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New Mazda MX-5: UK price revealed

Mazda has given the new MX-5 a UK price – and the good news is that it’s probably cheaper than you think. The rear-wheel drive roadster is yours from £18,495, rising to £23,295 for one with all the trimmings.

Knowing the Mazda MX-5 is the best-selling two-seater sports car of all time and that it has consistently received universal praise for being an absolute beauty to drive, the new model has a tough job ahead. Luckily it seems to have brought the right tools for the job.

The new MX-5 has 50:50 weight distribution so it’s neither front nor back-heavy. Going against the trend of modern cars getting heavier, it’s lighter and smaller than its predecessor, while having shorter overhangs and a lower centre of gravity. In short, it should be even more potent.

To put that into perspective, the original MX-5 was only about 50kg lighter, while the new car is 100kg lighter than the outgoing car, tipping the scales around 1,000kg (depending on spec). Take note, rival manufacturers.

Two engines are available, a 1.5-litre petrol with 131PS and a 2.0-litre petrol with 160PS. The former churns out 139g/km of CO2 emissions, while the latter manages a slightly less eco-friendly 161g/km. For some silly reason, Mazda is still keeping performance figures close to its chest.

Buyers can expect a raft of technologies and extras, depending on whether you opt for the SE, SE-L, SE-L Nav, Sport or Sport Nav trim level. Standard equipment on the base SE includes alloy wheels, LED headlights, leather steering wheel and a lightweight fabric hood.

SE-L models with the 2.0-litre get 17-inch gunmetal alloy wheels, black door mirrors, strut tower bar, limited-slip differential and daytime running lights. Sport adds rain sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, smart keyless entry, Bose speakers and heated leather seats.

Anything with ‘Nav’ in the name gets navigation with three years of European map upgrades so no surprises there.

DAB digital radio, climate control, cruise control, MZD-Connect infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, sports suspension with Bilstein dampers and Blind Spot Monitoring are among some of the options available.

The new Mazda MX-5 will debut at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed and will be available in showrooms in the summer of the same year. Expect our full review around then.

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