The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is nearly here, in the real world, but soon it'll be adding to the fanfare of its launch with a special role in the virtual world of Forza Horizon 2.

Mazda, Forza, and Xbox want players to design a livery for the in-game car--which is the 1994 Miata, rather than the new car. A panel of judges will then narrow the field down to the top two choices. Those lucky two contestants will be flown to South by Southwest, where they will go head-to-head for the top spot.

The winner? He or she gets a pretty sweet prize package. No, it's not a 2016 MX-5 (come on Mazda, that would've been awesome!), but rather a 55-inch curved TV, home audio system, Xbox One Kinect console, and a driving setup with a MadCatz Racing Wheel (okay, that's pretty sweet too).

This Miata styling contest runs from now through January 4th, 2015. If you have the game and you're handy with the in-game design system, now's your chance to turn your virtual skill into one that pays off in the real world.

Hidden alongside this morning’s announcement of the new fourth-generation Mazda MX-5’s arrival in a free-to-download Forza Horizon 2 pack is some even better news: the actual curb weight numbers for the new Miata.
So how much does it weigh? With the manual transmission, it tips the scales at a feathery 2,332 pounds; opt for the auto and you’ll tilt just a touch higher at 2,381 pounds. It's possible to get a third-generation car below those weights in fully-equipped, streetable form, but it's neither inexpensive nor easy--and the same treatment would yield even better results on the new fourth-generation car.

This is pretty much dead-on Mazda’s previously announced 150-pound weight savings over the third-generation MX-5, and makes the new ND MX-5 one of the lightest new cars available in America—and certainly the lightest sports car. With 155 hp and 148 lb-ft from its 2.0-liter SkyActiv four-cylinder, it should prove plenty peppy, too.

For many an enthusiast, light makes right, especially since you can always add power later—a turbo kit is much easier to add than weight is to delete.

Some may have hoped for an even lighter car—one closer to the original MX-5’s sub-2,100-lb curb weight—but in light of today’s pedestrian impact laws, crash testing, and high-tech consumer demands, it’s a remarkable job of engineering.

Based on the premium MX-5 Grand Touring, all Launch Edition MX-5s will feature a Soul Red exterior color with a Sport Tan leather interior. This color combination will be exclusive to the Launch Edition for 2016. The models also features 17-inch alloy wheels, heated seats, automatic climate control, SiriusXM satellite radio, Mazda Connect Infotainment System with navigation and a Bose nine-speaker audio system.