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2021 Mazda Miata rocks new white leather interior

Mazda has announced changes for the 2021 MX-5 Miata, and while the model year is mostly a quiet one for the enthusiast-favorite sports car, there is one striking new addition: a White Nappa leather option. Sure to be the bane of Miata restorers years hence, the White Nappa leather is exclusive to the Grand Touring trim level, where it carries a $300 upcharge. Sadly, where Mazda giveth, it also taketh away, as last year's Red Nappa leather option has been dropped, and Tan Leather also falls by the wayside. That leaves black as your only other leather color choice. You may want to pair your white leather interior with the Miata's new Deep Crystal Blue exterior hue, as shown above. Deep Crystal Blue replaces 2020's Eternal Blue. The white interior also can be paired with any other exterior color with the exception of Snowflake White Pearl — that would be a little too '76 Eldo. Once again, soft top colors are black or gray, the latter for an extra $200. (The red soft top that was exclusive to the 100th Anniversary model has departed with that limited edition.) Equipment-wise, the only changes for 2021 have to do with smartphone mirroring. The base Miata Sport roadster adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (they were already standard on the upper trims). The Grand Touring, meanwhile, upgrades to wireless CarPlay. Prices for the base Miata Sport rise by $250, to $27,775 (including the $945 destination charge) for the roadster with a six-speed manual, with the automatic adding $1,350. The tariff for the Miata Club roadster and the RF is unchanged, with the soft top at $31,235 and the hardtop stickering for $33,990. Pricing for the Club's Brembo/BBS/Recaro option package is also unchanged at $4,470 (soft top) or $4,670 (RF). The news is even better with the top-spec Miata Grand Touring, which actually sees its base price drop — albeit only by $100, but still. The Grand Touring roadster is now $32,715, with the Retractable Fastback at $35,570. The 2021 Mazda Miata should arrive in showrooms this month. Related video:

Mazda could electrify the next Miata, is trying to figure out how

The next Mazda Miata is at the embryonic stage of development. The men and women in charge of the project are debating whether to electrify the roadster, or if it's better to keep it true to its roots. The Miata is not a high-volume model in any market, so it doesn't need a plug to help Mazda comply with looming emissions regulations. The company explained it's not a matter of compliance; it's about how the definition of a sports car and the expectations of motorists could change in the 2020s. "The preferences of people who enjoy driving sports cars might be changing, so we need to think about what direction society is going in. We want to look at the best powertrain to keep the vehicle lightweight, but because of the diversifying requirements and preferences, we need to explore various options," Ikuo Maeda, Mazda's global design director, in an interview with Autocar. Adding any degree of electrification to the Miata beyond a relatively basic mild-hybrid system is easier said than done. An unusually low weight and a compact footprint defined the original model introduced in 1989, and these attributes continue to characterize the fourth-generation car (pictured) sold in 2019. Electrification requires batteries, batteries add weight and require space, and Mazda doesn't want to end up with a 3,000-pound Miata, or one that's the size of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class Convertible. Keeping its chassis balanced is a delicate task, too. Overcoming this challenge is not impossible, however, and batteries are expected to become lighter and smaller during the 2020s. The next-generation Miata isn't expected out until the middle of the 2020s, so Mazda has time to figure out whether it should go hybrid, arrive as an electric car, or carry on with a rev-happy, naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine. Maeda stressed a final decision on the matter hasn't been made yet. "I don't have the answer right now, but we need to make a vehicle that people can own without worrying that they are not being eco-friendly," he concluded.

Mazda and Isuzu to collaborate on a new pickup truck

After decades, Mazda has finally untangled itself from its relationship with Ford. The last vestige of that partnership is the BT-50, a rebadged version of the global Ford Ranger pickup truck. Once the BT-50 ends production, Mazda has announced that it will collaborate with Isuzu to develop its next generation of pickup trucks. The BT-50 was co-developed with Ford's Australian division. In their current iteration, the BT-50 and its Ranger twin were never on sale in the United States. Mazda's last pickup in the US was the B-Series, itself also a rebadged version of the old Ford Ranger. Isuzu pulled out of the US passenger vehicle market in 2009, although it still sells commercial vehicles here. Isuzu, continuing a long and complicated relationship with General Motors, co-developed the diesel engine that currently powers the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. In select markets, Isuzu sells a rebadged version of the Colorado as the D-Max. Details on the Mazda/Isuzu tie-up are scarce. A single press release simply says "Isuzu will produce next-generation pickup trucks for Mazda, based on Isuzu's pick-up truck model." This isn't the first truck collaboration between the two companies. Since 2004, Mazda has sold the Titan, a rebadged version of the Isuzu Elf commercial truck. The Elf is sold in the US as the Isuzu N-Series. Those in the US hoping for a new competitor in the midsize-truck segment shouldn't get their hopes up for the new truck. There are currently no plans to bring them here. There is hope, though, that Ford will bring the Ranger replacement stateside sometime in the next few years. Related Video: News Source: MazdaImage Credit: WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images Isuzu Mazda Truck