When Mazda started producing cars one hundred years ago, no one expected their 100th anniversary to fall on a year such as this one, amongst what should be many hallmarks for the centennial brand. With top-rated vehicles in nearly every segment and some of the best gasoline engines in the industry today, Mazda has plenty to celebrate. However, acknowledging the terrible year we’ve all had, Mazda is doing a small part to spread the love, especially to the frontline workers who have put their own lives on the line to help us through this difficult time.
In April, Mazda launched their Essential Car Care Program offering free oil changes and car cleanings to frontline workers (regardless of Mazda ownership), and are now giving away 50 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata 100th Anniversary Special Editions in a new program called ‘Mazda Heroes: Honoring the Human Spirit’. You can get involved too and help decide which heroes these special edition MX-5 Miatas go to by nominating a frontline worker between now and October 25th at http://www.mazdausa.com/mazda-heroes. Keep in mind this is not limited to just frontline medical workers, but anyone who has demonstrated selfless acts, or creative approaches to helping the community in recent times.
Since 1989, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has embodied pure automotive joy as one of the most accessible and enjoyable sports cars available. With its light, responsive chassis, and plenty of usable power, the MX-5 Miata thrives on backroads, canyons, and the racetrack as a well-documented platform for modification by professionals and amateur racers alike. Over the years we have seen just a few special editions, and if you’re in the market for a collectible yet drivable sports coupe, the 100th Anniversary Special Edition is worth a look.
Offered with a traditional fabric soft-top, or sleek, retractable fastback hardtop (RF), the Mazda MX-5 Miata 100th Anniversary Edition, starts with the top-of-the-line Grand Touring trim, and adds a number of unique touches over the standard model. Wearing a pearlescent snowflake white paired with a beautiful oxblood red interior unique to this edition, there are a number of distinct touches that set this apart from the production Miata, from edition-specific badging on the fender and wheels, to commemorative plaques on the interior, and embossing on the beautiful burgundy leather seats, the Mazda MX-5 Miata 100th Anniversary Edition is a standout and surely a future collectible.
Available this fall, the Mazda MX-5 Miata 100th Anniversary Edition starts at $33,615 for the soft-top, and $36,370 for the RF Hardtop, available with either a 6-speed automatic or manual transmission. Power comes from a 4-cylinder 2.0L engine, producing 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. Although these numbers may not seem high, the Miata’s 2,100-pounds curb-weight and ultra-responsive chassis, enables it to punch well above its class. While this niche sports car may not be for everyone, fifty essential workers will soon be able to put 2020 in the rear-view thanks to Mazda’s generosity, and you could too.
