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Mazda announces 2016 MX-5 Miata Club Edition – here’s what to expect

A special Club Edition is already being launched for a car not yet being sold.
2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Edition

Mazda announced today that it will reveal a 2016 MX-5 Miata Club Edition at the New York Auto Show this coming first week of April. If you are a fan of sporty Miatas, then this is the car built for you. Mazda says the new 2016 Club Edition MX-5 will be the “…most aggressive road-going iteration of Mazda's fourth-generation flagship roadster.” Based on this writer’s experience with the prior generation Miata, getting the most performance possible in an MX-5 is always a good idea.

Although Mazda has not announced it yet, here is what one should expect in a 2016 MX-5 Miata Club Edition. First off, the wheels will be the larger 205/45R-17 ones with summer performance rubber. The base cars will have 16s on all-season rubber. The engine will be the new (or newish) 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 155 horsepower, down from 167 hp in the last generation car. The limited slip differential will be included, as will a form of the sport-tuned shocks grouped into the Grand Touring cars of the last Gen.

Hopefully, cloth seats with heat and basic infotainment will be the main reason for the Club Edition. That will allow for a slightly lower MSRP than, say a Grand Touring Miata, and still allow a buyer to get the mechanical goodies. Add back the Nav package and leather and the car won’t price out much differently than a top-spec Grand touring, so those options may be excluded.

The wheels, dash and rollover hoops will have some form of differentiation. Perhaps body-colored hoops and dash insert, perhaps the wheels will be the opposite of gun-metal gray or black from the GT models.

Will this make the Miata any quicker than the base model? No. Mazda, of course, promises that the new car will be about 150 pounds lighter, but fast is not the Miata’s thing so don't expect it to be a rocket.

Related Stories:
When will the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata arrive in the US?
Sayonara 3rd-generation MX-5 Miata, you will be missed

Main story image courtesy of Patrick Rall

Automotive News
Mazda

Comments

Soakee (not verified)    March 25, 2015 - 11:28AM

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This all sounds good, but the blackout trim/wheel treatment is terrible. Thankfully, body shops and aftermarket wheels are readily available to fix the issues.

Juggs (not verified)    March 25, 2015 - 7:24PM

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I used to think the same thing. Black wheels always look dirty or worse, like they're running on spares. However, on an MX-5, the black on black look gives this rather small, non-imposing car look more aggressive.

Soakee (not verified)    March 26, 2015 - 7:58AM

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My issue with the black on black look is that every other car on the road has that look. Black vehicles stay clean for about five minutes, and I would be sick of looking at black within 20 minutes of getting the car home. I want something different, something that POPS!

Juggs (not verified)    March 26, 2015 - 9:42AM

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I'm not sure I agree with "every other car on the road has that look". I think most vehicles don't have black on black. I only like the black on black look on certain vehicles. And yes, black gets dirty, but a well taken care of, waxed black car is amazing. Luckily my black on black MX-5 is garage kept and is used as a 2nd car so I don't worry that much about dirt.

I think certain cars look great with colors, even some bold colors, like the Charger/Challenger B5 Blue Pearl. But, for my money, an MX-5 is rarely seen black on black, and hence is why I like it! ;)