These Companies Could And Should Build A Miata Competitor

If you come for the king, you'd better not miss. This weekend I asked the Jalopnik commentariat which manufacturer they believed could build the most convincing Miata competitor. I figured we could come to a consensus in the comments, or at least a quorum, but no such luck. Just about everyone had a different idea for who could, or dare we say should, build a small two-seat three-pedal roadster. There wasn't even a consensus on which continent they should come from. Maybe the real answer is that every automaker should build their own Miata-beater. The world would certainly be a better place. Wouldn't that be fun? 

I still think the only real answer is for Honda to revive the S2000, but perhaps a bit more budget friendly this time, and with a bit more headroom for us folks over six feet. But sadly I don't run product planning for Honda, so I'm forced to sit back and wait for the next Miata competitor to show its face. Regardless, I definitely don't think Dodge could do it, but some people apparently do. 

There used to be half a dozen of these little roadsters on the market at any given time, but like motorcycle sales, they've waned because the American middle-class is dead. Nobody can afford their mid-life crisis anymore, and anyway our entire lives are crisis. 

Our readers have made their arguments and I've parsed the best answers here for your perusal. Do you agree with any of these, or do you have an answer nobody has yet thought of? Sound off in the comments below and we'll make a healthy chat of it. 

Nissan.

The company has had a rough decade or so, but the Sivia/180/240SX still are iconic. Nissan showed off the IDx concept like 10 years ago and people still mention it wistfully.

Bring back the Silvia as a GR86/Miata competitor, it'll bring the Nismo lovers out of hibernation. There is even history for making a convertible version with the S15 Varietta hard top convertible.

Suggested by Connor Paull

I'm still mad at Nissan for not producing the IDx (and GM for not making the similar Code 130R). It was such a pretty car with so much potential. It's been 13 years and they could still make that car today. 

Really only Toyota has the budget to invest in fun cars these days and a light RWD sports car platform – the GR86. All they need to do is make a cabriolet 2 seater version.

BMW is a good bet too. They could collaborate with Toyota to make a Z2: GR86 with a BMW turbo 4 and 6 speed would be awesome.

Suggested by caddyak 2.0 turbo

Nah, plenty of manufacturers can afford to develop a new low-volume sports car. They choose not to, spending that money on CEO salaries and stock buybacks instead of investing in good quality products that people might enjoy driving. It's a real shame. Anyway, a convertible version of the GR86 would be pretty rad. 

Toyota could do it by bringing back the mr2

Suggested by Nitro0o

Yes, an MR2 revival would really turn things around in 2026. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it actually happens. 

Having though about this I changed my mind and now think that VW definitely should do it. Convert the Golf GTI FF drive train to MR, get the rear suspension from an A4 Quattro and build a modern Karmann Ghia from whatever parts there are left on the assembly line. Cheap and efficient.

Suggested by Let me think about this

I am obsessed with this idea. A mid-engine hybrid version with the Tiguan GTE concept's 225-horsepower 1.5-liter and electric all-wheel drive would be totally rad. 

By far Alfa Romeo. Sporting soul and exciting engines. Plus their cars are gorgeous.

Suggested by ChaosphereVIII

There is a noticeable lack of exciting Italian cars on the market today. I'd love to see a return of the Alfa spider, especially at an affordable pricepoint. I'm not sure they can do it right now, but I'd love to see them try. 

Some bias here since I own one as a toy, but the mini r59 was a legit Miata competitor. Everyone forgets this car ever existed. Mini in its latest iteration would never do one properly – the current crop of Minis is spiritually far different than the r5x generation – but if they wanted to, they could.

(This is of course presuming that they would stick in a bimmer motor, since the prince engines are not mass market suitable, and the only way to feasibly own an r59 at this point is to turn your own wrenches – otherwise you're saddled with ferrari-level maintenance costs in a car worth 12 – 15k tops)

Second option: the upmarketification of the boxster – the rs models are more 911 than 911s are at this point (!) – has left room for a modern 914 revival.

Suggested by Kihbasn

A sporty Mini roadster would be incredible, but I would actually really love to see Porsche go back to its roots and build an affordable sub-Boxster sports car. Revive the 924 or the 912 and give people a real attainable entry point for the brand. 

I would love to see Lotus do a true successor to the original Elan. They're probably the only company that could truly out-Miata the Miata. Besides, the NA Miata was styled after the Elan.

Suggested by Norm DePlume

I'm right there with you, Norm. A proper old-school Lotus return to form absolutely must include an Elan. Definitely the one from the 1960s, not the Isuzu-based one from the 1990s. 

Ineos, hey they did the defender.

Suggested by 87Samurai

Has a French company ever built a properly capable two-seat roadster? 

Gordon Murray should do it. I recall him saying a couple years ago that he was toying with the idea of a small lightweight and reasonably affordable (whatever that means to a guy making million dollar cars) carbon fiber EV just because he wanted to show the world that it was possible to make one.

Suggested by Let me think about this

The great thing about Gordon is that he'll sell his design to any company that wants to produce it. He's got one on the shelf ready to go. All it takes is a little money, and you've got a sports car design with production intent from a legendary sports and racing car designer. 

Ages ago there were rumors BMW was going to do a Z2 – a step below the Z3. This was an opportunity instead for them to dust off another olde English brand name and put a second car in Mini dealerships equally capable of trading on the heritage. Alas...

Suggested by DungBeetle62

BMW could definitely sell a Z2 as its own model, and I would love to see it. That being said, however, BMW owns the rights to the Triumph brand of British sports cars, and that would be an incredible way to revive the brand. 

Sometimes "who could" isn't necessarily "who should", and 40-odd years ago not a lot of people who thought the company building RX7's and turbo 626's could seriously copy the British roadster blueprint, with Japanese-reliable mechanicals, keep the price reasonable and not Capri it.

Who should do this? Who should give orders from the Executive Suite directing R&D to do this competently and correctly, make pragmatic use of the parts bin to not bust the budget and definitely do not over-complicate things? And to full well expect you won't sell a ton so just find a way to not lose money on the project.

Genesis.

A lot of enthusiasts would look at Genesis in a whole different light if they successfully pulled off something like this. If they make some mega-buck Magma supercar it'll sell some posters and die casts but few will get on the roads. Something attainable like this will completely change the perception

Suggested by DungBeetle62

Genesis is doing a lot right at the moment, and using its international sports car program to promote a real affordable two-seater sports car would be a great way to build brand equity. I can't recommend it enough. 

Even though I'm still pi$$ed at them that my Elantra GT 2.0 engine grenaded at 80k, I have to say Hyundai. They are showing the most creativity lately and are putting out new vehicles fairly often. They used a Veloster as a test bed with a mid engine set up a few years back that I hoped they would actually put in production.

Suggested by Scourge of Richland

I'm still hoping that the N Vision 74 concept makes its way into production. 

Hyundai / Kia could make one that would be competitive with the Miata on price, and if they got the right engineering team to keep it simple, for a mid engine sporty car, like a modern Toyota MR2, Fiat X1/9, Porsche 914, or Pontiac Fiero

Suggested by Radar Lover Gone

I'm going to dance naked in the woods around a flame chanting "MR2, X1/9, 914, Fiero" until this happens. Hopefully it won't be long. 

Kia/Hyundai or Genesis. They have shown the most willingness to push design and step into new markets of any automaker lately

Suggested by Greg

Honestly, I'd like to see it from Kia most, myself. I like most of what they're doing with design, and I think the entry level brands should handle entry level sports cars. 

You took my answer so I'll try to have an original thought: Harley-Davidson. First you might ask why...to which I reply why not? Isn't the company not doing well these days? Why not change it up and slap that valuable brand on something else? Throw Amurrrrica's best high-strung 2.0T (if there is one) and some chrome and call it the Harley Hip Replacement.

Suggested by carsten

Of everything mentioned here, I think this might actually be the most compelling answer. I know you're trying to make a joke out of Harley, but the company has some great R&D behind it, builds high-quality hand-assembled machines, and is catering to a similar market of well-to-do folks. A Harley Miata-beater isn't as wild as you might think. Heck, you could even power it with a torquey V-twin. Why not?

Ford. Since they had partial ownership in Mazda at the time of the Miata's development, they probably assisted with the original. Just make sure it's not front-wheel-drive like the ill-advised Capri in the early 1990s.

The question is, of course (and as stated above), would Ford, or anyone else, want to make a Miata competitor?

Suggested by Joe Stricker

Even when Ford owned Mazda and was building a Miata competitor, it still couldn't touch the Miata. I really wish the Mercury Capri XR2 was a better car.

GM was so close with the Solstice, they should just do that again but better

Suggested by JaredOfLondon

Close only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades, my grandpa always used to say. 

Honestly Dodge could. they have that hurricane4 now that makes something like 330ft-lbs of torque. Even though handling outside of Viper hasn't been Dodge's thing since 2005, I think they could do it. They'd either have a pocket rocket or they'd detune the H4 to something tossable without losing all the rubber on the road.

They have the platforms, they just have sh*tastic product planning as of late. I think they could. They did it with Neon vs Miata. (1gen vs 1gen, Neons were faster on a circuit)

Suggested by Someone Else

I love my Neon, but it's no Miata competitor. 

Would buy this in a heartbeat.

It's gonna be a Chinese manufacturer.

Suggested by Killerhurtalot

Honestly, I'd love to drive an MG Cyberster just to see whether it's competent enough for everyday use. An electric sports car sounds so great to me. 

Ford could probably take Mustang, make it smaller, and put it out with 1.5T ecoboost and a Capri badge or something. Alternatively, Renualt-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance could try – a Silvia/Starion successor would be a banger if priced accordingly.

But realistically, someone from China might be the best hope, especially if they would ever want to win the enthusiast crowd. It will definitely be cheap and slow, but they could try to make it fun and quirky. Like Geely can develop one in house, then sell it as Lotus in the UK and as Volvo in Europe and the US.

Suggested by AJ

I don't see why Geely couldn't develop separate roadsters to fit Lotus, Volvo, Polestar, and Smart. It already owns significant portions of Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz as well, so access to parts bin supply would be a cinch. 

MG. Use whatever chassis from China they need to/have access to. It will be cheap and fun, electric, and not available in the USA because we can't have nice things.

Suggested by DieselOx

Bringing back the Morris Garages name for a bunch of cheap electric city cars is downright insulting. Using that wide dealer network to revive the classic British sports car brand with a series of small roadsters built in China, however, is an exceptional use of purchased IP. I really hope this happens. The Cyberster already exists, but I'd love to see about half a dozen more. Why can't we make a new MGB? They made over half a million of those things across its 18-year production run, after all.