Following its world debut last October at the Paris motor show, Mazda’s 2009 MX-5 roadster will have its North American rollout party at the Chicago auto show.

In celebration of 20 years of MX-5 production, the freshened model will be displayed alongside a collection of previous-generation Miatas on Mazda’s Chicago show stand.

Outside, the new MX-5 borrows front-end styling cues from the RX-8 with a larger front air dam, grille and a more elongated snout. Side skirts, rear bumper and rear lamp housings also have been redone. The interior gains different color choices, altered gauge graphics and additional sound deadening.

The 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine receives minor revisions for a 500-rpm higher redline and a 1-hp bump to 167 hp. The manual transmission has improved shift action and new gear ratios. Suspension tuning also is new to provide greater handling stability and improved steering response.

"The 2009 MX-5 reaches dealerships in mid-February with a base price of $22,420 for the soft-top and $26,060 for power retractable hardtop models."

To read more visit the AutoWeek New car news, road tests, blogs, pix and expert insight section.