From the end of World War II, small and affordable sports cars , often with open bodies, grew in popularity until the 1960s, when they peaked. In the 1970s, emission and safety limits were tightened in the USA, the world's largest car market at the time. The result was an increase in weight due to additional body reinforcements and a reduction in engine power to reduce consumption. This state of affairs was naturally unsustainable and thus the available sports cars became an extinct type of automobile . Only the Japanese Mazda managed to recover in the late 1980s.
Mazda officially states that it all began, one might say, with a sudden enlightenment . A designer's dream and an effort to somehow stand out from the crowd. But the truth is that the main man behind the comeback of light sports cars was motoring journalist Rob Hall . He worked for the Motor Trend media and dealt with Japanese cars. In 1976, he met with Mazda management, where he was asked what kind of car he would like the brand to put into production. The answer, of course, was that a light and cheap sports car without a roof . But everything changed only in 1981, when Hall joined Mazda and began to convince the management of the need for a similar car. A year later, the project was given the green light .
There were many original designs in the construction of the car. Front-wheel drive , mid-engine placement, both open and closed bodywork, two-seat or four-seat layouts, and so on, were considered. The cheapest solution would be to take the basis of some compact passenger car with front-wheel drive and put a different body on it. In the end, the solution won, which was more complicated , but ensured the maintenance of the tradition of similar cars. This meant an open two-seater body and rear-wheel drive , for which a completely new powertrain had to be developed.
The first development concept was a model called Jinba Ittai , which in translation means rider and horse as one body . Everything unnecessary was removed and the overall focus was purely on the enjoyment of driving . To this day, Jinba Ittai is said to remain a symbol in the development of each new generation of the MX-5 model, so that Mazda remains true to its roots. The design of the production car was developed by Mazda 's North American center in California, and then the project was taken over in the summer of 1986 by the Japanese team in Hiroshima. They received an almost finished clay model from their American colleagues.
Even at this stage, Mazda management was worried and many people questioned the sales potential of a similar car. It was therefore decided to present one of the clay models to 220 potential customers on American soil in April 1987. 57 of them said that if a similar car goes into production, they will definitely buy it. That was enough for Mazda 's management and the development was given final permission to complete . The series version was introduced under the name Mazda MX-5 on February 10, 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show. Sales began in May 1989 on the North American and Canadian markets, then in September in Japan under the name Eunos Roadster , and Europe did not wait until 1990. The reactions of the first journalists were enthusiastic and the demand for the car far exceeded the production capabilities of the brand. The MX-5 was an instant success.
The chassis of the car consisted of independent suspension of all four wheels on double wishbones, with a transverse stabilizer at the front and rear. The brakes were disc brakes , additionally ventilated at the front, and the wheels got a size of 14 inches . The MX-5 was 3,970mm long, 1,675mm wide and just 1,235mm tall. The entire body was made of steel , except for the aluminum hood. The hand of the scale stopped under the car at a value of 980 kilograms and the coefficient of air resistance was equal to the value of 0.38 .
The model's first engine was a 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder with DOHC distribution. The unit was specially developed for the MX-5 and had an output of 86 kW (117 hp) at 6,800 rpm and a torque of 136 Nm at 5,500 rpm . This meant a sprint from rest to 100 km/h in just over 8 seconds and a top speed of 203 km/h , which was limited to 180 km/h in Japan. The base was a five-speed manual transmission , but an automatic was also offered in Japan and the US. However, he did not become very successful. A limited slip rear differential was also available in the same markets. In order to keep the price as low as possible, the basic model was offered with steel wheels, manual windows and without power steering, audio system and air conditioning. Many of these elements later became standard equipment even for this cheapest version.
The 1994 model year saw a larger 1.8 liter engine with 98 kW (133 hp) and three years later 99 kW (135 hp) . The weight of the 1994 model increased to 990 kilograms , thanks to the installation of two front airbags and new body reinforcements to improve the protection of the crew in the event of a side impact. A new Torsen limited slip rear differential was available for Japan and the US. Even after this modernization, the Europeans still had the option of purchasing the original engine , which performed the function of basic motorization with a lower price tag. However, its output was reduced to 66 kW (89 hp) .
During the life cycle of the first generation Mazda MX-5 , due to the considerable popularity of the model, a number of special versions were created, the list of which would be published in a separate article. Personally, I find the most interesting one that celebrated the brand's victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race with the 787B model. This edition received the colors of the winning special, a turbo from BBR and other modifications. It is said to be one of the most sought -after versions of the Mazda MX-5 .
The first generation Mazda MX-5 retired in 1997 with the STO (Special Touring Option) version, which was produced in 1,500 units. If somewhere you come across the end of production in 1999, it is not a mistake. A further 400 units of the Berkeley Edition sports Mazda were produced that year, exclusively for the British market. I have to say that the first generation MX-5 impressed me the most and I also personally consider it to be the most successful in appearance. I envy all its owners.
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Source: Mazda, en.wikipedia.com, edmunds.com, mx5gallery.net and others
