Come back tomorrow to read about our take on the 25th anniversary of Mazda’s most iconic car
Few cars can claim to have a production span as long as the Mazda Miata (or MX-5 if you’re new-school), and tomorrow, the iconic little roadster will celebrate its 25th birthday.
Jay Leno says Mazda “got it right the first time,” and that’s one of the main reasons the Miata has been so successful: Since its birth, it has remained the quintessential driver’s roadster. The affordable front-engined, rear-wheel-drive convertible is light, tight and tickles drivers with its delightfully sporty driving dynamics. It’s not the fastest or most advanced, its designers admit, but it is the most fun. It’s a simple machine that has one goal: To make you smile, and Leno does that a lot in this episode of Jay Leno’s Garage.
“It’s not about going fast,” Leno says, “It’s about going swiftly, and you can drive this car very, very swiftly.”
Leno, himself a Miata fan, speaks to the two men responsible for the Miata, and they share a fascinating story about how the sports car was born and almost didn’t happen. Watch the video below:
