Photo: Mazda
Miata in the United States of America and MX-5 everywhere else, Mazda’s two-seat roadster is the best sports car money can buy, full stop. Almost three decades after the NA went into production in Hiroshima, the Japanese automaker finally acknowledged the classic status of the first-gen MX-5 Miata.
Following in the footsteps of Jaguar Land Rover and Nissan, the higher-ups at Mazda decided on giving the green light to a factory-backed restoration program for the NA. Centered on both restoration and spare parts, the service will go official sometime at the beginning of 2018. In the first instance, the company will seek certification from the Japanese division of TUV Rheinland.
As owners of the NA patiently wait for Mazda to make the restoration business a reality, the automaker confirmed what sort of spare parts are in the offing for the first-generation MX-5 Miata. Bridgestone-developed SF325 185/60 R14 tires represent the starting point, joined by Nardi wood steering wheel and shift knob. A fabric soft top reminiscent of the original unit will be offered as well.
It’s highly likely that Mazda will enrich the parts catalog with replacement body panels and wheels, serviceable items, and other whatnots such as the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. Being susceptible to wear and tear, it would be perfect if Mazda were to offer replacement seats for the NA.
When it went on sale in the United States in 1989, the first generation of the world’s best-selling convertible sports car carried a retail price of $13,800. Vectoring in the cumulative rate of inflation since then, the starting price for the NA works out to approximately $27,260 in today’s money. And for reference, the cheapest ND available for the 2017 model year starts at $26,395.
Most impressively, however, the NA and ND are extremely close as far as curb weight is concerned. In its most spartan configuration, the original tipped the scales at 2,070 lbs (940 kg). As for the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5, the 1.5-liter model weighs 2,315 pounds (1,050 kilograms) including 163 pounds (75 kilograms) worth of driver.
As owners of the NA patiently wait for Mazda to make the restoration business a reality, the automaker confirmed what sort of spare parts are in the offing for the first-generation MX-5 Miata. Bridgestone-developed SF325 185/60 R14 tires represent the starting point, joined by Nardi wood steering wheel and shift knob. A fabric soft top reminiscent of the original unit will be offered as well.
It’s highly likely that Mazda will enrich the parts catalog with replacement body panels and wheels, serviceable items, and other whatnots such as the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. Being susceptible to wear and tear, it would be perfect if Mazda were to offer replacement seats for the NA.
When it went on sale in the United States in 1989, the first generation of the world’s best-selling convertible sports car carried a retail price of $13,800. Vectoring in the cumulative rate of inflation since then, the starting price for the NA works out to approximately $27,260 in today’s money. And for reference, the cheapest ND available for the 2017 model year starts at $26,395.
Most impressively, however, the NA and ND are extremely close as far as curb weight is concerned. In its most spartan configuration, the original tipped the scales at 2,070 lbs (940 kg). As for the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5, the 1.5-liter model weighs 2,315 pounds (1,050 kilograms) including 163 pounds (75 kilograms) worth of driver.
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