Mazda MX-5 crowned World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year 2016

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 fiber 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 coil over suspension.

Mazda Motor Corporation unveiled the Mazda RX-VISION today at the Tokyo Motor Show. The sports car concept is powered by a next-generation SKYACTIV-R rotary engine, the unconventional technology that is perhaps the most compelling symbol of the carmaker’s challenger spirit. An exquisitely proportioned front-engine, rear-wheel drive model, the RX-VISION represents a “vision” of the future that could only come from Mazda. And one that countless fans of the brand around the world hope will become a reality.

Ever since Mazda ceased production of the RX series of cars, hardcore rotary enthusiasts have been longing for the return of the iconic rotary-powered Mazda flagship. If you happen to be one, rejoice, for Mazda has unveiled its highly anticipated RX-Vision concept car. The Japanese automaker has had intensions to launch a replacement for their RX7 and RX8 for a while now, and this serves to proof that they have not forgetten about a successor. The car is powered by a next generation SkyActiv-R rotary engine, with plans for the car to be put into production in 2017, which also happens to be 50 years since Mazda launched its first rotary-powered sports car. Pictures used for illustration purposes only.