autoevolution
 

Mazda Eunos Comes Back As France-Only Special Edition, It’s Pretty Expensive

Eunos used to be a sub-brand of Mazda, founded in 1989 and discontinued in 1996. Specialized in high-end cars, Eunos can be summed up as nothing more than an experiment.
2020 Mazda Eunos 18 photos
Photo: Mazda
2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos2020 Mazda Eunos
One of the few nameplates that were marketed under this sub-brand in Japan is the Roadster, also known as the MX-5 Miata from the first generation. Having said these, why did Mazda revive Eunos as a special edition that’s limited to 110 units of the MX-5 in France?

There’s no other way around it, so here’s the answer. Just because! The Jet Black Mica paintwork serves as a nod to the S Limited, complemented by model-specific wheels from Rays and Nappa leather upholstery in Burgundy. Eunos branding is also included, along with serialized badging and numbered key rings to bring the point home.

Based on the highest specification available in France, the Eunos will set you back 34,600 euros including value-added tax. By comparison, the entry-level Elegance costs 28,900 euros while the range-topping Selection is 32,700 euros. In other words, you’re looking at a rather sensible premium of 1,900 euros over the Selection trim.

Available with either the six-speed manual or automatic transmission, the special-edition model comes with the 2.0-liter SkyActiv gasoline engine that packs 135 kW (181 horsepower). A nine-speaker audio system from Bose, i-Activsense safety features, a touchscreen for the infotainment system, Recaro body-hugging and heated seats, LED adaptive headlights, and Bilstein shock absorbers are a few other highlights.

Even though it’s in a class of its own, the MX-5 isn’t a big seller in the Old Continent. 13,803 examples of the breed were sold in 2019, down from 15,769 in 2017 and 21,228 in 1999. These results are only natural given the increasing demand for crossovers and SUVs, vehicles that have helped Mazda grow its 2019 market share from 1.49 percent in 2018 to 1.59 percent in 2019, translating to 249,371 sales.

On a related note, the ND will make way for the NE in a few years' time. Changes will include some sort of electrification according to research & development boss Ichiro Hirose.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
press release
About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories