Behold, the SkyActiv chassis of the 2016 Mazda Miata at the New York Auto Show.

2016 Mazda Miata New York Auto Show

Drivers attempting to follow Mazda developments online are familiar with grand moments of truth and humble moments of speculation. The next-generation Mazda Miata’s lead up to the New York Auto Show saw its fair share of both, culminating in the public’s first look at the SkyActiv chassis that will underpin the 2016 model of the classic roadster.

Speculation that pinned the new Miata as a 2015 model was sorely mistaken.

In all honesty, there’s a great deal of entertainment value in the speculation that accompanies the release of a new car like the 2016 Mazda MX-5. The Mazda of Lodi blog certainly participated by passing along all of the hypotheses and educated guesses that people close to the auto industry offered prior to the chassis reveal. What made most of the speculation extra-humble, however, was the fact that news of the 2016 Mazda Miata at the New York Auto Show meant that the next-gen coupe would not be made available this year as a 2015 model as common thought suggested.

Regardless of the fact that we will not see the new Miata this calendar year, the chassis of the 2016 Mazda Miata at the New York Auto Show has provided enough fodder for hungry MX-5 enthusiasts to indulge their appetite. According to the images included and others like it, we know more about the engineering of the new Miata than we did a short seven days ago.

The weight of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 engine sits behind the axle, the furthest back it has ever been.

We already knew that the 2016 Mazda MX-5 would be the first of its kind to receive the comprehensive SkyActiv technology treatment. This will certainly make the vehicle lighter—and it looks like Mazda will achieve their goal of dropping nearly 220 pounds compared with the current model. The new Miata details are less about weight and more about driving dynamics, however. For the first time in the vehicle’s history, the weight of the engine is entirely behind the front axle’s centerline. This shifts the center of gravity back toward the mid-car and should result in the most balanced Miata experience yet.

With a distinct moment of truth now in the rearview mirror, we prepare again for moments of speculation in the fallout from the 2016 Mazda Miata at the New York Auto Show. As always, you can count on the Mazda of Lodi blog for the details.