-The company that reinvented the roadster extends its record-setting production for lightweight, open two-seater sports cars
HIROSHIMA—Mazda Motor Corporation marked a significant production milestone on March 5 as the 700,000th Mazda Roadster (known as Miata and MX-5 in other markets) rolled off the assembly line at the Ujina No. 1 plant near Mazda’s headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan. Vehicle number 700,000, powered by the new 1.8-liter turbocharged, 178-horsepower engine and painted Velocity Red Mica, will be shipped to the U.S. market. This milestone was achieved 14 years and 11 months after the original Mazda Roadster was launched in April 1989 and further extends the company’s world record for production volume of a two-seat convertible sports car.
In May 2000, the Mazda Roadster was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s top-selling two-seater roadster with a cumulative production volume of 500,000 units. To mark the new production milestone, Mazda will re-apply with the Guinness organization in an effort to reestablish the record.
The Mazda Roadster debuted at the Chicago Auto Show in February 1989, was launched in the United States in May of the same year and then rolled out in markets throughout the world. The Mazda Roadster debuted in Japan in September 1989.
Currently in its 15th year of production, the best-selling sports car and Mazda brand icon has become the symbol of driving pleasure in many markets throughout the world. Roadster fans around the globe have established driving clubs in an effort to support their shared enthusiasm for the vehicle. Since launch, the Roadster has captured more than 100 international automotive awards, including two key awards in the United States: "Automobile of the Year" by Automobile Magazine and one of Car and Driver magazine’s 10Best Cars.
The Roadster was developed based on the simple and pure concept of "oneness between car and driver." With its fun-to-drive, lightweight open-top design and simple, distinctive styling, it is instantly recognizable as a product embodying Mazda’s "Zoom-Zoom" brand philosophy.
The first-generation Roadster achieved a total production volume of just over 430,000 units during eight years of production. This was followed by the introduction of the current, second-generation model in January 1998. With the ongoing refinement of its engine and chassis, as well as introduction of various limited-edition models in markets across the globe, Mazda’s lightweight sports car continues today to meet the high expectations of driving enthusiasts.
The most recent special editions of the Mazda Roadster include the two-seat Roadster Coupe released in October 2003 in Japan and a turbocharged model launched initially in Japan in December 2003 and now also available in North America and Australia. In December 2001, Mazda introduced the Roadster NR-A in the Japanese market, a model specifically designed for the motor sports beginner to race in Roadster Party Races (one-make races) sponsored in Japan by Mazda.