One of the vital beloved small sports activities vehicles within the automotive world, the long-lasting Mazda MX-5 Miata has been round for a really very long time. First launched in 1989, the Miata has had the chance to rejoice a number of milestone anniversaries; Mazda has launched quite a lot of particular “anniversary” editions to mark the event, typically sporting distinctive colour schemes and options. Just a few days in the past, information of the upcoming thirty fifth Anniversary Version started to emerge, because it was launched to the world at a Mazda occasion in Japan.
Whereas a few of these distinctive Miatas have been uncommon however attainable, with just a few thousand models circulating around the globe, others have been far rarer: on this record we’ll rank each anniversary version Miata produced through the years, from the least to probably the most uncommon.
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9 tenth Anniversary Version
7,500 models
Probably the most broadly accessible Anniversary Version of the Miata was the one produced on the event of the mannequin’s tenth anniversary in 1999, with a complete of seven,500 models constructed, 3,000 of which went on sale within the US.
This version was characterised by a variety of distinctive mechanical options which have been unique on the time. These embrace Bilstein shock absorbers, a 6-speed guide transmission and a Torsen limited-slip differential. On the design entrance, the 10AM/10AE (the automobile’s casual nickname, brief for tenth Anniversary Mannequin or Version) additionally stood out from the group, due to some customized design touches.
A Sapphire Blue Mica paint end (referred to as Harmless Blue within the Japanese fashions) was paired with an inside upholstered in black leather-based and blue Alcantara. The steering wheel was wrapped in leather-based, as was the shift knob. A numbered badge was added to every particular person automobile, and house owners obtained a “Certificates of Authenticity” in addition to a customized reward set in some markets.
8 1st Anniversary Version
5,298 models
The very first Anniversary Version of the Miata was created in 1991 to rejoice the mannequin’s first 12 months in the marketplace; the truth is, there have been two separate variants of the first Anniversary Miata.
The North American model was referred to as the 1991 Particular Version. Made for the US and Canadian markets, it was restricted to three,997 models within the States and simply 1,051 north of the border. The automobile was completed in British Racing Inexperienced, paired with a tan leather-based inside, wooden trim on the shift knob and handbrake lever, and chrome steel door sills. Various creature comforts have been included as commonplace as properly, similar to headrest audio system, a CD participant, and air-con.
There was additionally a corresponding model for the UK market, referred to as the 1991 Restricted Version. This model wore the identical paint end and inside upholstery as its American counterpart, however was far rarer with solely 250 models offered. Every automobile was fitted with a numbered brass plaque, in addition to distinctive wheels and inside options similar to an analogue clock and picket steering wheel. The UK and North American editions made up a mixed whole of 5,298 models.
7 thirtieth Anniversary Version
3,000 models
In 2019 the Miata’s thirtieth birthday rolled round, and Mazda celebrated in type with a particular thirtieth Anniversary Version. One of the vital well-liked and well-known anniversary editions of the mannequin, due to its hanging Racing Orange colour, the thirtieth Anniversary Miata was first launched to the world on the 2019 Chicago Auto Present.
Every automobile has a numbered badge, in addition to orange brake calipers and orange accents within the inside; engraved cast aluminum wheels full the look. A complete of three,000 models have been constructed, 643 of which have been offered within the US; initially, this quantity was solely purported to be 500, however on account of excessive demand Mazda allotted an extra 143 vehicles to the US market.
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6 twentieth Anniversary Version
2,000 models
This model was constructed to commemorate the mannequin’s twentieth anniversary in 2010, and launched to the world on the Geneva Motor Present in the identical 12 months. It was completely offered within the European market: a complete of two,000 models have been constructed, round 600 of which have been offered within the UK.
It’s based mostly on the soft-top model of the automobile, and sports activities an unique styling package deal which features a chrome grille, headlight fascia and door handles, in addition to 17-inch alloy wheels with a novel design and twentieth Anniversary logos. A brand new paint colour was launched particularly for this model: Aurora Blue. Different selections accessible have been True Purple and Crystal White Pearl.
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5 Mazda Roadster twentieth Anniversary Version
1,600 models
Just a few months earlier than the European twentieth Anniversary Version was launched to the world, its JDM counterpart (dubbed the twentieth Anniversary Roadster, after the title the Miata is understood by in Japan) made its debut in 2009. Two totally different variants have been accessible: a power-retractable hard-top with a 6-speed automated transmission, and a soft-top with a 6-speed guide transmission.
In fact, it’s not simply in regards to the mechanical facets. There are additionally some design components that give this particular version a novel look. These embrace clear fog lights, crimson and black Recaro bucket seats, and twentieth Anniversary badges. The physique is completed in Crystal White Pearl Mica.
4 twenty fifth Anniversary Version
1,099 models
This version was launched in 2014 to rejoice 25 years of the Miata; within the US, all 100 models allotted to the US offered out inside 10 minutes of being launched. All 1,099 vehicles sported a Soul Purple Metallic end, paired with black A-pillars, mirror covers and roof panels. Different aesthetic touches included chrome exhaust trim, a numbered badge, and 17-inch Darkish Gunmetal alloy wheels.
Contained in the automobile, the seats have been upholstered in Mild Stone leather-based and featured crimson stitching in addition to embossed “twenty fifth Anniversary” logos on the headrests; the dashboard was adorned with a hand painted panel. Just a few mechanical enhancements have been additionally added, together with a lightened flywheel, cast crankshaft, and Bilstein shock absorbers (the latter have been solely featured on vehicles with a guide transmission).
3 Mazda’s a hundredth Anniversary Version
100 models
This specific version celebrates not the anniversary of the Miata, however of the corporate as an entire. Having first been based in 1920 as a cork-making manufacturing unit, Mazda later advanced into the main automaker it’s at the moment, and celebrated its centenary on the top of the pandemic; this didn’t cease them from releasing a particular version of the Miata to commemorate this big milestone.
The a hundredth Anniversary mannequin featured a number of commemorative logos and badges dotted across the automobile, in addition to a novel colour mixture (a Snowflake White Pearl Mica paint end, mixed with crimson leather-based upholstery). The Miata was not the one mannequin to have a a hundredth Anniversary version. A number of different members of the model’s lineup additionally obtained one, for a complete of 700 autos constructed; round 100 of those have been Miatas.
2 MCP (Miata Membership Philippines) twenty fifth Anniversary Version
70 models
This Miata is the rarest on the record that isn’t a one-off, and maybe probably the most area of interest: it was not created to rejoice the anniversary of the mannequin itself, however quite the anniversary of the Miata Membership Philippines. The MCP is the longest single-make sports activities automobile membership within the Philippines, and was based in 1997.
This particular version was restricted to round 70 models, offered completely within the Philippines and with precedence given to membership members; every automobile additionally got here with a commemorative e book on the membership’s historical past. The MCP Miata was accessible with each guide and automated transmissions; completed in Platinum Quartz Metallic, it sported a navy blue tender high and a crimson stripe.
1 Superlight
1 unit
The rarest of all of them is the Superlight one-off idea automobile, created in 2009 to rejoice the mannequin’s twentieth anniversary. It was designed at Mazda’s German studio in Frankfurt, with the objective of maximizing lightness by way of the usage of light-weight supplies.
The automobile has no roof or windshield; its tender high was swapped out for 2 rollover hoops with wind deflectors, for security and luxury. Its doorways don’t have any exterior handles, as a substitute being opened by way of a leather-based tie situated contained in the cabin. The Superlight is stripped of all creature comforts, including pointless weight, enhancing its agile dealing with. The middle console solely has a starter button and two switches, working the gas pump and the ignition. Main elements and panels have been additionally changed with an abundance of carbon fiber and aluminum, lowering the entire weight as a lot as potential.
