Mitsuoka unveils a Roadster based on the Mazda MX-5 for the British market

British manufacturers have built a reputation for luxury cars, with a very recognisable style and classic, eye-catching and elegant bodywork. Now they have a new rival looking to carve out a place in that exclusive and demanding market, where class and style are the order of the day. It comes from Japan and is a Mazda based on the third generation of the MX-5, although with a look that seeks to recapture a classic image.

Mitsuoka Motor Company is a Japanese coachbuilder that has become known for designing and building rather unattractive bodies based on classic cars of the 1950s and 1960s, but it seems that in this case it has done a good job. Or at least one that does not stand out for being badly made. In fact, it could be mistaken for a Jaguar of classic style, although, of course, it is not one and comes nowhere close.

As the images show, the front end is taken from a Morgan Aero 8, but the headlights sit a little closer together than on that model, similar to those on an earlier generation of MINI Cooper S, for example, and they surround a tall silver grille that aims to give the high-end look it is after from the start.

The distance between the A-pillar and the front axle has been increased compared with the Mazda MX-5 it is based on, to create that “long nose” image that revives the spirit of the classic British sports car. Under the bonnet sits a 2.0-litre Mazda MZR engine producing a total of 160 CV, the same as the base car.

The folding roof is also the Mazda one and can be raised in 12 seconds. In terms of technology, it copies everything found on the MX-5, including ABS on all four wheels, Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Traction Control System (TCS). In other words, although it looks like a car emerging from the mists of time, it is perfectly safe to drive on today’s roads.

The Mitsuoka Roadster will go on sale at T W White & Sons dealerships in the United Kingdom only, priced from 53,800 euros.

Via | Autoevolution