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2016 Mazda MX-5 wait could be “longer than Ferrari 488”, says brand

The waiting list for the new 2016 Mazda MX-5 could quickly become "longer than [the] Ferrari 488", says a Mazda Australia executive.


Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak referenced CarAdvice's exclusively reported four-year wait on the Italian sports car in jest, though highlighted the brand's latest data where initial demand for the new halo model looks to easily outstrip foreseeable supply.

“To date we’ve had 9623 strong expressions of interest,” Doak said, referring to potential customers who’ve actively signed up to MX-5 pre-launch promotions to be “wilfully bombarded with marketing and information about the car”.

Though refusing to be drawn into a specific percentage of interests converting to sales, Mazda describes the number as “significant” if buyer uptake of similar past marketing drives is anything to go by.

However, Mazda Australia’s stock allocation and sales target for the next 12 months are currently capped at 125 units per month. “It’s not hard to the do the maths,” explains Doak.

Further, the total 1500-unit volume confirmed through to August next year is spread across eight different MX-5 variants, with the range offering a choice of 1.5- or 2.0-litre engines, manual or automatic transmissions and two grade levels in Roadster and high-spec Roadster GT.

Mazda Australia has already locked in its 12-month model split, and only 60 per cent of MX-5s due for Oz will be manual versions. With the affordability of the range (from $31,990 for the 1.5L Roadster manual) the take-up of high-spec GT variants is forecast at “about 69 per cent”.

As a percentage, Mazda projects the highest demand will be for manual-equipped GTs, both the 1.5- and 2.0-litre versions accounting for 20 per cent - around 300 units - apiece. As for the remainder of the range, Mazda expects auto GTs will account for 15 per cent (2.0-litre) and 13 per cent (1.5-litre), manual base roadsters an even 10 per cent each in both engine sizes, while automatic non-GTs should account for seven and five per cent for the 2.0-litre and 1.5-litre respectively.

Given the availability of six body colours and two interior colour schemes in the GT (see our pricing and specification story here), opportunities for buyers wanting specifics may prove very limited.

“Mazda Australia doesn’t directly take deposits on MX-5 so we can’t put a figure on, or even guess at, how many deposits have been taken thus far,” Mazda Australia public relations specialist Tony Mee said.

“Deposits taken have been buyers approaching dealerships directly. The 9000-odd expressions of interests have been through Mazda Australia’s mechanisms such as the MX-5 [internet] microsite.”

Read CarAdvice's 2016 Mazda MX-5 Review.

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