Photo: Mazda
Let's start this story with a question. Off the top of your head, which is the most memorable car ever made by Mazda?
An inspired choice, but no, the old-school Mazda 787B is a racing car, which is why it doesn’t count. Of course, the most obvious and correct answer to the posed question is the Miata.
Introduced on February 10, 1989, at the Chicago Auto Show, the first generation of the breed paved the way for the best-selling two-seat convertible sports car the world has ever seen. Now at its fourth generation, Mazda can pride itself on more than one million MX-5s sold over 27 years.
To show its appreciation for the most purist sports car money car buy these days, the peeps at Real Mazda Parts have put together a poster that features the outline of all four generations and their base specs. Thanks to it (see first pic in the gallery), we can get a rough idea about how the Miata evolved over the years, from newcomer to the absolute king on the roadster scene.
In terms of stamina, here’s how the Miata changed: 115 horsepower for the NA from a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, 140 horsepower for the NB from a 1.8-liter I4, 170 horsepower for the NC from a 2.0-liter mill, and finally, 155 horsepower for the ND from a 2.0-liter four-pot powerplant.
That’s right! The current model (including the 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF and its sweet targa roof) is less powerful than its predecessor. The upshot is that the fourth-generation Miata also happens to be a little bit lighter.
Here’s how the family lineage stacks up when in terms of weight: 2,182 lbs (989 kg) for the NA, 2,299 lbs (1,042 kg) for the NB, 2,482 lbs (1,125 kg) for the NC, and 2,332 lbs (1,057 kg) for the ND. The European model is also available with a 1.5-liter engine. In this configuration, the Mazda MX-5 Miata SkyActiv-G 1.5 tips the scales at just 2,149 pounds (975 kilograms).
And naturally, the current-generation MX-5 Miata with the 2.0-liter engine accelerates the fastest to 60 mph (96 km/h; in 5.9 seconds). It also finishes the quarter-mile run quicker and faster than all of its three predecessors (14.6 seconds at 95 mph or 153 km/h), so that’s that.
“Despite its evolution over the years, the Miata stays true to the original idea: offer everyone an affordable sports car experience,” declared Bob Cockerham, the director of Real Mazda Parts. “In fact, when adjusted for inflation, a first generation Miata would have a base price of $25,450, making a base model 2016 MX-5 cheaper than the debut model.”
Introduced on February 10, 1989, at the Chicago Auto Show, the first generation of the breed paved the way for the best-selling two-seat convertible sports car the world has ever seen. Now at its fourth generation, Mazda can pride itself on more than one million MX-5s sold over 27 years.
To show its appreciation for the most purist sports car money car buy these days, the peeps at Real Mazda Parts have put together a poster that features the outline of all four generations and their base specs. Thanks to it (see first pic in the gallery), we can get a rough idea about how the Miata evolved over the years, from newcomer to the absolute king on the roadster scene.
In terms of stamina, here’s how the Miata changed: 115 horsepower for the NA from a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, 140 horsepower for the NB from a 1.8-liter I4, 170 horsepower for the NC from a 2.0-liter mill, and finally, 155 horsepower for the ND from a 2.0-liter four-pot powerplant.
That’s right! The current model (including the 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF and its sweet targa roof) is less powerful than its predecessor. The upshot is that the fourth-generation Miata also happens to be a little bit lighter.
Here’s how the family lineage stacks up when in terms of weight: 2,182 lbs (989 kg) for the NA, 2,299 lbs (1,042 kg) for the NB, 2,482 lbs (1,125 kg) for the NC, and 2,332 lbs (1,057 kg) for the ND. The European model is also available with a 1.5-liter engine. In this configuration, the Mazda MX-5 Miata SkyActiv-G 1.5 tips the scales at just 2,149 pounds (975 kilograms).
And naturally, the current-generation MX-5 Miata with the 2.0-liter engine accelerates the fastest to 60 mph (96 km/h; in 5.9 seconds). It also finishes the quarter-mile run quicker and faster than all of its three predecessors (14.6 seconds at 95 mph or 153 km/h), so that’s that.
“Despite its evolution over the years, the Miata stays true to the original idea: offer everyone an affordable sports car experience,” declared Bob Cockerham, the director of Real Mazda Parts. “In fact, when adjusted for inflation, a first generation Miata would have a base price of $25,450, making a base model 2016 MX-5 cheaper than the debut model.”
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