The next Mazda MX-5 won’t bow until some time in 2015, but that shouldn’t stop its manufacturer from introducing a few special edition models in the meantime. Atop the wish list: the MX-5 GT concept, which will climb the hill at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and may or may not go into production.
The MX-5 GT starts as a stock 2012 Mazda MX-5, which is powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The GT’s engine makes 205 horsepower thanks to some tweaks from Jota Sport, and sends that power through the stock transmission. The concept has a stiffer, adjustable suspension setup and slick tires, along with a sport exhaust to make the car a bit louder.
That exhaust system has two center-exit exhaust pipes, which stick out below a larger rear diffuser. The car’s other exterior visual upgrades include body color roll hoops, a carbon black aero kit with lip spoiler, side skirts, and a front splitter. The car’s metal body panels are painted a bright shade of orange, and both the hardtop and wheels are black, a la MX-5 Special Edition. The black fender flares on orange body remind us of the Super20 show car of a few years ago. On the inside, Jota Sport installed Recaro seats with bigger bolsters and other carbon fiber trim pieces.
Jota Sport and the MX-5 GT will take to the Goodwood Festival this weekend and run the festival’s famous hill climb in the First Glance category (alongside other concept cars), but the GT won’t be the only MX-5 at the event. Mazda will also bring along the Jota Sport Mazda MX-5 GT4. With a 0-60 time of three seconds, the Jota Sport GT4 Miata is the world’s fastest MX-5.
Mazda says that the GT is just a concept at this point, but that it’s “test[ing] customer reaction to a high performance version of the iconic sportscar.” Since Mazda UK took a similar tone with the MX-5 Yusho concept (which supercharged the car’s engine up to 241 hp), and considering that this is the fourth MX-5 concept in twelve months (Spyder, Super20, Yusho, GT), we’d like to think Mazda is seriously considering making a hopped-up Miata for mass consumption in the run up to an all-new model (which would debut in 2015). At least, we seriously hope that’s the case.
Thanks to: Motor Trend
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