One of the greatest features of the Mazda MX-5 Miata has always been its lightness. In a world of cars that get heavier every day, the MX-5 presses on without pressing hard on the scales. Now things are going to get even better. The next Miata is set to be the lightest one ever, and for now it won't have electrification. It's also actually on the way, coming sooner rather than later. Goal Is To Break Under 2,200 Pounds Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet "We know that we need to make sure the fundamental concept of the MX-5 appeals to its fans, because this car is a brand icon," Mazda general manager for global sales Manabu Osuga told Australia's goauto.Part of that fundamental appeal is light weight. It's an area where Mazda has excelled, especially in the latest generation, known as the ND chassis. When it launched in 2014, it was 220 pounds lighter than the model it replaced and, impressively, as light or lighter than the first-generation MX-5, which was sold from 1991-1997."I can tell you that we are sticking with [the design for] a car that will be under one tonne of weight," Osuga said. "Employing our ‘gram strategy’ as we did with the current series."A sub one-ton MX-5, or under 2,200 pounds, would make the NE car the lightest regular production MX-5 since 1992. That year, safety changes made to the doors took the car from 2,182 pounds to 2,214. If the new car is just 19 pounds under that, it could be the lightest Miata ever. Less Weight, Bigger Engine Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet The so-called gram strategy for the current Miata saw engineers looking at every single component to try and save weight. The company describes it as "a shave here, a redesign there, a complete rethink somewhere else." The result is Mazda building one of the lightest cars you can buy today anywhere. That light weight maintains the car's feel and performance, without the need for excessive power or, as it turns out, electrification.Osuga acknowledged that building the new car was tough. "Global environmental regulations are getting tougher, as are safety protocols, which don’t [necessarily correlate] to a car that is designed for pure fun," he told the site.Mazda Mazda isn't looking at electrification for the new MX-5 right now because of weight, Osuga said. "Right now, that technology is very heavy, and if we apply that to the MX-5, we will not satisfy our fans," he said, without ruling out the possibility of it coming in the future if the technology progresses.Strangely, the lighter car will have a larger engine. Mazda has spoken about this before, saying that the next generation will likely come with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder around the world. Currently, it offers a 2.0-liter engine in the US and a 1.5-liter in many other markets.Mazda has called its new Skyactiv Z engine "close to the ultimate combustion," meaning it has less wasted heat and fuel. It comes with a cost, though, in the form of up to 30% less power than current designs. That's why it has to be larger, to make up for it in the peak figure. More displacement and better efficiency combine for a net better result for acceleration and for emissions. At least that's what the company says.