After unveiling the updated MX-5 at home in Japan about a week ago, Mazda has now taken the wraps off its European cousin featuring an assortment of upgrades. By far the most important is for the 2.0-litre petrol engine that can rev all the way up to 7,500 rpm compared to its predecessor that had a redline of 6,800 rpm.

Mazda says the larger of the two Skyactiv-G engines offered for the Miata is now pushing out 184 PS, which works out to 181 brake horsepower. It presents a significant increase of 24 bhp compared to the previous model and comes along with a minor torque increase of 4 lb-ft to 151 lb-ft. It remains to be seen whether the power bump has had an impact on performance over the old one, which needed 7.3 seconds until 62 mph and topped out at 133 mph.

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Output numbers for the smaller 1.5-litre engine have not been provided, but we remind you it offered 129 bhp and 111 lb-ft in the outgoing 2018MY. That was enough Zoom-Zoom punch for a sprint in 8.3 seconds and a maximum speed of 127 mph.

Mazda’s engineers have tweaked both engines to improve combustion as well as make the SkyActiv-G duo comply with the more stringent WLTP/RDE test cycle and follow the Euro 6d Temp emission regulations. In addition, the 2019 MX-5 will provide quicker acceleration by diminishing the delay between the moment when the driver hits the throttle and the car’s response.

The MX-5 in European guise is now safer than ever before thanks to new kit such as traffic sign recognition, driver attention alert, and a rearview camera. More important is the Advanced Smart City Brake Support able to avoid collisions by detecting the vehicles and pedestrians up ahead, while the Smart City Brake Support (Reverse) also new for 2019 sees everything that’s going on behind the car.

Rounding off the changes is the availability of a brown canopy and a darker paint finish for the 16- and 17-inch wheels.

Mazda will have the 2019 MX-5 on sale in Europe from August.

Source: Mazda

Gallery: 2019 Mazda MX-5 Euro Spec

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2019 Mazda MX-5: More Power, Greater Pleasure

Mazda is launching an update of its bestselling roadster, refining the joy of open-top motoring and enhancing the inimitable thrill of the Jinba Ittai driving experience. Both soft-top and RF versions of Mazda's brand icon feature marked improvements in dynamic performance, an upgrade to Mazda's i-ACTIVSENSE safety technologies, and refinements to design and packaging, making the world's favorite roadster more exciting and satisfying to drive than ever before.

  • Updated 1.5 and 2.0-litre SKYACTIV-G petrol engines1 with improved combustion and greater torque comply with new WLTP/RDE test cycle and meet Euro 6d Temp emission regulations. Both powertrains benefit from refined acceleration control to minimise lag between throttle applications and vehicle response.
  • SKYACTIV-G 2.0 engine now higher-revving and acoustically tuned, with maximum engine speed raised from 6,800 to 7,500 rpm, maximum horsepower increased from 160 to 184 PS @ 7,000 rpm, and maximum torque from 200 to 205 Nm @ 4,000 rpm.
  • Five new i-ACTIVSENSE safety technologies2: Advanced Smart City Brake Support which detects vehicles and pedestrians ahead and helps avoid collisions, and Smart City Brake Support (Reverse) which detects vehicles and obstacles behind, as well as Driver Attention Alert, a Traffic Sign Recognition System and a Rear View Camera.
  • The award-winning KODO-Soul of Motion design is enriched through a darker paint finish for both 16" and 17" alloy wheels, and the availability of a new brown canopy colour for soft-top models.3

 

The 2019 Mazda MX-5 goes on sale throughout Europe from August 2018 onwards