Mazda Celebrates 35 Years of the Miata With Concepts and Special Editions at Retromobile

Mazda trekked out to Retromobile to celebrate the MX-5 Miata’s 35th anniversary. Part of the model’s enduring appeal is that the same basic characteristics that defined it in 1989 still define it today: it’s light, it’s sporty, and it’s relatively affordable. That’s not to say it hasn’t changed. Mazda has experimented with numerous Miata off-shoots including a coupe and a roof-less model, and it displayed both in Paris.

Less roof: the 2009 MX-5 Superlight Concept

Mazda unveiled the MX-5 Superlight Concept at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show. Created to celebrate the nameplate’s 20th birthday, the roadster was presented as a design study and not seriously considered for production. Had it been built, it would have caused a frenzy in Mazda showrooms regardless of price.

The company started with a third-generation Miata and went on a weight-saving crusade. It removed the windshield and A-pillars, the soft top, and even the windows to make the concept as light as possible. The air conditioning was tossed out as well (what are you going to cool?), and several carbon fiber parts made their way into the cabin. Mazda also widened the track and fitted a lowered suspension with Bilstein parts.

The 2,193-pound Superlight was powered by a Euro-spec 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 126 horsepower. Hitting 62 mph from a stop took 8.9 seconds, which was about a second quicker than a standard European Miata.

More roof: the 2003 Roadster Coupé

This one wasn’t a concept, but Mazda capped production at 179 cars and chose not to sell a single one outside of Japan. The idea was to distill what enthusiasts loved about the Miata and inject the mixture into a coupe. Welding the roof gave the coupe a fastback-like silhouette that many of my colleagues would ardently argue looks better than the regular Miata’s. Is anyone else getting Jaguar XK vibes from it?

Beyond the coupe transformation, the Roadster Coupé was pretty much identical to the NB-generation Miata. It shared its lights, its dashboard, and its basic drivetrain with its roadster counterpart. Mazda made several trim levels available. The red example displayed at Retromobile, which is the ninth one built, is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder rated at 160 horsepower and bolted to a six-speed stick. It weighs 2,380 pounds, so adding a real roof doesn’t disqualify this Miata for the coveted “lightweight” label.

Mazda also brought out a 1995 NA and a 2000 NB. The latter is a limited-edition model called Miracle Edition that was only available in select European markets, including Germany. Finished in an elegant color combination, it’s equipped with leather upholstery, wood interior trim, and a Nardi steering wheel.