The similarities between the Mazda MX-5 and the classic British MGB Roadster are obvious both in terms of styling and layout: both are front-engined, rear-wheel-drive, two-seat sports cars designed to be both affordable and fun.
But while the MGB was always popular, it was never considered to offer bulletproof reliability. Mazda, on the other hand, added everyday usability and dependability to its roadster. So while it clearly is a spiritual successor to the classic MG, it's also a more approachable and usable one.
Automotive Reincarnations: MG MGB Roadster and Mazda MX-5
- MX-5: Simple but Fun
- The MGB: the Classic British Sports Car
- MX-5: an MGB with (Most) of the Bad Bits Removed
- Rust: A 'Classic' Trait the Mazda MX-5 Could Do Without
MX-5: Simple but Fun
The original Mazda MX-5, when it was unveiled in February 1989, struck a chord with both the press and the public alike. It proved so popular, in fact, that 11 years later it was awarded the heady title of the world’s best-selling two-seat sports car ever by Guinness World Records.
Its success was justified. For starters, the compact drop-top wasn’t overly expensive; when it landed in the UK in 1990 it commanded a price of £14,249, which wasn’t dissimilar from that of many mildly sporting hatchbacks at the time.
The MX-5 – called the Eunos Roadster in its home market of Japan, and Miata in North America – also packed a series of traits that appealed to many enthusiasts. Its initial 1.6-litre 16-valve engine put out a sprightly 114bhp, which was dispatched to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. It also benefitted from disc brakes all round, independent suspension and slick rack-and-pinion steering.
While 114bhp doesn’t sound like much today, the Mazda could do plenty with it, because it clocked in at less than 1,000kg, allowing its engine to propel it from 0-60mph in less than nine seconds. With the roof down, and engine on song, it felt even quicker.
The MX-5 was not just designed to appeal to enthusiasts, mind; it had an easily dropped manual roof, a comfortable and neat cabin, a decent amount of space and – in the UK market – creature comforts such as electric windows. All in, it was a practical as well as purposeful car.
That said, the diminutive little sports car was not the first of its kind, and drew much inspiration from classic British roadsters of the past.
The MGB: the Classic British Sports Car
If someone mentions ‘classic British sports cars’ then the likes of the fabled MGB will likely spring to the forefront of your mind. The MGB line, which replaced the ageing MGA, kicked off with the drop-top Roadster in 1962.
It was a far more modern car than many of its contemporaries, and the two-seat MGB Roadster was subsequently better packaged and more spacious. Its 1.8-litre B-Series engine provided adequate pep, too, and the cheeky roadster was both affordable and easy to live with.
