Mazda MX-5 Miata Family Drag and Roll Races End With Predictable Yet Funny Results

Both Japan and Australia are right-hand drive markets, so it's only natural they were among the first to welcome the new and improved model year. But the same goes for the United Kingdom, which didn't get the 2024MY facelift just yet. On the other hand, they did receive a slew of races courtesy of Mat Watson and the 'carwow' team, who are back again with another single-brand and model generational brawl - this time between four Miatas.

In the past, the carwow channel organized feisty battles between the Ken Block Hoonitron and the Audi Quattro rally car, the Bentley GT Le Mans and Flying Spur Speed, all three Audi RS passenger cars, all the Porsche 911 GTs, or all generations of the BMW M2s, complete with surprises. They were all pretty darn fast, of course. Well, now there's a change of pace because Miatas are known for many other stuff, but not quarter-mile times.

Anyway, that doesn't matter to Mat and the team because they've decided to enjoy the NA, NB, NC, and ND Mazda MX-5 Miatas to their fullest. They started with the presentation in order of age, which also shows the progression to the most powerful variant, an MX-5 Miata Anniversary Edition. They also made fun of the guy in the NC MX-5 because his radio was playing some awkward sounds and then proceeded to hit the throttle for the initial dig.

The quarter-mile drag race showed the massive gap between the fourth iteration and the rest of the pack, with the NC barely edging out the other two. Secondly, Mat devised a decidedly British test – how fast can they cover and immediately uncover the roadsters to catch the sun between two pesky rains. Thirdly, they also did a couple of roll races – the second with a twist: they started at 50 mph but in their highest gear and saw who crept up the fastest to the half-mile finish line.

And, fourth – as there were four cars involved in the battle – they also performed the traditional braking test, albeit with a professional driver at the wheel of the NA MX-5 because that one doesn't even feature ABS! Oh, and they also had a jolly good time with all these tests because when more than one MX-5s is present anywhere, it's the thrill of the camaraderie more than anything else that matters.

Yep, of course, because these little roadsters are pretty slow, especially by today's standards! However, most people would agree they still retain that exceptional charm that helped Mazda revive the affordable sports car segment during the early 1990s!