The 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas sees the debut of two design concepts based on the all-new Mazda MX-5. The MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster concepts take the MX-5’s lightweight fun-to-drive roadster doctrine a step further, reducing even more weight while accentuating open-air driving.
Designers drew inspiration from vintage roadsters. The MX-5 Spyder features a bikini top, Mercury Silver exterior, carbon fibre aero kit, grille intake, lightweight 17-inch Yokohama ADVAN Racing RS II wheels and a Spinneybeck PRIMA natural full-grain leather interior. The MX-5 Speedster, meanwhile, pares the roadster back to the bare essentials – it even has a deflector in place of the windscreen – for an old school wind-in-the-hair sports car experience. Mazda took its weight-cutting passion to extremes with for example carbon fibre doors and seats as well as custom 16-inch RAYS 57 Extreme Gram Lights wheels. The Speedster tips the scales at only 943kg, and is also 30mm lower than the production MX-5 thanks to an adjustable coilover suspension.
“Both MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster are uncompromising designs that highlight the core strengths of MX-5,” said Ken Saward, design manager at Mazda North American Operations. He and his colleagues at Mazda collaborated with various aftermarket parts suppliers and performance shops to create the two concepts. “With the all-new 2016 MX-5, we have a clean sheet to show how the aftermarket can go wild on our flagship sports car while staying true to its mission.”
The MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster are on display at Mazda’s stand in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The SEMA Show is an annual trade event for automobile aftermarket specialty products organised by the Specialty Equipment Market Association. The 2015 event runs until the 6th November.
Selected specifications:
Mazda MX-5 Spyder
Engine: SKYACTIV-G 2.0 DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder with VVT
Wheels: Custom Yokohama ADVAN Racing RS II 17 x 8 (42mm offset)
Brakes: Front Brembo four-piston calipers with vented rotors
Tyres: Yokohama ADVAN A048 225/45/17
Shocks: Adjustable coilovers
Weight: 1,043 kg
Exterior colour: Mercury Silver
Interior: Seats and doors trimmed in Spinneybeck PRIMA natural leather
Mazda MX-5 Speedster
Engine: SKYACTIV-G 2.0 DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder with VVT
Wheels: Custom RAYS 57 Extreme Gram Lights 16 x 8 (45mm offset)
Brakes: Front Brembo four-piston calipers with vented rotors
Tyres: Kumho Ecsta V710 225/50/16
Shocks: K&W adjustable coilover suspension
Weight: 943 kg
Exterior colour: Blue Ether
Seats: Lightweight carbon fibre seats developed by Mu-Len Delta Seat exclusively for the 2016 MX-5, trimmed in black Alcantara