What’s in a name? What we call a convertible by any other name would drive just as well.
The mystery wraps a new brand for the Mazda MX-5which has raised questions about the name that the small sports car will carry in Australia for its next generation.
mazda has filed a trademark application in Australia for Miata – the name given to the mx-5 in North America (officially ‘MX-5 Miata’), suggesting that the Japanese automaker might be considering simplifying the model to a global name when the next-generation version arrives in the next few years.
While it’s not uncommon for car companies to protect model names, the move seems unusual when you consider that the vehicle has been around since the late 1980s.
A Mazda Australia spokesperson declined to comment on the trademark filing, but sources within the company threw cold water on the idea, saying Drive there were no plans to rename the car at this stage.
While the iconic model is known in North America as the MX-5 Miata, the MX-5 is badged as a Roadster in its home country of Japan.
Despite rumors that the next-generation model will arrive as soon as 2024, Australian buyers are waiting more than 12 months for their new MX-5 to arrive in some cases.
Read more about Ben Zachariah
