It’s Christmas Day, and the saviour hasn’t come yet. No not that one, the small roadster saviour. When the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5, codename ‘ND’, was launched people made a huge fuss over it. Rightly so, this was the first all new MX-5 in nearly a decade. We all rushed online to see it unveiled via video streaming, we waited patiently for specs on the new engines, and predicted when it’d go on sale. It’s now nearing the end of 2014 and we don’t know anymore than about the MX-5 than we did back in September.
However word has just come out of Italy regarding its Italian twin. Even before the MX-5 was launched there had been rumours circulating around the interweb of an Italian twin. The first rumours said it’d be badged as an Alfa Romeo Spider, which got everyone on the interned very excited. It was possibly the only time the Internet got excited over something that wasn’t porn or cat videos. A partnership between Alfa Romeo and Mazda was a match made in motoring heaven. Imagine Mazda’s roadster knowhow and reliability with Alfa’s styling and engines. Small, affordable roadsters couldn’t get any better.
Then things turned dark. Alfa announced that all their cars would be Italian made as part of Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles’ ambitious five-year plan. We thought the MX-5’s Italian twin would be no more. But alas, it’s that time of the year and we have ourself a Christmas miracle. Sort of. It has been confirmed that work is still underway for an MX-5-based roadster to be made in Hiroshima but bodied and badged as either a Fiat or Abarth. Or even a Fiat-Abarth. There’s still no confirmation on what FCA brand it’ll go under but it definitely won’t be Alfa. It’ll be small, rear-wheel drive, and light. Sounds like a fitting successor to the Fiat Barchetta to me. Can’t wait to see it unveiled and unwrapped. Bring on 2015!
And a very Merry Christmas to you all!