Our source revealed that the new roadster will weigh in at less than 1,000kg, with a choice of “small affordable engines”. It’s likely to use the 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo from the Alfa Giulietta in a variety of tunes, while for the Abarth version the same engine could be tuned to “200[bhp] without issue”. On top of the additional power, expect the Abarth to get stiffer suspension, more aggressive styling and bigger brakes.
Given that the basic MX-5 has just 129bhp and does 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds, a 200bhp-plus version could offer genuine Porsche Boxster-rivalling performance.
Our source also hinted that a lightweight, more affordable, Caterham 160-style model could be on the cards. This would have steel wheels and a “mechanically sensible” powertrain. It would be stripped of anything non-essential, though, with a focus on back-to-basics, rear-wheel-drive handling.
