Mitsuoka has previewed its newest Miata-based creation, the LA1, with styling inspired by the first-generation Chevrolet Corvette. The Japanese company has released official images ahead of a full reveal on November 26, with order books scheduled to open November 27.

Although the LA1 wears dramatically different bodywork, the project appears to retain the basic identity of the current-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata underneath. Mitsuoka has not released complete technical details, but the car is expected to follow the familiar Miata layout: a front-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive, two seats, and a lightweight focus.

Corvette C1-inspired design

The LA1’s proportions and details make its Mazda origins difficult to spot at first glance. Its rounded nose, four headlights, pronounced front fenders, chrome-style trim, and flowing bodywork are all intended to evoke 1950s American sports cars.

That resemblance is particularly strong at the front, where the classic Corvette C1 appears to be the main design reference. The longer-looking hood and sculpted fenders give the compact roadster a more dramatic presence, even though the underlying car remains a small Japanese two-seater.

Mitsuoka’s approach is not to recreate the Corvette mechanically. The LA1 is instead a styling transformation that places the visual character of a classic American sports car over the Miata’s simpler rear-wheel-drive platform.

Miata mechanicals remain under wraps

Mitsuoka has not confirmed the LA1’s engine, transmission, output, dimensions, or curb weight. There is also no indication that the car will use a large-displacement V8. The company’s preview points to a Miata-based roadster rather than a Corvette rival, so the lightweight sports-car formula is likely to remain central.

That means buyers should expect the LA1 to prioritize accessible performance and open-air driving over outright power, although the final specification will not be known until the November reveal. Mitsuoka’s body conversion also appears to preserve the compact, two-seat character that defines the MX-5.

Mitsuoka’s latest Miata transformation

The LA1 is not Mitsuoka’s first attempt to give the Miata a completely different identity. The company previously built the Himiko, another highly customized roadster based on the Mazda, with styling that drew from European sports cars. Only 10 examples were built, and customers paid the equivalent of around $49,000 each.

The company has not yet announced production volume or pricing for the LA1. Those details, along with the complete design and technical specification, should arrive when Mitsuoka fully reveals the car on November 26.

Orders are set to begin one day later, on November 27. Until then, the LA1 remains a visually extreme reinterpretation of the ND-generation Miata rather than a new performance model in the Corvette mold.