Mazda Celebrates 25 Years of Miata MX-5, Introduces New Sport Venture Models
In 1989, Mazda released the first edition of their MX-5 Miata. It was February 9th at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show, and within months the Miata had become the hottest new car of the year. Everyone loved it, enthusiasts and casual drivers alike. It was a fun car, the kind made for people who enjoy driving, and for 25 years and three generations that formula has remained unchanged.
Naturally, 2014 is set to be a big year for Mazda. It’s almost guaranteed that we will see the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 ‘ND’ before the year is over, and already they’ve added six new cars to their European lineup. But, let’s cover one thing at a time.
Mazda MX-5’s 25th Birthday
To commemorate their little roadster’s 25th birthday, Mazda has created a Miata minisite (click here) showcasing the car’s life from its launch in 1989 to the latest incarnation introduced in 2012. In case you’re interested, this was the original Mazda MX-5 Miata from 25 years ago:
In addition to the timeline depicting each year of the Mazda MX-5’s production, the minisite also features a video from Mazda’s Product Division Program Manager, Nobuhiro Yamamoto. In the video he paints a wonderful picture of the car’s legacy and mission, and any Miata / MX-5 / Eunos Roadster fans are recommended to take a look.
The minisite also has a tab that conspicuously reads “Coming Soon”, but when you click on it nothing happens. However, Mazda intends to update the site throughout the rest of the year, and we’re sure that space will be reserved for the debut of the mysterious Miata ND, the codename for the next-generation roadster. While scouring the web for more info, we’ve found that all sources indicate a debut date around the beginning of September. Only time will tell.
Six New ‘Sport Venture’ Cars for UK Drivers
Unfortunately, this bit only applies to our European readers, but it makes for fun news nonetheless. The new Sport Venture models will essentially be stylized versions of the Mazda MX-5, the Mazda5 and the Mazda2. There will be three Sport Venture roadsters, two Sport Venture minivans, and then just the one sedan.
Despite being spread across three different vehicles, each Sport Venture model gets mostly the same treatment. They get a new paint job, either gray or blue Mica, sleek black leather seats with silver stitching, new alloy wheels, and a new sat-nav display. The difference between each different Sport Venture within the same model range comes down to a difference of powertrain. So, for example, there is a Mazda5 Sport Venture with a 2.0L petrol and another Mazda5 Sport Venture with a 1.6L diesel.
All in all, we’re excited to see what else Mazda has in store for the MX-5 Miata throughout the rest of this, it’s 25th anniversary year. In the meantime, our European readers should be on the lookout for the new Sport Venture models; they’re an affordable, but luxurious addition to an already classy lineup.
Let us know your thoughts about Mazda’s newest developments in the comments below, otherwise come back tomorrow for more Japanese car news!
