1994 Mazda Mx-5 Miata, Rare, Only 26,300 Miles, 1 Owner, Carfax, Autocheck on 2040-cars

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2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata priced from $24,915

When Ford introduced the 2015 Mustang, it gave us 300 percent more car for about 10 percent more money. Mazda has done even better with the MX-5 Miata: the current roadster starts at $23,970 in Sport trim with a five-speed manual, the smaller, lighter, sharper 2016 model is just under $1,000 more, starting at $24,915 with a six-speed manual. Destination, unchanged, adds $820 to that MSRP. It is divided into the same three tiers of Sport, Club, and Grand Touring but the standard feature set grows, with the departure of that five-speed manual for six-speeders across the board, LED headlights, and extra infotainment functionality. Mazda says it will release more pricing in the future, but so far things just keep looking up for the one of the best little roadsters out there. The press release below has more. Related Video: MAZDA ANNOUNCES STARTING PRICE FOR 2016 MX-5 Fourth-generation MX-5 stays true to affordable convertible sports car roots IRVINE, Calif. (March 30, 2015) – Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced that the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata will start at $24,9151 in entry-level Sport trim. Mazda has instilled the latest MX-5 with the pure driving experience that has won worldwide fanfare since the arrival of the first-generation MX-5 in 1989 as a 1990 model. Yet, the fourth-generation MX-5 provides Mazda's latest safety features and technologies and maintains an inflation-adjusted price close to that of the original roadster. The 2016 MX-5 launches this summer and will be available in Sport, Club and Grand Touring trim levels. "As we get closer to the MX-5's summer on-sale date, we're seeing a surge in interest and excitement from enthusiasts and journalists," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "Already, early MX-5 reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and we expect the momentum that MX-5 has garnered to continue to build as drivers get behind the wheel of our fourth-generation sports car." Infused with SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY and KODO-Soul of Motion design, the 2016 MX-5 is smaller, lighter and more aggressive than its predecessor, with the base MX-5 Sport expected to outperform the sportiest previous road-going variants. However, even with its focus on delivering maximum driving enjoyment, the 2016 MX-5 boasts more creature comforts and a more functional interior than the vehicle it replaces.

Masamichi Kogai new Mazda president and CEO

There's some executive rearranging going on in the top suite at Mazda Motor Corporation in Japan, with current CEO Takashi Yamanouchi telling reporters there "I'd like to hand over the work to younger people" now that the company has returned to profitability. Yamanouchi became CEO on November 19, 2008 of an independent Mazda that had to fight for its future in the immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis. What followed was four years of losses before finally getting back to black last year.
Masamichi Kogai (pictured) will be appointed the new president and CEO on June 25, pending approval at the company's annual general shareholders' meeting. Kogai assisted Seita Kanai with the production-efficiency initiative that Mazda called Mono Tsukuri Innovation, which worked to give export-dependent Mazda the best chance at profitability in spite of a rising yen. Kogai, lately in charge of production and purchasing, has been with the company since 1977 and worked in areas from R&D to logistics.
Kanai, who headed the Mono Tsukuri effort and was among the leadership on Skyactiv, will be promoted from executive vice president to vice chairman. Akira Marumoto will become executive VP of Mazda and assistant to new president Kogai. Yamanouchi will remain Chairman of the Board. There's a short press release below to make it official.

Junkyard Gem: 1981 Mazda RX-7

The first-generation Mazda RX-7 was sold for the 1978 through 1985 model years, and for decades you'd see and hear these nimble little sports cars buzzing around American streets. Then, well, the apex seals went out, or owners tired of a 2,400-pound car that drank fuel like an Eldorado, or the floor pans were eaten by the Rust Monster... and then nearly all of them were gone. Enough of them remain, however, for a steady trickle to show up with depressing regularity in self-service wrecking yards. Here's a pretty solid '81 that I found in a Denver yard last month. The 12A Wankel engine in this car made 100 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque, which was very good for 1981 (considering that you could buy a new Camaro with a 115-horsepower V8 that year). The $9,385 RX-7 looked like an especially good value when compared to, say, the $11,299 Datsun 280ZX or the $8,997 Fiat 124 Sport Spider, being much lighter on its feet than the former and much quicker than the latter. View 12 Photos If you have ever considered getting one of these cars, move fast before all the restorable ones are gone! Auto News Mazda Automotive History mazda rx-7