Mazda MX-5 Superlight: Less weight equals more birthday cake

At this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, Mazda will debut a super-light show car version of its MX-5 as part of an ongoing celebration of the roadster's 20th anniversary. As it is, the roadster is already quite spartan, so how do you make the bantamweight Mazda MX-5 even lighter?

Mazda's designers started by adopting the speedster body style. So, out go the retractable roof, wing mirrors and door handles, and — from the looks of it — in comes a pared down interior. By tossing away the front windscreen from the regular MX-5, the vehicle's curb weight and centre of gravity is much lower. Bring your own full-face helmet, unless you like the taste of bugs.

Less weight should result in improved driving performance, handling, fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions. Don't expect to see navigation among the list of the Superlight's improvements and don't expect to ever see this vehicle on a public road, although we're lodging our prayers with the automotive gods, just in case.