The best sports cars have always offered more than powerful performance and dynamic details. They evoke feelings and emotion as well. That spirit has always been present in the engineering and design of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, and we are proud to have been recognized by the Robb Report, a luxury & lifestyle magazine publication, who just included it in their 50 Greatest Sports Cars of All Time.
The final list was determined by a panel of twelve experts, who were asked to choose their 50 vehicles from a list of over 150. After contentious debates and spirited discussion, they unanimously selected a top five, and knowledgeable editors refined the final, complete rankings.
The MX-5 Miata was a top ten pick, coming in at number nine, ranking above vehicles like the Porsche 959, the Lamborghini Miura and the first-generation Ford Mustang.
MIATA IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER
“Though its styling is more akin to a postmodern 'Jelly Bean' than a conventional roadster, the first-generation Mazda Miata drew inspiration from the 1960s-era Lotus Elan,” the Robb Report wrote of the MX-5 Miata.
“The MX-5 embodied the lightweight construction and driver-focused priorities embraced by postwar British sportscar manufacturers like Austin-Healey, MG, and Triumph but departed from the formula by delivering bulletproof reliability and oil-free driveways.”
The writers also highlighted one statistic that has always made us extremely proud: that the MX-5 Miata is the “most-raced car in the world…with over 4,000 members in the SCCA’s Spec Miata class.“
ALWAYS REFINING
It’s this grassroots racing success that has led Mazda to award over $940,000 in year-end & per race prizes at the MX-5 Cup, including a $250,000 payout for the champion. And the details that make the MX-5 Miata such a thrilling racing car, like its lightweight construction and newly adapted Kinematic Posture Control, also make it a thrilling drive on roads across the world.
“Sports cars might have started over 100 years ago as simple exercises in design and engineering or how best to win motor races,” the Robb Report wrote of its entire list, “but almost since the beginning they have been about emotion, too, and any appraisal reflects that tension between head and heart.”
After 35 years of evolution and refinement, the MX-5 Miata is still seeking out that perfect balance, and will continue to do so for another 35 years.
To see the full list, visit the Robb Report article here. You can also learn more about the Mazda MX-5 Miata and how it has evolved over 35 years to improve on roadster perfection.
