This might come as a surprise to some, but Mazda has been in the automotive industry for 100 years! Even though it started building four-wheeled passenger cars a mere 60 years ago, the brand built various auto-related products—like three-wheeled motorcycles—for far longer. Now, the brand is celebrating its centennial anniversary in a classy way: it’s packaging the Mazda Miata in a special way.
MX-5 Miata 100th Anniversary
In the US, Mazda has selected the MX-5 Miata to be the flag-bearer of its anniversary. The brand has reached back to its heritage and blended retro designs with a modern aesthetic. The 100th Anniversary Special Edition Mazda MX-5 Miata will be available in limited numbers. The models will also be available in just two main versions: an exclusive red soft top or an RF (Retractable Fastback).
On the outside, the car will have Snowflake White Pearl Mica. It will come with red styling features that accent most of the exterior. The result is that the MX-5 Miata looks fashionably retro with a refined aesthetic.
The front fender comes with a minimalistic badge that reads “100 Years 1920 – 2020”. The wheel center caps also come with a red-and-black 100th Anniversary logo, and the car has 17-inch dark silver aluminium wheels.
Inside the Car
The subtle retro styling continues inside the car. To add a level of sophistication, the brand customized the seats to have red leather. Under the seats are matching red carpets. The red floor mats also have the same badge as the front fender. On the headrests, the designers embossed the 100th Anniversary logo. Even the key fob has the same logo, and it further comes in a special edition box.
The car has a Bose audio system with speakers on both the driver and passenger headrests. It also comes with heated leather seats and automatic climate control. On the software front, it has Android Auto as well as Apple CarPlay.
Vintage Power
The MX-5 Miata 100th Anniversary is based on Mazda’s latest Grand Touring model. The car is powered by a four-cylinder Skyactiv-G 2.0 engine. This engine churns out 151 lb ft. of torque and 181 horsepower. This might not seem like much, but it’s actually balanced considering the car is a two-seater only and weighs just over one ton. When it comes to transmission, buyers can choose between a Skyactiv-Drive six-speed automatic that includes paddle shifters and a more traditional six-speed manual.
Even though the automatic is great, the automatic version has better options. These include Bilstein dampers, a limited-slip differential, sport-tuned suspension, a black roof for the RF version, and a front shock tower brace.
Affordable
The 100th Anniversary MX-5 Miata will have a base price of $35,425 for the Retractable Flashback version and $32,670 for the Soft Top. These are the manual versions. The automatic versions will cost anywhere from $300 above the base price.
This isn’t a bad price range, to be honest. Special Edition vehicles tend to cost a lot more with time, especially if they are sold in limited quantities. And the special edition is only $1,000 more expensive than the Grand Touring model it’s based on. So, collectors should definitely be ready to get this.
Around The World
In countries around the world, Mazda has arranged for a range of its car models to include the 100th Anniversary trim. This ranges from its sedans to its crossover SUVs. Alas, these models will not be available in the US.
Car enthusiasts outside the US will have the chance to drive off in any of these cars. Mazda have styled the cars themselves after the R360 Coupe. This was the car manufacturer’s first-ever four-wheeled passenger car.
Celebrating Mazda’s Heritage
Car enthusiasts will want to buy the 100th Anniversary Special Edition Mazda MX-5 Miata. It’s not too costly, and they will own a unique piece of machinery.