Mazda's Super-Lightweight MX-5 Hotties Unveiled!

Amirul

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Mazda North America Operations arrives at the 2016 SEMA Show with 2 guises of its MX-5 roadster; the MX-5 Speedster Evolution and MX-5 RF Kuro.

MX-5 Speedster Evolution

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The Speedster Evolution which is based on last year’s Speedster concept has undergone some serious diet. Tipping the scale at 898kg, the Speedster Evolution throws out 45kg from the already-featherweight 943kg Speedster.

Under the sleek bodysheet, there’s a 2.0-litre SkyActiv 4-cylinder petrol engine. It gets suspension from the Global Cup-spec MX-5 and BFGoodrich G-Force Rival R1 grooved rubbers, measured at 225/45/17. Exhaust is a twin outlet, centrally-mounted.

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The Speedster’s Brembo brake system is upgraded to lighter rotors and calipers from the MX-5 Sport and GT models. Lightweight approach went into its battery as well, where the 11.4kg stock unit was swapped with a 2kg Braille GreenLite G20 Lithium battery.

The Speedster Evolution comes in White Ether body paint.

MX-5 RF Kuro

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Accompanying the Speedster Evolution is the MX-5 RF Kuro. Based on the retractable roof fastback RF, the car features Global Cup racer’s adjustable suspension and lightweight Brembo brake calipers, similar to the Speedster Evolution. However, it wears 215-section tyres as opposed to 225-section ones on the Speedster.

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Boasting a similarly-styled centrally-mounted exhaust outlets as those on the Speedster, the exhaust system on the RF Kuro however is sourced from OpenFlash Performance and is said to be 450g lighter. It also provides an increased power output of approximately 6-7hp.

The MX-5 RF Kuro is finished in a unique Satin Black Metallic with charcoal-look paint.
 
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The Kuro version looks nice. How much power does this thing make? Can rival a Lotus Elise power-to-weight ratio?
 
The Kuro version looks nice. How much power does this thing make? Can rival a Lotus Elise power-to-weight ratio?

No info on the engine for RF Kuro, but I suspect it is powered by the same 2.0-litre SkyActive unit as on the Speedster. With 155hp on tap, the power-to-weight ratio on the Elise is much higher.
 
No info on the engine for RF Kuro, but I suspect it is powered by the same 2.0-litre SkyActive unit as on the Speedster. With 155hp on tap, the power-to-weight ratio on the Elise is much higher.

Yeah, top up another 40-50hp then it will be a good match.
 

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