The Mazda MX-5 Miata has a strong following, and it’s very easy to see why. The little roadster, which has been around since the 90s, is affordably priced, easy to drive, and looks great on a summer’s day with the top down. It’s the accessible third car, designed for cruising around on a pleasant summer’s day without a care in the world. It’s also the gateway to competitive racing for plenty of people. Slap a roll cage and a fire extinguisher in a production spec Miata, and there are plenty of competitions you can enter with it. It’s still going to sting in the wallet department, it’s racing after all, but it’s noticeably less financially destructive than almost anything else. Plus, when repairs are needed (and they will be needed)
So how do you celebrate the Miata’s 35th birthday? Surely you’d need a vehicle that captures all of its good points. The fun, the flair, the exceptional handling, the style, and most of all the affordability. And you know what, Mazda may have done just that.
It may be a bit more familiar than you think
Underneath it all, the Miata 35th Anniversary Edition is pretty much a stock Miata–albeit one from the top end “Grand Touring” trim. So don’t expect special edition performance. You’ll get the same powertrain, with the same tuning, as you get in the less limited Grand Touring, that’s a 2-liter I-4 which can crank out 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. It doesn’t sound like a lot by modern standards, but it’s in a Miata. When you’re in something so light and so low slung, that’s all the horsepower you want. It feels fast, agile, and a bit dangerous. Crank that thing over 200, and the fun may turn into abject terror.
Other similarities with the Grand Touring include heated seats, a Bose audio system, and things like wireless Android Auto/Apple Car Play. In terms of configuration, you don’t have a lot of wiggle room. The vehicle is only sold as a six-speed manual (though purists will argue that you should be opting for a stick shift in your Miata anyway) and only comes as a soft-top convertible.
Where things really differ is in the styling department. It’s subtle, if you ignore the 35th Anniversary logo embossed into the head rests.
The Mazda 35th Anniversary edition comes with a unique color, in the United States that color is called “Artisan Red.” It’s a deep and glossy color that shifts with the light. It can be quite sparkly when you get up close and the sunlight is catching it, and that seems to be the “in” thing with most car paints at the moment.
Overall, the color fits the vehicle very well and pairs beautifully with the light tan nappa leather interior and beige soft top. Mazda’s limited edition Miata also rolls around on a unique set of multispoke 17-inch rims, which is a nice, albeit subtle, touch.
It’s oh so very limited
Price may not be a barrier to many people. The special edition vehicle is only slightly more expensive than the Miata’s current top trim. It costs just $36,250, or $37,435 once the destination fee is added. But even if you have the money sitting spare, you’re pretty unlikely to get your hands on one of these limited-run Miatas.
As things stand, Mazda is only exporting 300 of the special edition vehicles to the United States. If you have an exceptional relationship with your Mazda dealer, then there’s a chance you may be able to get your name on the list. But demand is likely to outstrip supply. Some will eventually hit the second hand market, and it’s currently unknown if the price will be more, less, or around the same than the roughly $37,500 you’ll need to fork over should you get the opportunity to buy one new. Still, if you’re a huge fan of the Miata and enjoy what Mazda has done here, then paying a little extra may not be an issue.
This may be one for the purists
So, does the vehicle tick all of the boxes? Is it a Miata in its purist form? Can we call it a worthy birthday gift from Mazda to the world? Yes, I would say so. Mazda could have tuned it to high heaven, found a more powerful engine from somewhere, upgraded the brakes and suspension, and belted out something over the top. But that wouldn’t really be a Miata. The price had to stay low, or you’d be abandoning one of the main things that make the little Japanese coupe so special. Accessibility. Going all out on performance would have likely made the normally punchy, agile vehicle feel a bit weird. It wouldn’t be a Miata.
So what you’re left with is the vehicular equivalent of a shiny Pokémon card. Pretty much the same as the standard version, but it’s sparkly and a lot rarer. But you know what, if you really think about it, would you have it any other way?
