Back in 2013, no fewer than 683 MX-5 roadsters took part in a parade in the Netherlands, breaking the Guinness World Records title for the largest parade of Mazda vehicles. Nine years later, on September 18th, precisely 707 Miatas broke the record again at the Modena Circuit.
The “MX-5 Rally of Records” brought together all four generations of the Miata, ranging from the NA with its quirky pop-up headlights to the ND available in dealer forecourts right now. The 707 cars drove around the racetrack under the watchful eye of an adjudicator, who made the record official at 6:00 pm. Nobuhiro Yamamoto, lead engineer of the NC and ND, held a presentation titled “Fun to Drive Will Never Die” during the event.
Andrea Mancini, the owner of a resort where a huge collection of MX-5s is found, attended the rally as well. The resort in question is Miataland, located in the beautiful bite-the-back-of-your-hand region of Umbria. His collection exceeds 30 units of the Japanese roadster with British roadster influences.
Mazda has famously used the Lotus Elan as inspiration for the NA, which is the only Miata with pop-up headlights. Produced between 1989 and 1997 to the tune of a little more than 430,000 units, the first generation also took inspiration from the likes of the MG B and Triumph Spitfire. Come 1998, the NB rolled out with small improvements and fixed lights. The NB is the only Miata offered from the factory with a turbocharged engine option.
Although controversial, the NC took the MX-5 in a different direction. More specifically, the rag-top roadster could be optionally configured with a folding hard top that opened the low-slung Miata to a wider audience.
The ND can be considered an involution in the sense that it’s shorter and lighter than the NC it replaces. On the upside, a smaller and lighter car is a better-handling car, hence the need to replace involution with evolution.
On an ending note, have you heard the NE has recently made its spy photo debut? Expected to arrive in 2024, the fifth generation is expected with wider rear fenders and some kind of hybrid assistance. The most likely culprit is the e-Skyactiv X 24-volt mild hybrid from the current Mazda3.
Andrea Mancini, the owner of a resort where a huge collection of MX-5s is found, attended the rally as well. The resort in question is Miataland, located in the beautiful bite-the-back-of-your-hand region of Umbria. His collection exceeds 30 units of the Japanese roadster with British roadster influences.
Mazda has famously used the Lotus Elan as inspiration for the NA, which is the only Miata with pop-up headlights. Produced between 1989 and 1997 to the tune of a little more than 430,000 units, the first generation also took inspiration from the likes of the MG B and Triumph Spitfire. Come 1998, the NB rolled out with small improvements and fixed lights. The NB is the only Miata offered from the factory with a turbocharged engine option.
Although controversial, the NC took the MX-5 in a different direction. More specifically, the rag-top roadster could be optionally configured with a folding hard top that opened the low-slung Miata to a wider audience.
The ND can be considered an involution in the sense that it’s shorter and lighter than the NC it replaces. On the upside, a smaller and lighter car is a better-handling car, hence the need to replace involution with evolution.
On an ending note, have you heard the NE has recently made its spy photo debut? Expected to arrive in 2024, the fifth generation is expected with wider rear fenders and some kind of hybrid assistance. The most likely culprit is the e-Skyactiv X 24-volt mild hybrid from the current Mazda3.