A spokesman for the...

A spokesman for the company confirmed to Auto Express: "There are people working on high-revving diesel engines at the moment, and I can see us using one in the MX-5."

Lovers of the RX-8"s rotary engine will be disappointed, too. The clever powerplant has been ruled out for the two-seater, although the current conventional 2.0-litre unit will be joined by a more powerful version soon. "There"s no reason why we shouldn"t build a high-performance MX-5," added the spokesman. "This car deserves a more powerful variant." Expect a normally aspirated unit, with the 2.3-litre from the Mazda 6 a likely candidate.

Meanwhile, only members of the official MX-5 owners" club will be able to order one of the 300 special-edition cars available during November - the model"s first month on sale. Finished in metallic red and based on the top-of-the-range Sport, the newcomer gets a unique cabin and numbered plaque. Outside, there"s chrome trim around the windscreen. Prices have yet to be released, but expect a figure of around н‚бЈ19,000 - the standard 2.0-litre car is likely to cost about н‚бЈ18,500.