Here a Roadster, There a Roadster, Everywhere a Roadster
While the inexpensive (Under $30,000) roadster segment of the automotive industry has been for the most fairy rather sparse, with only two real competitors in this price range, the Mazda Miata MX-5 and Pontiac Solstice. They can probably expect some more competition in the not too distant future.
It seems like every manufacture has a roadster these days. Audi has its TT, Chrysler its Crossfire, BMW its Z3/Z4, Honda its S2000, Porsche its Boxster, and the list goes on. There is also talk of several more roadsters hot off the rumor press which could be making their way into a driveway near you by 2012.

Rumor has it that Mini has a roadster in the works. They have been heading in that direction over the years, but have just taken the long route to getting there. The Mini Roadster will be based off of their current cabrio, minus the rear seats of course and extra curb weight. John Cooper Works will also be working on a souped up 223 horsepower version, which could end up putting down some serious track numbers unlike anything we have seen before from Mini.

Okay, so we don’t know exactly how this one will look, but probably a lot cooler than this rendition!
BMW (and Mercedes) might also be in the process of getting new roadsters. The BMW would be classified as a Z2, and most speculation puts it at somewhere around 150 horsepower (with a 300 hp turbo option), placing it right in competition with the Miata. We could probably also expect to see EV (Electric Vehicle) versions of these roadsters in the future, focused towards fans of the Tesla who don’t have $100,000 to spend on a two-seat “fun” car.
originally uploaded by AutoAlert - theautoalert.blogspot’s
Mazda might have a mini-roadster in the making, but only this time a rear-wheel drive. It won’t be a serious sport competitor with its rumored 1.0 or 1.3-liter engine, but it will make a nice entry level roadster, and would probably be a heck of a lot more fun to drive than the Smart Fortwo drop top. There is also speculation of a Madza MX-2 roadster, featuring as much as 160 horsepower from a turbocharged 1.6-liter powerplant.












