When Mazda came out with the original Miata back in 1989, it successfully channeled the spirit of classic British and Italian roadsters better than the British and Italians could themselves. And each successive version that has come over the 23 years since has only gotten better. So you can imagine our excitement when Alfa Romeo announced it was partnering with Mazda to build a new roadster based on the next-generation MX-5.

The partnership between the Japanese automaker and Alfa's parent company Fiat could, according to reports, extend beyond the roadster project to shared production lines in Europe and Mazda's potential use of Alfa's new dual-clutch transmission. But naturally it's the roadster project that has us most enticed. With a high-strength, low-weight steel frame and aluminum suspension components, the next-gen Miata looks to be a good starting point into which Alfa could slot its new 1.7-liter direct-injection turbo four - an engine that can produce as much as 250 horsepower.

Although Pininfarina designed the original Alfa Romeo Duetto and the 2uettottanta concept (pictured here) that debuted at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, the new Duetto (or whatever they decide to call it) could be designed entirely in-house at the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo. Whatever it's called and whoever pens the shape, we're told to expect its arrival sometime in 2014.