HIROSHIMA: Mazda has begun production of the all-new Mazda MX-5 roadster here.
The first batches, produced since last Friday, are destined for the Japanese market. Sales will begin in Japan around June and will be progressively rolled out to overseas markets.
Some 26 years and almost 200 awards later, the legend is still going strong. With production exceeding 950,000 units as of the end of January 2015, the MX-5 continues to hold the Guinness World Record for the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car.
The all-new model is the lightest MX-5 since the first generation and the first with SKYACTIV Technology, including a choice in Europe of two ultra-efficient lightweight petrol engines delivering 129hp and 158hp.
Additional highlights include a sporty KODO: Soul of Motion design, the lowest centre of gravity to date on an MX-5, and a people-oriented interior that’s optimised for open-top driving. It is also available with the MZD Connect infotainment system and a range of i-ACTIVSENSE active and pre-crash safety technology.
First launched in 1989, the Mazda MX-5 instantly revived the market for affordable lightweight sports cars.
READ: Our 2009 review of the MX-5
