Mazda and Fiat Sign Agreement on Next Gen Miata and Alfa Romeo Roadster

MazdaMazdaJapan, 1920 > present80 models
2325 photos
7 videos
and Alfa RomeoAlfa RomeoItaly, 1910 > present108 models
2257 photos
7 videos
have announced their official agreement to build the next generation MX-5 MiataMazda MX-5Japan, 1989 > present4 series
79 versions
377 photos
4 videos
and RoadsterRenault FregateFrance, 1951 > 19608 versions
4 photos
platform. Mazda will build the car for Alfa Romeo at its Hiroshima factory starting in 2015. The two companies announced their plan to co-develop the platform in May 2012. 

The new platform underpin a rear-wheel drive vehicle, Mazda and Alfa Romeo have made it very clear that the styling and engines will be unique to each car. They will not look alike or share engines between models. 

Alfa Romeo says that the car will be sold to the global market, which hints that it will not be a European-only model. The MX-5 has always been available in all major world markets. 

Both sides are getting something out of this co-development deal. Mazda gets the economy of scale of producing platforms both for itself and Alfa Romeo. That means that the next generation Miata should remain competitive in terms of pricing. Alfa Romeo was able to develop a new roadster platform with a company who has been a major player in the niche for over 20 years. 

Neither Alfa Romeo nor Mazda have given any hints at what the next generation cars will look like. In 2010, Alfa Romeo produced a concept called the 2uettottantaAlfa Romeo 2uettottantaItaly, 2010 > 20103 photos
that imagined a next generation roadster.