2024 Mazda NE MX-5: Mild-hybrid engine rumours surface

New rumours about the 2024 Mazda NE MX-5 have emerged, with a big performance jump on the cards.

UK publication Autocar suggests the next-generation MX-5 will use the mild-hybrid Skyactiv-X engine borrowed from the Mazda 3 and CX-30 SUV, all but confirming information leaked from the Japanese carmaker late last year.

In November 2020, Spanish publication motor.es revealed a technical drawing taken from the development section of Mazda’s second-quarter financial documents, showing an electric motor mounted between the engine and the transmission – a common mild-hybrid configuration.

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The Skyactiv-X ‘M Hybrid’ engine found in the Mazda 3 and CX-30 use a 24-volt mild-hybrid system to deliver 132kW and 224Nm – roughly the same power as the current 2.0-litre MX-5 on sale, but offering a 9.3 per cent increase in torque.

The electrified engine would also be a significant increase over the 1.5-litre engine found on the base model MX-5, with 97kW and 152Nm.

In June, Mazda issued a statement to Motor1 confirming the MX-5 would eventually use some kind of electrified powertrain, in line with its plan to move all its models to electrification by 2030.

The use of a mild-hybrid powertrain would help to keep the MX-5 as light as possible – unlike traditional hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles that require heavy batteries and electric motors.

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“We want to look at the best powertrain to keep the vehicle lightweight,” Mazda design boss Ikuo Maeda previously confirmed to Autocar, “but because of the diversifying requirements and preference, we need to explore various options.”

However, Maeda added that the roadster needed to be a car that “people can own without worrying that they aren’t being eco-friendly”.

While official timing of the new-generation Mazda NE MX-5 has yet to be confirmed, it’s expected the vehicle will arrive in 2024, with these renderings by Italian artist Pino Nicola Pira providing a glimpse at what it could look like.