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<Designer Of The Mazda Miata, Shunji Tanaka, Dies Aged 75 Thanks for everything, Tanaka-San. Shunji Tanaka, the chief designer of the original (NA) Mazda MX-5 Miata, has passed away. The announcement was made on Facebook by a close friend and chairperson of the MX-5 Club Tanaka was a member of, Mr. Katsuyuki Satake. A translation by a fellow enthusiast alerted CarBuzz to the news with a simple statement, "I'm so sorry to announce that Mr. Tanaka, the Chief Designer of NA MX-5 has passed away on Dec. 12th at the age of 75." Apparently, Mr. Tanaka's last words were, "I have no regret in my life." It's unclear what Tanaka died of, but he was right, not having any regrets. He gave the world the seminal small sports car. The Miata is the Porsche 911 of small sports cars and has a legacy and reputation some manufacturers can only dream of. Mazda Friends Of MX-5/Facebook Mazda Mazda Mazda It remains the world's best-selling sports car and one of the most affordable ways for automotive enthusiasts to have fun. Mazda may be moving over to hybrid power for the MX-5 in future, but we're sure the fun element will be retained. For now, it remains true to its origins. Despite being head designer of the Miata, Tanaka did not get as much attention as the lead engineers, Toshihiko Hirai and Takao Kijima. These two men were responsible for making the Miata the epic driving tool, while Tanaka was responsible for the exterior and interior design. While the Miata certainly deserves praise as a driving tool, the design is as much a part of a very successful and lucrative roadster. Before the Miata came along, the roadster had all but died out. It continued the ethos of British roadsters but rectified their build quality and reliability issues for a complete package like no other. Friends of MX-5 Miata/Facebook Mazda MX-5 Miata 25 years The NA Miata was such a hit, an entire book was written about it when it turned 25. As you can see, the famous pop-up headlights and smiling face were always a part of the design, inspired by the Lotus Elan. According to Tanaka, the concept for the Miata was a "Swinging Time Machine." In short, it was a symbol of freedom and meant to provide a thrilling open-top experience that brought the driver closer to nature. Many people don't know this, but the first concept was designed in California. Mazda approved the project, which sparked the initial design phase. After completing the project, it was shipped to Japan, where a disapproving Tanaka met it. Mazda MX-5 Miata 25 years MX-5 Miata Forum MX-5 Miata Forum According to interviews with Tanaka, he thought the design was too Americanized, and there was no way to identify it as a lightweight sports car. He didn't beat around the bush. He also said the US team must have "eaten too much steak and forgotten the delicacy of Japanese cuisine." You can see the difference between the California concept and Tanaka's clay model in the photos above, with the redesign taking influence from his wife's love of Japanese Noh masks that seemingly change expression depending on the angle they are viewed from. Whether his comments were too harsh or not, history speaks for itself. The NA Miata is a driving and design icon, and Shunji Tanaka was responsible for half of that. Rest in peace Tanaka-San. Your legacy lives on in the heart of every Miata fan. Kenji Matsuda/Facebook Friends of MX-5 Miata/Facebook 佐竹克行/Facebook 佐竹克行/Facebook>

Mazda Amati logo. The initial Amati products would have been the Amati 500 (which became the Mazda Millenia), and the Amati 1000 (a new rear wheel drive V12 successor to the Mazda 929). This never happened, leaving the near-luxury Millenia to the Mazda brand.

Chance upon this while watching some car reviews. Quite chio or cool... https://www.mitsuoka-motor.com/global/lineup/new/rock-star/ The Mitsuoka Rock Star. It looks like the 60s Chevy C2 Corvette but underneath the skin is the MX5 Miata. The 1.5L NA one. It's actually on sale here in Singapore via some PI. See link below and scroll to the bottom to see who's selling. Price? $220,800 with COE. Glup... https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub/bt-motoring/mitsuoka-rock-star-review-fully-vetted Other PI selling the 1.5L Miata at $154K. https://www.sgcarmart.com/new_cars/newcars_overview.php?CarCode=11744 The Japanese review. Turn on CC/subs, settings choose auto-translate to English. If you dunno how, get a Millennia to do it for you. LoL... Oh... It's also a limited run production. Only 220 units will be made and only 20 units will make it out of Japan to be sold. If you have $220K spare change...

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33002110/mazda-special-edition-100th-anniversary-miata/ Mazda Miata 100th Anniversary Released in Limited Edition for U.S. Mazda unveils a special edition 100th-Anniversary Miata to mark the company’s 100 years of being in business. The special edition 2020 MX-5 Miata comes in white with a red interior and unique branding throughout. The vehicle is based on the 2020 MX-5 Miata Grand Touring edition. Based on the 2020 MX-5 Grand Touring, the limited-edition 100th Anniversary Miata celebrates Mazda's 100 years of being in business. Offered in a Snowflake White Pearl Mica paint job with a red interior, soft top, and accents throughout, the vehicle takes some color cues from Mazda's first passenger vehicle, the R360 coupe. The 100th-anniversary roadster will be available as either a burgundy red softtop or as an RF (retractable fastback). The top's color is exclusive to this vehicle, so if you’re going to go all special edition, you might as well go all the way. Exclusive “100 Years 1920–2020” badges are situated on the front fenders and the center caps. Inside, the special edition red interior is accented with the vehicle’s unique 100th-anniversary logo embossed on the leather headrests and a tiny plaque placed into the carpet. Even the key fob gets the 100th-anniversary treatment. The Miata has the same 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque as the MX-5 Grand Tourer it’s based on along with the same features. It’ll also be available with either a six-speed manual transmission or Mazda's Skyactiv-Drive six-speed automatic transmission. Those interested in owning one can sign up now with delivery expected to occur this fall starting at $33,615; starting price is $36,370 for the retractable fastback model.

Hi guys, any idea how much should a coe miata NA version cost in the market? The paper value is at best 2.5k X the number of years left but how much above to pay above that and the per year depreciation? Check out sgcarmart and most looking at at least 6k p.a. Many thanks.

Hi, My power window is not functioning as it should. Have changed the switch and checked but the problem returns. Please advise where/who can get it fixed. Ride: NC Thanks in advance.

Deciding to get either a mx-5 or an eg6 for fun driving, occasional thrashing around and maybe rare tracking in malayasia. saw a red NA mx-5 on sgcarmart and went down for a look. it has some rust on the hood and some oil leaks in the engine bay. i know the reliability of this car is legendary especially in USA. but is the cost of repairs and maintenance low in singapore context? also, assuming the NA is going for about $7k depreciation while the NC is going for $10k depreciation and finally the MRS is also around $10k depreciation, which is actually a better buy in terms of yearly maintenance costs? thanks for all input.

This is probably the most creative way to piss your racing opponent off if you do happen to find yourself neck and neck with your rival in a straight line. For those who are well-versed in the internet lingo, 'Trolling' would best describe what the driver on the left did to this guy with the camera. But then again, in a one-make race with a not-exactly-fast Mazda MX-5, you need to be a bit more innovative to win races. Watch and find out what was done. http://dai.ly/x24qrzg_10643559-836982839653703-46859749-n_auto

While some of us take our height for granted, this fella here is not letting his lack of height discourage him from getting sideways in his Miata. I must say his NB Miata sounds and looks pretty good too. http://dai.ly/x234tmr_slammed-miata-street-drifting-get-nit_auto

Twenty-five years after the original Mazda MX-5 was revealed at the 1989 Chicago Motor show, Mazda has given us our first insight into the technology that will underpin the all-new fourth-generation MX-5 – due on sale in 2015. Now these images show how the car could look. Displayed at last week's New York Motor Show wasn't the new Mazda MX-5 itself, but the advanced new SKYACTIV-chassis and engine that will form the backbone of the new MX-5, and the new Alfa Spider being co-developed alongside it. Mazda has confirmed the engine will be positioned behind the front axle and closer to the car’s centre than ever before, plus the centre of gravity will be lower than previous generations – factors that should improve the handling. The new chassis has also been engineered for “outstanding body rigidity and crashworthiness”, while the weight has been reduced by more than 100kg through the use of thinner, higher-strength steels. As a result, entry-level soft-top models are expected to weigh less than 1,050kg. New Mazda MX-5: extra details: At this stage there are no other official details from Mazda, although the car is expected to gain a slightly longer wheelbase than its predecessor for improved stability, comfort and interior space. The engine range is likely to include a pair of naturally-aspirated four-cylinder SKYACTIV petrol engines – one a 1.5-litre unit and the other a 2.0-litre, with around 130bhp and 165bhp respectively. As you can see in the picture, a manual gearbox will continue to be offered, with an auto as an option. Mazda is giving little away about the car’s design, but it’s believed to be a very different interpretation of the ‘Kodo’ design language – rather than a cardboard cut-out of the new Mazda3 or Mazda6. Expect simple-surfacing and classic roadster proportions with a long bonnet and the cabin pushed back towards the rear axle.

A little bit of nostalgia here http://www.mazda.com/mazdaspirit/craftmanship/mx-5/mx-5_25th/ Hope the next one is just as good! It already sounds promising: http://jalopnik.com/5912579/the-next-mazda-mx+5-roadster-will-spawn-an-alfa-romeo

The Mazda MX-5 Miata was regarded as one of the best-driving, most influential sports cars of the past two decades. And believe it or not, one of these iconic sports cars from Mazda has been lying around in the garage, never driven for 23 years. Recently, on auction site eBay, an owner, from Kingman, Arizona, has listed his 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata for sale. In the description, the seller said the car, which was never registered, didn't come with a set of keys, so he had to have a set made. Though the paint is clean and shiny, the Miata didn't escape minor cosmetic damage over the years, with scratches on the hood, the trunk and the factory hardtop that is included with the car. The front, right fender has a small dent as well. The seller also added that the car was stored in a building with windows, so the paint is faded in some places. It's antenna and battery is missing, and the only non-original parts on the car are the windshield wipers. The clear-title car comes with all paperwork, according to the seller, but, besides the owners' manual, he didn't specify what other documentation would be included. But more impressively, the car has only clocked 44km on its odometer! According to the seller, he bought the car with 32km on it, and explained that 11km were added when the car was towed home. Frankly speaking, it's getting hard to find ones that haven't been beaten to hell. If this is accurate, it is about the cleanest and nicest Miata we have ever seen, and it looks like it just came off the showroom floor more than 20 years ago. Though its story is a bit strange, this barn find appears to be in excellent shape and looks like a really good deal not to be missed. As of this writing, the auction has one day to go, and the current bid is just USD$10,500 (S$13,335). Unfortunately, it's a left-hand drive and if someone were to ship it over to Singapore, it would most probably lay around in the garage too, till its next owner ships it back overseas. Note: Photos shown are not of actual vehicle.

Well, I won't argue that there are plenty of sports cars out there with retractable roofs. However, among all those convertibles, the MX-5 (Miata) from Japanese automaker Mazda may be one in particular that you should put your eyes on. Not only does it offer hair winding fun, but there's actually more to it than you might possibly imagine. Well, here's some proof. Recently, Mazda U.K., in collaboration with some Frisbee freaks and pro stunt drivers, just made this video which I would say is pretty cool. Watch the video and I believe you will think playing Frisbee on a car is something you should try too. At a glance, what these people did in the video may seem impossible. However, they managed to pull it off - and with a huge success in my opinion. Although the Mazda MX-5 isn't the type of car you can really count on when it comes to speed, it does offer you a fun steering, braking, gear shifting, and suspension. As a result, it makes something as fun as throwing the Frisbee disk from the car in front such that it lands in the car behind possible and it's unimaginably fun. To top it off, it can all be done while drifting, too! Hehe, I think you may even get addicted to it over times. However, don't swallow my words for it in an instance. Go check out the action and the fun yourself in the video.

[extract] The Mazda MX-5 has been ranked the highest sports car in the 2011 J.D. Power vehicle ownership satisfaction survey published recently. It beats worthy opponents such as the Volkswagen Scirocco, Audi TT, Mercedes Benz CLK and SLK. This is not the first time that the Mazda MX-5 has been successful in the J.D. Power Survey. It even notched up a satisfaction rating of 82.4 percent, an increase on its last year

Source: Mazda Car enthusiasts in North America received a special gift for the holidays as the MAZDASPEED MX-5 Miata made its official debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show in January of 2004. Shown briefly at the industry-only 2003 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in November, the vehicle was seen for the first time by the general public in Los Angeles. "MAZDASPEED is the name given to the best of the best Mazda vehicles and we

Called up NTUC and they told me they only accept with 50% NCD. Else they don't insure. AXA doesn't insure as well. #&"&%!%$#!%!% Oh yeah I have never owned a car.