* Click HERE to see a video on the Miata Mazdaspeed *

Totem Roadster

Back in 1989, Mazda introduced the MX-5 Miata to the World. This car was a 2-seater roadster, a body style that had long since been abandoned on our market. It was an immediate hit even though it had a small 1.6L engine of only 116 hp. It was mainly praised for the way it drove. In 1994, the Miata received a 1.8L 4-cylinder that, like the 1.6L, was sourced from the Protegé. In 1999, the Miata went from first to second generation by receiving new sheet metal and a third power increase to 140 hp to the same 1.8L. There were a few complications with output evaluations in 2001 when Mazda claimed 155 hp but the real number fell to a more modest 142 hp. 2005 is the final year for the second generation of the Miata as 2006 now ushers in an all-new version known only as the MX-5.

The Miata has spawned many enthusiast sites, clubs and get-togethers. Die-hard fans have even gone so far as swapping 5.0L Ford V8s in the compact engine bay. Some have even managed to shoehorn a Chevrolet LS1 5.7L V8 into the same area. The admiration and love for this car is nearly unanimous worldwide as well over 500 000 units have been sold and delivered since 1990; a Guinness World record.

The price range for the 2005 Miata starts at $27,995 for a base GX model. An automatic GT with hardtop hovers just below $36,000. I got to drive a Mazdaspeed that retails for $34,495.

Styling

The 1990 to 2005 Miata has a timeless classic design that will always look good. It has evidently aged very well through sixteen model years and even if Mazda had not deemed it necessary for a total makeover for 2006, the car would still look current. Other than the addition and subtraction of colors and new wheels every other year, the Miata is near identical to the 1999 re-vamp. The key to this car is perfect harmony between the front and rear portions. The taillights complement the headlights which accentuate the shape of the hood and so on and so forth.

The basic design of the original Miata MX-5 was inspired by the British roadsters of the 50s and 60s. The MGBs, the Triumphs, the Austin Healeys and more specifically, the Lotuses served as a starting point for styling and driving characteristics. The result was clearly a triumph, to say the least, as the Miata spawned a revival of the roadster segment which brought to us such great cars as the Porsche Boxster, the Mercedes SLK, the BMW Z3 and the Honda S2000.

Built in Japan with care, the body panels were ideally aligned and the Titanium grey mica paint, the only color offered on the Mazdaspeed, was smooth and even.

The interior is obviously quite compact and given the car's exterior dimensions, the trunk could double as a lunch box. At a tad under 5ft 10" tall (I have personal height issues...); my frame fits perfectly behind the gauges. Even though the steering column is not adjustable for height, the wheel falls faultlessly into my lap. The slick-shifting 6-speed knob is mere inches from the wheel; ideal for rapid shifts. Heel and toe rev matching is made slightly more complicated by the total lack of space against the center console to allow any movement of the knee. The simplest way to match the engine revs is by rolling on the ball of the foot and thankfully the aluminium pedals are very close to each other.