Mazda MX-5

The Mazda MX-5 is a lightweight two-person sports car manufactured and marketed by Mazda. The convertible is marketed as the Template:Nihongo or Template:Nihongo in Japan, and as the Mazda Miata (Template:IPAc-en) in the United States, and formerly in Canada, where it is now marketed as the MX-5 but is still commonly referred to as "Miata".

Manufactured at Mazda's Hiroshima plant, the MX-5 debuted in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show and was created under the design credo Template:Nihongo, meaning "oneness of horse and rider". Noted for its small, light, balanced and minimalist design, the MX-5 has been called a successor to 1950s and 1960s Italian and British roadster sports cars. The Lotus Elan was used as a design benchmark.

Each generation is designated by a two-letter code beginning with the first generation NA. The second generation (NB) launched in 1998 for MY 1999, followed by the third generation (NC) in 2005 for MY 2006, and the fourth generation (ND) in 2015 for MY 2016.

More than 1 million MX-5s have been sold, making it the best-selling two-seat convertible sports car in history.<ref name="Guinness2011" /><ref name="Million">Template:Cite press release</ref>Template:Update inline The name Template:Lang derives from Old High German for "reward".<ref name=reward>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Refn

Overview

The original MX-5 was launched at a time when small roadsters had almost disappeared from the market, with the Alfa Romeo Spider as one of the few comparable models still in production, though at a significantly higher price. That left the MX-5 as the spiritual successor to cars like the MG B, Triumph TR7, Triumph Spitfire, and Fiat Spider.

The MX-5 was introduced in February 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The first generation MX-5 sold 228,961 units between 1989 and 1997.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The lightweight, unibody MX-5 has responsive handling and a curb weight under Template:Cvt. Its longitudinal truss, marketed as the Powerplant Frame (PPF), provides a rigid connection between the engine and differential to minimize flex and improve balance. Some MX-5 models feature a limited-slip differential, traction control, and an anti-lock braking system.

With an approximate 50:50 front/rear weight balance, the car has nearly neutral handling. Inducing oversteer is easy and controllable, making the MX-5 a popular choice for amateur and stock racing, autocross, and club racing.<ref name=NYT032715>Template:Cite news</ref>

Conception

In 1976, Bob Hall, a journalist at Motor Trend magazine who was an expert in Japanese cars and fluent in the language, met Kenichi Yamamoto and Gai Arai, head of Research and Development at Mazda. Yamamoto and Gai Arai asked Hall what kind of car Mazda should make in the future:<ref name=Liz_Turner>You and Your MX5/Miata, Liz Turner 2002, Haynes Publishing, Template:ISBN.</ref>

In 1981, Hall moved to a product planning position with Mazda USA and again met Yamamoto, now chairman of Mazda Motors, who remembered their conversation about a roadster and in 1982 gave Hall the go-ahead to research the idea further.<ref name=Liz_Turner/> At this time Hall hired designer Mark Jordan to join the newly formed Mazda design studio in Southern California. There, Hall and Jordan collaborated on the parameters of the initial image, proportion and visualization of the "light-weight sports" concept. In 1983, the idea turned concept was approved under the "Offline 55" program, an internal Mazda initiative that sought to change the way new models were developed. Thus, under head of project Masakatsu, the concept development was turned into a competition between the Mazda design teams in Tokyo and California.<ref name=Liz_Turner/>

The California team proposed a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, codenamed Duo 101, in line with the British roadster ancestry, but their Japanese counterparts favored the more common front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout or the rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

The first round of judging the competing designs was held in April 1984, with designs presented on paper only. The mid-engined car appeared to offer favorable qualities, although it was known at the time that such a layout would struggle to meet the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) requirements of the project. It was only at the second round of the competition in August 1984, when full-scale clay models were presented, that the Duo 101 won the competition and was selected as the basis for what would become the MX-5.

The Duo 101, so named as either a soft top or hardtop could be used, incorporated many key stylistic cues inspired by the Lotus Elan, a 1960s roadster, including the door handles, tail lamps and grille opening as well as engine appearance and center console layout. International Automotive Design (IAD) in Worthing, England, was commissioned to develop a running prototype, codenamed V705. It was built with a fiberglass body, a Template:Convert engine from a Mazda Familia and components from a variety of early Mazda models. The V705 was completed in August 1985 and taken to the US where it rolled on the roads around Santa Barbara, California and got positive reactions.

The project received final approval on 18 January 1986.<ref name=Liz_Turner/> The model's codename was changed to P729 as it moved into the production phase, under head of program Toshihiko Hirai. The task of constructing five engineering mules (more developed prototypes) was again allocated to IAD, which also conducted the first front and rear crash tests on the P729. While Tom Matano,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Mark Jordan, Wu-huang Chin (Template:Lang, also on the RX-7 team), Norman Garrett, and Template:Nihongo worked on the final design, the project was moved to Japan for engineering and production details.

By 1989, with a definitive model name now chosen, the MX-5 was ready to be introduced to the world as a true lightweight sports car, weighing just Template:Convert.

Although Mazda's concept was for the MX-5 to be an inexpensive sports car, at introduction the design met strong demand, with many dealers placing customers on pre-order lists and several dealers across North America increasing the vehicle markup.Template:Citation needed

Generations

Template:AnchorFirst generation – NA (1989–1997)

File:1992-1993 Mazda MX-5 (NA) roadster (2011-11-18) 01.jpg

Mazda MX-5 (NA)

The first generation MX-5 was introduced in 1989 and was in production until 1997. Upon its release, the car won numerous accolades such as Automobile Magazine's 1990 Automobile of the Year and Car and DriverTemplate:'s 10Best list from 1990 to 1992. It initially featured a Template:Convert straight-four engine making 116 horsepower; in late 1993, a larger 1.8-liter engine was made standard in most markets.

The MX-5 was designed with inspiration from the Lotus Elan, and features such as pop-up headlights, unique to the NA model, and slim chrome door handles pay homage to the famous British roadster. To keep the weight and price down, base models were not equipped with power steering, air conditioning, a sound system, and had steel wheels. A five-speed manual transmission was standard, with the option of a four-speed automatic also available.

Template:Anchor Second generation – NB (1998–2005)

File:1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata Leather Package in Highlight Silver Metallic, Front Right, 06-29-2023.jpg

Mazda MX-5 (NB)

The second generation MX-5 was unveiled in 1997 and put on sale in 1998 for the 1999 model year. While it kept the same proportions of its predecessor, its most noticeable change was the removal of the retractable headlamps, which were eliminated in the face of more stringent pedestrian safety tests. The NB model of the MX-5 featured a slight increase in engine power, a refined interior design and the option of a six-speed manual transmission. In 2001, the model underwent revisions, the second generation boasted a slight increase in engine power, a more refined interior with an updated design, and a newly available six-speed manual transmission. In 2001, further revisions included slightly updated front and rear styling as well as variable-valve timing engine technology for the 1.8-liter engine, which now made Template:Cvt. Updated models have since been known as NB2, while the earlier versions are referred to as NB1. While various special editions continued to be introduced throughout the entire NB production run, the Mazdaspeed MX-5 is distinctive for being the only MX-5 to be turbocharged at the factory. The Mazdaspeed variant, built for the model years 2004 and 2005, made Template:Cvt from a turbocharged version of the normal 1.8-liter engine, enabling a quarter-mile time of 15.2 seconds and a Template:Cvt time of 6.7 seconds. Other Mazdaspeed specs include stiffer and shorter springs, Bilstein shocks, and larger 17-inch wheels.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Anchor Third generation – NC (2005–2015)

File:Mazda MX-5 NC front.JPG

Mazda MX-5 (NC)

Taking design cues from the 2003 Mazda Ibuki concept car, the third-generation Mazda MX-5 was introduced in 2005 and was in production until 2015. This generation introduced Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT), a variant featuring a folding hard top mechanism that does not encroach on trunk space. During its release, the third generation MX-5 received several accolades such as the 2005–2006 Car of the Year Japan Award and Car and DriverTemplate:'s 10Best list from 2006 to 2013. Template:Clear

Template:Anchor Fourth generation – ND (2015–present)

File:Mazda MX-5 RF IMG 7340.jpg

Mazda MX-5 RF (ND)

The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 was unveiled in 2014 and has been in production since 2015. An updated model was introduced in 2019 and is visually identical to the pre-update model; the engine was upgraded to Template:Cvt and a dual-mass flywheel introduced to the powertrain in the manual transmission. The 2024 version received some minor tweaks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The ND generation introduced a Retractable Fastback (RF) variant that features a rigid roof and buttresses that give the silhouette a more coupé-like appearance than the soft top convertible. The fourth generation MX-5 has received several accolades such as the 2015-2016 Car of the Year Japan Award, the 2016 World Car of the Year Award, Car and DriverTemplate:'s 10Best list from 2016 to 2019, and the Red Dot Best of the Best Award in Product Design 2017. In addition, the car is the basis for the Fiat 124 Spider and Abarth 124 Spider. Template:Clear

Production numbers and details

In 2000, the Guinness Book of World Records declared the MX-5 the best-selling two-seat sports car in history, with a then total production of 531,890 units.<ref name="Guinness">Template:Cite web</ref> The 250,000th MX-5 rolled out of the factory on November 9, 1992; the 500,000th, on February 8, 1999; the 750,000th, in March 2004; the 800,000th in January 2007, and the 900,000th in February 2011.<ref name="Guinness2011">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="autoexpress1">Template:Cite web</ref>

On April 22, 2016, Mazda produced its one millionth MX-5.<ref name="Million" /> It was displayed in several cities, where the first 240 people present could sign it before it went to the next destination.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Calendar year	Production	Sales									Model
		US	Canada	Mexico<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Australia	UK	Europe	Japan	Others	Global
1988	12										(pre-production cars)
1989	45,266	23,052	2,827		657		4	9,307		35,847<ref name="mazdapress14">Template:Cite web</ref>	First Generation (NA) (Total Production 431,506)<ref name="mazdapress14" /><ref name="mazdapress19" />
1990	95,640<ref name="mazdapress19">Template:Cite web</ref>	35,944	3,906		1,455	2,246<ref name="motorward">Template:Cite web</ref>	9,267	25,226		75,798<ref name="mazdapress14" />
1991	63,434	31,240	2,956		698	1,986	14,050	22,594		71,538<ref name="mazdapress14" />
1992	52,712	24,964	2,277		499	1,017	6,632	18,648		53,020<ref name="mazdapress14" />
1993	44,743	21,588	1,501		453	910<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	4,824	16,779		45,145<ref name="mazdapress14" />
1994	39,623	21,400	1,173		404	1,250	5,019	10,828		38,824<ref name="mazdapress14" />
1995	31,886	20,174	934		196	2,495	7,174	7,171		35,649<ref name="mazdapress14" />
1996	33,610	18,408	558		241	3,855	9,585	4,413		33,201<ref name="mazdapress14" />
1997	24,580(NA)+ 2,457(NB)<ref name="mazdapress19" />	17,218	594		206	4,956	10,480	3,537		32,035<ref name="mazdapress14" />
1998	58,682	19,845	1,045		1,310	6,307	16,831	10,174		49,205<ref name="mazdapress14" />	Second Generation (NB) (Total Production 290,123)<ref name="mazdapress14" /><ref name="mazdapress19" />
1999	44,851	17,738	1,198		1,354	6,411	21,130	4,952	30	46,402<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2000	47,496	18,299	1,328		1,038	5,199	19,268	4,644	33	44,610<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2001	38,870	16,486	1,271		924	3,720	16,368	4,211	6	39,266<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2002	40,754	14,392<ref name="gcbc">Template:Cite web</ref>	1,230		698	7,162	19,670	2,934	34	38,958<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2003	30,106	10,920<ref name="gcbc" />	1,079		540	9,097	18,934	1,520	11	33,004<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2004	24,232	9,356<ref name="gcbc" />	1,146<ref name="gcbc" />		483	6,372<ref name="smmt">Template:Cite web</ref>	13,885	1,646	248	26,764<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2005	2,675(NB)+ 27,275(NC)<ref name="mazdapress19" />	9,801<ref name="gcbc" />	857<ref name="gcbc" />		743	5,182	9,852	3,657	353	25,263<ref name="mazdapress14" />	Third Generation (NC) (Total Production 231,632)<ref name="mazdapress19" />
2006	48,389<ref name="mazdapress19" />	16,897<ref name="gcbc" />	1,582<ref name="gcbc" />	223	1,468	8,593	19,402	4,067	827	44,243<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2007	37,022<ref name="mazdapress19" />	15,075<ref name="gcbc" />	1,814<ref name="gcbc" />	261	1,170	9,234<ref name="motorward" />	18,899	3,845	772	41,575<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2008	22,886<ref name="mazdapress19" />	10,977<ref name="gcbc" />	1,407<ref name="gcbc" />	179	639	6,109	13,252	1,858	610	28,743<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2009	19,341<ref name="mazdapress19" />	7,917<ref name="gcbc" />	850<ref name="gcbc" />	119	521	4,698	9,709	1,947	1,195	22,139<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2010	20,554<ref name="mazdapress19" />	6,370<ref name="gcbc" />	736<ref name="gcbc" />	149	440	5,157	10,317	1,120	1,083	20,066<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2011	14,995<ref name="mazdapress19" />	5,674<ref name="gcbc" />	612<ref name="gcbc" />	176	315	3,660	8,147	1,104	730	16,582<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2012	15,400<ref name="mazdapress19" />	6,305<ref name="gcbc" />	711<ref name="gcbc" />	145	159	3,342	7,207	941	513	15,836<ref name="mazdapress14" />
2013	11,639<ref name="mazdapress19" />	5,780<ref name="gcbc" />	554<ref name="gcbc" />	186	178	3,285	6,113	768	377	13,770<ref name="mazdapress19" />
2014	12,246<ref name="mazdapress19" />	4,745<ref name="gcbc" />	511<ref name="gcbc" />	154	118	2,982	5,786	491	296	12,162<ref name="mazdapress19" />
2015	1,885(NC)+ 30,022(ND)<ref name="mazdapress19" />	8,591<ref name="gcbc" />	630<ref name="gcbc" />	480	917		6,746	8,509		26,508<ref name="mazdapress19" />	Fourth Generation (ND)
2016	40,101<ref name="mazdapress19" />	9,465	903	1,317			13,677	6,126		34,567<ref name="mazdapress19" />
2017	38,861<ref name="mazdapress19" />	11,294	1,067	1,769			15,769	7,005		39,773<ref name="mazdapress19" />
2018	27,452<ref name="mazdapress19" />	8,971	615	1,072			13,703	5,331		31,938<ref name="mazdapress19" />
2019		7,753	774	1,101			13,803			31,000
2020		8,807	520	793			4,815			27,000
Total	1,089,697<ref name="mazdapress19" />	465,437	35,287	8,124	17,824	115,225	377,064	168,378	7,118	1,123,399

Legacy and recognition

The MX-5 has won numerous awards, including Wheels MagazineTemplate:'s Car of the Year for 1989, 2005 and 2016;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Sports Car InternationalTemplate:'s "best sports car of the 1990s" and "ten best sports cars of all time"; 2005–2006 Car of the Year Japan; and 2005 Australian Car of the Year. The MX-5 has also made Car and Driver magazine's annual 10 Best list 17 times.<ref name="Accolades">Template:Cite web</ref> In their December 2009 issue, Grassroots Motorsports magazine named the MX-5 as the most important sports car built during the previous 25 years. As production continues and generations are added, the core idea, dimensions and basic technology remain, with technological advancements added with each revised version, while adhering to the original goals that led to its creation.

In 2009, English automotive critic Jeremy Clarkson wrote: Template:Blockquote

Awards

• Automobile Magazine 1990 "Automobile of the Year"<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and "All-Stars" list in 2016.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
• Car and DriverTemplate:'s 10Best list from 1990-1992, 1998-1999, 2001, 2006-2013, 2016-2019.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="10Best 2019">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
• Car of the Year Japan Award 2005-2006 and 2015-2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 2006 World Car of the Year Awards: "World Car of the Year" Finalist.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
• 2012 Autocar Indonesia Reader's Choice Award, Favorite Convertible.<ref name="Mazda Spirit">Template:Cite web</ref>
• What Car? Magazine 2014 Used Car of the Year - Best Fun Car.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Yahoo! Autos 2016 Fresh Ride of the Year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Roadshow by CNET Editors Choice Best Convertibles 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• World Car of the Year at the 2016 World Car Awards (UK).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 2016 World Car of the Year Awards: "World Car of the Year" and "World Car Design of the Year".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 2016 UK Car of the Year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• The Daily Telegraph 2016 Car of the Year.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
• Auto Express 2017 Roadster of the Year.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
• Red Dot Best of the Best Award: Product Design 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• New York Daily News DNA Award 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• What Car? Magazine 2018 Best Convertible Less Than £25,000.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
• MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Awards Best Convertible 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 2018 RJC Car of the Year Special Award: Classic Car Restoration Service.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Edmunds.com 2019 Editor's Choice Awards: Best Sports Car.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Car and Driver 2024 Editor's Choice: Affordable Sports Car.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
• iSeeCars named the Mazda MX-5 Miata as the top sports car that US owners keep the longest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Motorsport

Lightly modified MX-5s are a popular choice for amateur circuit racing. They are the basis of many spec racing series around the world, including:

• Spec Miata, a class of racing cars in the US
• Global MX-5 Cup, a Spec Miata series in the US sanctioned by IMSA
• MaX5 Racing Championship, a class of racing cars in the United Kingdom

See also

• Simpson Design, US-based custom coachbuilder producing bodies and interior for the Miata MX-5
• Mazda MX-5 12R

Bibliography

• Long, B. MX-5 Miata – The full story of the world's favourite sports car, Veloce Publishing, 2002. Template:ISBN.
• Carey, J. (March, 2005). "New Mazda MX-5". Wheels (Australia), p. 48.

External links

• Template:Official website (US)
• Template:Official website (The Story of the MX-5)