The Mazda MX-5, which you might better recognize by its old Miata namesake, could be coming to the United States as a coupe variant, ditching the convertible in favor of a permanent hardtop. The fixed roof version of the MX-5 was previously only available in the Japanese market, but thanks to a lower price point than its ragtop compatriot, the MX-5 Coupe could prove to be a good seller for Mazda.

The Mazda MX-5 Coupe could arrive at American showrooms as early as 2010, but everyone at Mazda is keeping pretty hush-hush about the possibility. This date would coincide with the scheduled revitalization of the MX-5, meaning that the fixed roof Miata could be a whole new model, rather than just an Americanized version of the existing JDM MX-5 Coupe. Alternatively, it could “boost the car’s sales late in its life cycle.”

The segment is going largely unchallenged, because most of these rear-wheel-drive roadsters are exactly that: roadsters. Slap on a fixed roof and you’ve got something pretty original. On a side note, am I the only one who thinks the MX-5 Coupe looks terribly retro?