and Esprit?
teampenske3 says:
05:08 AM, 06/ 9/11
@ huyracing
I meant crying figuratively, yeesh. And I was exaggerating a bit. And I can't afford one, otherwise I would've bought it.
@ stephen
You betcha. We all know how that story ended. If you don't learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it.
ed124c says:
07:06 AM, 06/ 9/11
Hard to imagine that, with all the airbags, reinforcements, and emissions items that Mazda can make such a big weight loss. Hopefully the Miata will still be a Miata.
firstwagon says:
08:02 AM, 06/ 9/11
"airbags, reinforcements, and emissions items" don't weigh as much as people think. Added features, gadgets, and bigger bodies are the main reason for weight gain these days.
IMHO a lighter Miata will be a much better Miata.
And I will miss the Elise. Wonderful true sports car that sadly was never officially sold in Canada. Just a few around.
stovt001 says:
08:06 AM, 06/ 9/11
Well they did say the target was a stretch target that the engineers have no hope of meeting, but something to strive for that will result in something good in the right direction anyway.
Lotus is dead to me. If I want a large, luxurious sports car, grand tourer, or luxury coupe-like sedan, I'll get a Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo, Aston, Audi, Maserati, or Jag. I don't think the customers of those brands are going to dump their favorites en masse for a brand they have never heard of, that has no history in the segment. The people who appreciated them for filling the niche nobody else would won't follow them.
My Miata is the best car I've ever owned. It puts a smile on my face every single time I drive it. When it went down for over a month with a hard-to-diagnose electrical issue, I actually got a little depressed. Now Mazda is looking to purify the next one in all the right ways, and shows absolutely no sign of backing off their commitment to the proper enthusiast. Before Dany Bahar, I lusted for a Lotus. I'd still love to own a true Elise or Exige one day. But Mazda has earned my loyalty for the foreseeable future.
compliance says:
11:00 AM, 06/ 9/11
Those next gen mx5 weight #s have been known for months.
compliance says:
03:17 PM, 06/10/11
Just to back up my earlier comment here is Autoblog citing the rumors of 2200lbs in June of last year http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/16/rumormill-2012-mazda-mx-5-to-get-rotary-engine-option/
compliance says:
03:19 PM, 06/10/11
And here is one titled "Mazda sets lightweight target of 2,200 pounds for next-gen MX-5" from August 2010. http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/04/mazda-sets-lightweight-target-of-2-200-pounds-for-next-gen-mx-5/