With all the brouhaha surrounding the launch of the Toyota GT86 last year, the world almost forgot that there is another fantastic little Japanese sports car out there with the same level of driving fun, and then some. It’s called the Mazda MX-5, and it is about make a return with all-new model that is better-looking than ever.

The looks, to be brutally honest, have always been the MX-5’s Achilles’ heel. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but none of the previous generations of the Mazda MX-5 were what you can call manly. Add to that the fact that it’s a roadster, and therefore a perfect target for all sorts of hairdresser jokes, and it would become a major issue.

Now, if the rumors are true, and Mazda is loyal to principles of their new KODO design language, the next-generation Mazda MX-5 is going to be a properly handsome car. The new MX-5 is being jointly developed with Alfa Romeo who will use the platform to launch a new Spider. They say the cars are independently designed, but we do hope that in return for their technical know-how, Mazda asks Alfa’s styling department to give them a hand.

Based on the latest available info, and using a bit of imaginations, the guys at Carscoops have come up with this rendering of the new Mazda MX-5 you see above. If the real car looks anything like this, sign us up.