Fiat and Mazda to work on new RWD roadster

[Galaxy]

According to Auto Motor und Sport Fiat and Mazda are together working on a new RWD roadster platform that will become the next MX-5 Miata, plus a new Alfa Romeo roadster. Each company will employ their own engines.

[cawimmer430]

They should create a new brand and call it Fiazda!  

God damn I'm so funny! 

[Onslaught]

Good Lord. Miata's are know for their reliability. I don't want any Fiat DNA thank you.

[Atomic]

Galazy, You heard the amazing news, too! I think this is great... Here is a related article I awoke to this morning. It should be interesting, especially with Mazda admittedly needing a partner to do battle with the likes of Honda, Toyota and Nissan. I see this and am for more optiministic about the fate of Mazda post- FMC ties. I would hate to see Mazda struggle as Mitsubishi has...

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hTD_XAehsswfkqZINJ9TRD6JV3Bg?docId=N0274681337758610469A

[sportyaccordy]

Good Lord. Miata's are know for their reliability. I don't want any Fiat DNA thank you.

Mazda will handle the electrics, Fiat will handle the chassis.

Its the only way for Mazda to survive, at this point. Lets be realistic.

[Payman]

Salivating at the thought of a 2300 lb Abarth roadster...

[mzziaz]

This sounds exciting!

A Miata, but Italian sexy? Yes please!

[2o6]

Salivating at the thought of a 2300 lb Abarth roadster...

I have to agree.

[Onslaught]

Mazda will handle the electrics, Fiat will handle the chassis.

Its the only way for Mazda to survive, at this point. Lets be realistic.

Mazda is just about the best at making chassis and suspensions. Or for a normal car brand anyway. It's what they've always been known for. I'd rather the miata die then become fiat trash.

[Onslaught]

Well, I looked it up and from what I've seen the cars will be built by Mazda in Japan. So perhaps they won't be junk.

[Raza]

Mazda is just about the best at making chassis and suspensions. Or for a normal car brand anyway. It's what they've always been known for. I'd rather the miata die then become fiat trash.

It doesn't make all that much sense.  Mazda just needs to get bought out by a larger firm. 

But then again, Fiat did make the Barchetta, which reviewed well (even though it was FWD). 

[Onslaught]

From what I can tell these cars will be based off the ND miata that mazda's been working on for some time now. So an Alfa/Fiat roadster that runs like a miata but looks Italian is fine with me. A miata that's designed or built by fiat would be the nail in the coffin for me and the miata brand. I'll look at their cars, but I would buy one in a million years.

[Vinsanity]

Wow, this reminds me of a very old C&D comparo when the NA Miata first came out that compared it against the old-school Alfa Spider and a few other roadsters (Del Sol?). Miata won the comparo. Alfa finished last.

[nickdrinkwater]

If they can make a modern-day Spider that actually starts every morning, this could be good.  Maybe use the "skyactive" technology we've been hearing about?

[280Z Turbo]

It doesn't make all that much sense.  Mazda just needs to get bought out by a larger firm. 

But then again, Fiat did make the Barchetta, which reviewed well (even though it was FWD). 

Mitsubishi is still selling cars in the United States, and I'll bet they're worse off than Mazda.

[Onslaught]

If they can make a modern-day Spider that actually starts every morning, this could be good.  Maybe use the "skyactive" technology we've been hearing about?

From what I've seen the fiat will not use a Mazda motor. So it will look good but not run.

[280Z Turbo]

From what I've seen the fiat will not use a Mazda motor. So it will look good but not run.

Maybe they will still use Mazda electronics, so it will run, but leak a lot of oil.

[Laconian]

I thought the next gen SkyActive MX5 was a done deal already?

[Raza]

Mitsubishi is still selling cars in the United States, and I'll bet they're worse off than Mazda.

Yeah, but Mitsubishi has all that TV fuck you money to fall back on.

[cawimmer430]

Fullsize RWD Fiat Coupes? Here you go! And they're all lovely!  



Fiat Dino Coupe



Fiat 2300S Coupe



And my personal favorite!

Fiat 130 Coupe



Fuck Consumer Reports.  

[Onslaught]

All of them are sitting on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck.


And that last one is ugly.

[Madman]

I'm thinking of a modern day version of this.  Yes, please!!!  

[cawimmer430]

All of them are sitting on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck.

And that last one is ugly.

And this is beautiful according to you? 

[CALL_911]

Both of those are great looking cars.

[cawimmer430]

Both of those are great looking cars.

Modern cars bore me. There are so few really good-looking modern cars today. You can count them on the fingers of one (or at most two) hands.

Classic cars, now those things had DESIGNS.

[Onslaught]

And this is beautiful according to you?  

The RX-8? No,You'll never find a post where I said the RX-8 was even good looking. I call it "different" and "interesting." I'll point out that it's a car from Japan that's not a ripoff of a European look and I respect that. But I've never said it was good looking.

The NA Miata is a ripoff of a Lotus. So yea, it looks good.

[TurboDan]

I actually always liked the look of the RX-8. 

I've always been a fan of Alfas, past and present. I'm anxiously awaiting their return to the U.S. market.

[cawimmer430]

Design is subjective.

I like the Mazda's from the late '60s, '70s and early '80s. Best-looking Mazda products ever.

[Onslaught]

Design is subjective.

I like the Mazda's from the late '60s, '70s and early '80s. Best-looking Mazda products ever.

Your subjective is wrong. The FD RX-7 and 4th Gen Cosmo are Mazda's best looking products ever.

[sportyaccordy]

Design is subjective.

I like the Mazda's from the late '60s, '70s and early '80s. Best-looking Mazda products ever.

Most old Japanese cars (Mazdas included) were ripoffs of European and American cars. Most didn't look that good. You seem to be one of those dudes who assumes the past was better because he doesn't like things today. Well people were saying the same about cars in the time you love. Name a Mazda from the 70s you like.

Mazda did have some good looking cars in the 80s. The RX-7 and the MX-6 GT. Everything else was pretty bad. And the FD3S RX-7 is their best looking car ever by a wide margin.