Not only is this Miata equipped with a turbocharged rotary mill (Renesis we're told, but we couldn't get the hood up to confirm) but it also has a beautiful carbon fiber fastback kit along with a questionably necessary widebody setup and wing. Looks cool if you're into that kind of thing. We just want some turbocharged rotary wickedness in Miata action.

Yeah, there's nothing like hearing a dude with his blood type embroidered on his racing suit telling the LeMons Supreme Court why he deserves a medal for spinning out and totally averting a deadly 50-car pile-up! Granted, the Spec Miata guys aren't as difficult as the Spec E30 guys, but it's still satisfying to see that they're hooning it up just as badly at SCCA events as they are with us. Thanks to TheEastBayKid for the tip!

Not what we drove, believe us. We had a great time at the Dream Cruise, but we didn't have a really great time getting there (or back!) because we drove Bumblebee/Phyllis/Edith, our bright yellow Camaro, and frankly most muscle cars are hell for long trips. Once we got back, dropped Phyllis/Edith/Optimus McBumblebee off, and cabbed it home, we realized the cabs were by far the comfiest yellow cars we'd ridden in all weekend. Which explains our first choice:

Chevy Caprice-or really any big American body-on-frame sedan

Occupants: Up to four down-to-earth friends with extensive cassette-tape collections

Attitude: Relaxed, with ample stops for gas-station souvenirs

Slouchy comfort is the strong suit here. You get big bench seats fore and aft to stretch out on, a sort of floaty wallowy comfort, and a huge trunk for storing enormous 256-ounce collector's drink mugs, petting-zoo T-shirts and silver naked-lady silhouettes. It's unquestionably American without being a grandiose flag-waving statement, and some of them are still mistaken for cop cars in many regions. A great car to use when the trip matters more than the destination, but the drive matters less than the trip, if you will.

Photo Credit: Geocities

Volkswagen Camper Van

Occupants: Two in comfort, but up to four with increasing probability of hippies occurring

Attitude: Face-first and wide-eyed into the eternal now of the North American continent, or other such pseudopoetics

The VW van is really a very serviceable little automobile, within its limits, but those limits are defined as much by metaphysics as physics. Something about its ambling rate of progress, its right-up-front driving position, and of course its heritage, all combine to make this car a spiritual pitfall. People have been known to become cut-rate Ken Keseys after a week traveling in one of these, which is too bad. They really are pleasant and functional little things to putt around in, if your tie-dye inoculation is up to date.

Photo Credit: Motivemag

Mercedes E-Class Wagon

Occupants: Married couple with 2.4 kids

Attitude: Don't Make Me Turn This Thing Around, You Spoiled Ungrateful Brats

The point here isn't Mercedes style or quality or comfort or any of that, though it's nice to have those conveniences and comforts as possible on a family vacation. Any wagon would work just fine here as long as it had, as the Merc does, the rear-facing bench seats for the wee 'uns. The backwards bench is plain awesome to ride in when you're a certain age (roughly 7-65) and your mean dad won't stop at the petting zoo. It's also a good barometer for judging the behavior of your little darlings. Just belt them in, give them some juice, and set out for the other coast. If a Peterbilt rear-ends you and kills you all stone dead, your children were hellions who have learned to give The Finger. If not, they're probably pretty good kids.

Photo Credit: Motorward

Mazda Miata

Occupants: One thoughtful loner or two people who are deeply and genuinely in love and have good nonverbal communications skills

Attitude: "I am just going outside and may be some time"

This is really the only hairshirt option on this list. Usually we love the Miata because of its balance and handling, but if you're the sort who can travel with a single big duffle bag and you're not limiting yourself to Interstates, the Miata is a brilliant tourer. The seats are good for moderately long stints, there's just enough weight that you don't get buffeted by trucks, and you can put speakers in the headrests so your music is audible over the wind noise, mostly. Believe us, driving through the mountains in a nimble convertible with the top down feels transcendent, like getting away with something. Of course, you'll become really familiar with American wheelcovers, and driving through a thunderstorm with the top up feels like spiralling down the Norway maelstrom in a tent, so there are tradeoffs.

Photo Credit: Automotive

Ford Bronco

Occupants: 1-3, plus huge dog with bandanna around its neck (not optional)

Attitude: Roads are nice, but not really necessary

Who wouldn't love a good old Bronc? It's the perfect cross-county ride for people who take the phrase literally. Plus you sit up nice and high, so you can see over bridge railings and the like, and you can roll the rear window down and feel rugged and raffish. And everyone loves them so you'll instantly make friends with the locals, especially when you stop to take snapshots of the petting zoo and your huge dog with the bandanna around its neck jumps out.

Photo Credit: flickr

Infiniti FX35

Occupants: Up to four adults with luggage or two with a darling credenza

Attitude: Before we leave, make sure all the NPR stations are pre-programmed in

There are some people who simply must have an SUV, so if you must, take this. It has the ride height to give you good views, it drives more or less like a car, it returns fair fuel economy, and it can even carry a few tasteful pieces back, for those who are too button-down for kitschy road-trip crap but aren't above a bit of modest antiquing. Just don't bring kids, who tend to leave unsightly smudges on the glass as you drone right past waterparks and petting zoos and giant roadside dinosaurs. Come to think, don't bring us either.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Cadillac Sedan DeVille, 1994-1999 models

Occupants: One.

Attitude: Stern, plus must be starting in upper Pacific Northwest, Upper Midwest, or Upper Northeast, and be heading for Florida

This is a seriously comfy car: good leather, nicely done LED lights, arctic air conditioning, very smooth Northstar V8. God alone knows why they stopped making it, but it's no surprise because there hasn't been a sane day in this country since Eisenhower. Ashtray's really too small for the cigars, but that's why Christ created power windows. Damn if Rush doesn't sound like he's right in the car with you, and the music would sound okay too if it all didn't sound like some loon bangin' on a can anymore. How many more miles to Fort Lauderdale?

Photo Credit: picasa

Converted School Bus

Occupants: Up to 30, but who's counting?

Attitude: Either "Taking a year off to see a game in every great American ballpark" or "If it's really and truly terminal, this is better than a hospital bed."

Sometimes a transcontinental journey is both a specific goal and a way to say To Hell With Everything. In those cases, see of your local school district has a Bluebird they're not planning on using and go to town with whatever tools and batty ideas you have lying around. The example in our photo is a bit extreme, but you don't have to have a camper van welded to the top. Cutting off the roof aft of the wheel humps to make a porch works, as does adding alfresco seating in the middle section, as is installing a hang-glider launch ramp on the roof. Once you finally trundle it out there, just don't be in a hurry. Be willing to let "across the nation" become "around the nation." And watch for hippies.

Photo Credit: hackedgadgets

Acura NSX

Occupants: 1-2

Attitude: Understated, underappreciated, and well over the speed limit.

There may be better and faster grand-touring cars, but we just love this thing. Honda couldn't convince people their exotic really was an exotic, but we get it. Most know its reputation as a very balanced car, even with "only" 300 horsepower-less than the FX35. But it's also a supremely comfortable car, with some of the all-time great seats. It'll only hold two carry-ons in its "trunk," but you're not going camping in an NSX; have the coincierge send your clothes out to be cleaned and pressed while you take dinner. If we were to make a serious attempt at a fast but sane personal transcontinental record, this car would be hard to pass up.

Photo Credit: gotbroken

Mustang GT

Occupants: 1-3

Attitude: One man drives while the other men scream

We repeat: Muscle cars are terrible long-distance transportation. But if we had to pick one, it'd be the Mustang GT, with its combination of good outward visibility, ride quality, driver comfort, and survivable back seat room. If you have to play Third Cylon in a muscle car, as we did on our recent Detroit trip, this is the muscle car to do it in. But seriously, after the first gas stop, you'll be thinking about trading it in on a nice '94 Sedan DeVille.

But whatever you go in, go! We've given you the best states to drive across, discussed the worst, and now a list of vehicles and ideas. Now get out there on the road and make our country a great destination again. Those petting-zoo animals ain't gonna pet themselves!

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Many cars blew up, melted down, or otherwise got knocked out of action, the Penalty Box was jumping most of the time, and members of the contending teams spent the entire day biting their nails and dreading the brief hiccup that would knock them out of the Buttonwillow Top Ten. At this moment, the teams are either kicking back with beer and barbecue or frantically wrenching their machines into shape, and everyone at the track is contemplating this list of the Elite Lemons Of LeMons. Tomorrow night we might see ten different cars on this list, but tonight the glory is theirs to enjoy!

1. Big Sausage Pizza, Acura Integra
2. Blanco Basura Racing, Honda Prelude
3. Mustard Yellow Volvo Doing 45 In The Fast Lane, Volvo 244
4. Go Go Speed Racer, Honda Prelude
5. Formula BMW 325e
6. Spearmint Dyno, Honda CRX
7. Eyesore Racing, Mazda Miata
8. Porcubimmer 3, Rise Of The Pricks, BMW 325e
9. B-Team, BMW 325e
10. Los Cerdos Voladores, Plymouth Neon

Yesterday, 73% of you found that the egg-shaped BMW with the single front door didn't go over-easy. Today we're doubling the doors, and octagonalizing the number of cylinders with a mazda miata that's ready to do battle against any number of foes threatening either tokyo or your stop light drag racing honor.

Back in the day, Blue Oyster Cult sang Oh no, they say hes got to go, Go go godzilla, yeah. Oh no, there goes tokyo, Go go godzilla! in honor of the magical thunder lizard who at first threatened, and then became the protectorate of, the Honsü island denizens. And that amalgamation of mythological Japanese dragon and the unbridled power of American nuclear threat made Godzilla the perfect appellation for the original Ford-powered versions of the perky mazda drop-tops.

Godzilla, the car, wedged a Ford 302 under the hood of the miata, almost doubling the available horsepower over the original 1.6 litre four banger's 120, and making it the spiritual successor to Cobras, Scarabs and Tigers. The 9+ second zed to sixty time dropped to under five, and broken axles littered junkyards with abandon.

Today we have the offspring of Godzilla, or ミニラ, for an asking price of $10,000 in Maple Money. Based on a 1990, first-generation Miata, the conversion has been handled by an authorized MonsterMiata shop up in Vancouver, and if you're not familiar with Monster, well, you should be. Backing up the legendary Ford small block, the rest of the drivetrain has been sufficiently beefed up to handle all that torque with a T5 rower in the middle, and a Thunderbird SC pumpkin out back. A rakish set of Panasports and a hefty roll bar help make the car look the part, while not fully giving away the Tokyo-leveling beast that lives under the hood.

Or lived, as it were. While everything in the ad starts out as exciting as watching Rodan hatch from his centuries-old shell, there is a but. . . that brings the party to a halt like Mechagodzilla on a rainy day. It turns out that the 302 resting under this miata's hood (and which the seller claims did 260 bhp at the rear wheels on the dyno) is currently resting in peace. He goes on to say that he is selling the car because repairing it would demand even more horsepower, and that could be an expensive proposition. He does spin a scenario involving a junkyard small block extraction and jacking in that car's engine, but hey, it's a 302- you can pretty much buy those things at Pep Boys!

So what's the verdict on this killer convertible? Is that $10,000 a Nice enough Price for you to pine for The Return of Godilla? Or does that blown motor make you think the Crack Pipe is going to Destroy All Monsters?

You decide!

Vancouver Kijiji, or go here if the ad gets defeated in battle.

The Black Widow Mazda Miata got hit with 25 laps during the BS Inspection, but the team's drivers are so good and raced so cleanly that they'd dug themselves out of that hole and were sitting in fourth place as of this morning. Unfortunately for them, their car was the overwhelming Curse vote-getter... which might not be so bad, except that this team has already had Miatas crushed twice in past races. As the Bum Steers at the Yeehaw It's Texas 2008 race, they got de-Miatafied. A few months later, at the Gator-O-Rama '09, they'd renamed their replacement car and installed a pig snout, but that wasn't enough to ward off the Curse once again.

So spread the word, LeMons fans: if you have a team full of great drivers, you don't need to run a cheater Miata at LeMons. If you must do so, accept the People's Curse like you got a pair!

Happily, the blood-crazed crowd still gets to watch a car get crushed. One of the BABE Rally teams has volunteered its Rabbit for the ritual. We're hanging a dead man here- the Rabbit has a completely garbooned transmission after last night's BABE-versus-LeMons drag racing- but we'll still enjoy the spectacle.

Just to make the race interesting, they were towed in at the halfway point of the race on Sunday. A quick fix and they were back out on the track to bring home the gold, or I mean an iron cam and a pile of nickels -$1,500 worth.

The Index of Effluency Award went to car #200 Redneck Racing Team RRT. Congrats to all the participating teams. Great race and a great time.

Thanks to Jeff Balliet at ASK photos for all his great photos this weekend. Want some? Email him here.

The EldoradoMiata is nothing but the Second Coming of the Ghettocharged FrankenMiata, but then you already knew that, didn’t you?

Murilee is about to hit the road to Reno to bring you the EldoradoMiata on the track. Until then, check out Edmunds’s profile of this turbocharged chariot only a mother could love. It has got an airbrake like the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR that raced at Le Mans in 1955 and you can’t beat that for sheer cool.

Photo Credit: Edmunds Inside Line, Daimler

You can usually find plenty of reasonably intact passenger-side seats at a wrecking yard, but I wanted a matching pair of buckets, narrow enough to fit the Sprite, with decent side support for the heavy G forces I'll be inducing with that oxcart highly sophisticated suspension, and in nice shape. Yes, that's pretty much impossible. But what's this? A 1991 Mazda Miata- a rare automatic-trans-equipped example- sitting among the Diamantes and Camrys in the import section of my local self-service junkyard… and the seats are just about perfect! They've even got the coveted headrest speakers, a real plus when you plan to install them in a rattly-ass British Leyland heap vintage sports car with a differential-shattering truck engine a spirited Japanese performance powerplant breathing through the cheapest glasspack I can find high-flow performance exhaust. Why didn't that driver's seat get snagged within 0.08 seconds of arrival on the yard?

Here's why: the car had been T-boned, hard, on the driver's side, and the driver's door was mashed into the seat and preventing it from sliding forward enough to provide access to the seat mounting bolts; the buckled floor wasn't helping matters, either. I could see the evidence of previous attempts at seat removal, but none had been successful. However, I always bring three secret weapons to the junkyard: a prybar and my steel-toed boots. After two hours of alternating expletive-picked door-prying sessions from the outside with even-more-expletive-packed door-kicking sessions from the inside, I succeeded in mutilating the door metal sufficiently to push the seat several inches forward- just enough so that I could just barely sneak a 14mm open-end wrench into the safety-glass-cube-packed space under the seat and get it onto the bolt head. Several square inches of shredded knuckle skin later, I had started both bolts turning (thank you, Japanese manufacturers and your insistence on high-quality fine-pitch fasteners). After that, it was just a matter of following these simple steps:

1. Spend several minutes positioning the wrench so that it feels as though it might be seated on the bolt head. Scream curses at the uncaring junkyard gods as another shard of glass goes under your fingernail.
2. Using all 1/16" of the available space, loosen the bolt approximately 3°. Curse yourself for deciding, several hours ago, that it wasn't worth the trip home to fetch a sledgehammer to bash that goddamn door completely out of the way and make this a three-minute job.
3. Repeat Step 1 and Step 2 until Bolt 1 is removed. Start over with Bolt 2.

Eventually, I prevailed. The seats were mine! They fit very nicely in the Sprite, and the tracks should be easy to mount. Now if I can just finish building the entire wiring harness from scratch...

Thanks to Myke Toman, Nick Pon, Zerin Dube and Speed:Sport:Life, Anna C of Bikini Racer, the Norwegian Slaabs, Saabs Gone Wild, Prison Break Racing, Team Beermer, LeMons Supreme Court Justice Lieberman, Jackson Williams, and others for their fine photographs.

I was really hoping to take a look at their Black Ops 24 Hours Of LeMons racer, but I was only able to shoot the single photo you see here prior to being hustled away from the vehicle by a squad of Phone Police. Still, it's a clue!


The Black Metal V8olvo was there, in the Evil Genius Purgatorial Parking Area. There will be a new theme for the 302-powered Volvo DL at the Goin' For Broken race in Nevada; more on that soon.


Here's another potential LeMons car, though the EG says he can't quite bring himself to beat up such a solid, restorable 240Z, regardless of initial price tag.


Check out that custom instrument panel! The previous owner of this car was celebrating National Day Of Slayer year-round!


Then there's the World's Nicest Fiat Spider, which is definitely be the most original early-80s Fiat I've ever seen.


Over in the shop, Evil Clint was doing some welding on a project that earns a big Jalopnik Stamp-O-Approval™: a Mazda Miata with all-aluminum Chevrolet LS1 V8, T56 6-speed, and Lincoln Mark VIII 8.8" IRS rear. We recommend that all cars get their recommended daily allowance of Vitamin LS; in the case of this Miata, the end result will be lighter than the Mazda-engined car. How about 400 horsepower in a 2,300-pound car?


I thought that was pretty cool, but then I saw this '87 Porsche 928 on the Evil Genius dyno. The engine is fairly close to stock and puts out a reliable 300 horsepower, which made the 3,700-pound 928 go pretty well… but this car has been put on a ruthless diet. Yes, there are many things a 928 really doesn't need- things such as headlights, door guts, etc.- and all of them have been torn out. With cage and a half-tank of fuel, it weighs just 2,850 pounds.


Check out those 14" rear wheels. That's width, not diameter! Granted, this car has 550 more pounds and 100 fewer horses than the LS1 Miata, but I don't care- I prefer the Porsche! What do you say?

We're inclined to say wonderful things about the Mazda Miata, perhaps even fail to point out the supposed refresh Mazda is touting isn't exactly... er, noticeable. It's a funny thing what beer and sushi will do. In any case, Mazda took a moment to celebrate all things Miata, pointing out it was twenty years ago here in Chicago where the first MX-5 was debuted to the world. Among the neat Miata's Mazda brought along that little blue one is actually the fourteenth to roll off the assembly line.

20 YEARS IN THE MAKING – MAZDA'S LEGENDARY MX-5 MIATA ROADSTER

February 9, 1989 marks a highly significant time in automobile history, and certainly in the life of Mazda. On that day, Mazda unveiled the MX-5 Miata to the world at the Chicago Auto Show. Since then, the MX-5 has become the world's best-selling two-seat sports car, and been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most popular sports car ever built.
Mazda MX-5 offers roadster driving at its best. The MX-5's original concept has been so successful that Mazda has never changed it: affordable to buy and use, lightweight, Jinba Ittai ("rider and horse as one") handling, and classic roadster looks. The Mazda Miata is the jewel of "Kansei Engineering," a deeply held philosophy that every car and truck that Mazda makes should be designed and engineered to provide strong emotional as well as functional satisfaction to its driver. For a unique sports car like Miata, whose sole purpose is pure driving fun, this objective is very important. Thus the Mazda Miata project team scorned "packaging" and "off-the-shelf" componentry per se, and instead began with a pure, bright concept of "America's ideal sports car."
Miata has been heralded as saving the sports car world, has amassed nearly 900,000 global sales, and has won a total of 178 major automotive awards around the world. Two decades later, the MX-5 Miata is still a lightweight, balanced and responsive roadster that delivers the very best wind-in-the-hair driving at an affordable price.
And because Mazda's engineers never lost sight of that "soul of a sports car" positioning for which the entire brand has become known, the MX-5 Miata also is the world's most-raced nameplate.
The MX-5 is currently in its third generation. Below is a summary of each generation:

First Generation:
A 1990 model launched in 1989, the original Miata featured a starting price of $13,800 and first went on sale in May in the United States, and in September in Japan. The first-generation Miata featured a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 116 horsepower and 100 lb.-ft. of torque. A five-speed manual transmission was standard and City/Hwy fuel economy was 25/30 mpg. Suspension was by independent double wishbone on all four wheels, and braking consisted of four wheel-disc brakes with the front ventilated. Wheels were 14x5.5" steel or 14x6" alloy, both with 185/60 R14 radial tires.
Important to convertibles is the roof operation. The Miata engineering team created a three-fold, easy-to-operate soft top, with one-hand operation, that was lightweight and offered superior weather protection.
The coefficient of drag was 0.38. All together, the Miata weighed a low 2,116 lbs. (curb weight) and could reach 60 mph in less than nine seconds. When it was launched, the car created such excitement among buyers that demand exceeded production and became an instant success.
The first change came in the 1994 model year. Miata was refreshed with a little more power through use of a 128-horsepower 1.8-liter engine. For the 1996 model year, horsepower was increased to 133 and a racing-themed R Package was also introduced with a Torsen® limited-slip rear differential, Bilstein shocks and front and rear spoilers.

Second Generation:
The second generation Miata was a 1999 model year vehicle. This new generation car offered a more powerful engine and new styling, including a new headlight design. For the first time the vehicle featured fixed headlights, which were lighter in mass in the dynamically critical front over hang, as opposed to the first generation's retractable headlights. In addition, the plastic window in the Miata's soft top was replaced with a glass window.
The engine remained at 1.8-liters and received several updates. Power output and torque were improved to 140 horsepower with 119 lb.-ft. torque through enhancements to the intake and exhaust systems, resulting in smooth engine revving from low to high speeds and responsive acceleration with EPA mileage of 24/29 mpg. Features such as a straight intake port, a variable-inertia exhaust system and a dual exhaust manifold were incorporated. Compression ratio was raised from 9.0:1 to 9.5:1 with a raised-crown piston design. The base model could reach 60 mph in 7.9 seconds, with a top speed of 122 mph. Total weight of the second generation Miata was 2,200 pounds.
A special limited edition model was introduced in 1999 to celebrate Miata's 10th anniversary. This model ramped up performance by use of a new six-speed manual transmission, Torsen® limited-slip differential and sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein® shock absorbers. A special Sapphire Blue Mica paint with blue soft top was also offered on the 10th Anniversary model.
In 2000, the face-lifted second-generation MX-5 was launched as a 2001 model. Mazda added more horsepower, variable valve timing, a more rigid chassis and larger brakes. Additionally, 16-inch alloy wheels, a six-speed manual transmission, more aggressive styling and a host of interior improvements were available. The 2001 Miata delivered 142 horsepower and 125 lb.-ft. of torque with 23/28 mpg City/Highway fuel economy, and the compression ratio was increased from 9.5:1 to 10.0:1. With the minimum amount of options, the 2001 model weighed 2,387 pounds.
In 2004, Mazda launched the turbocharged MAZDASPEED MX-5, with a 178 horsepower and 166 lb.-ft. of torque turbocharged and intercooled engine.

Third Generation:
The third generation MX-5 went on sale in late 2005 as a 2006 model year. Every single component on the car was either all new or extensively revised, and the new car looked it. The exterior styling was freshened, with the most noticeable change in the front fenders. Even though curb weight of the third generation Miata grew to over 2,400 pounds, the new car never forgot its roots and it was every bit as fun to drive as the original. And, regardless of the additional curb weight, fuel economy remained at 25/30.
A new 16-valve, 2.0-liter MZR I-4 engine was introduced, producing 170 horsepower and 140 lb.-ft. of torque, coupled to either a five-speed or a six-speed manual transmission or 166-horsepower with the optional six-speed automatic transmission, while the five-speed manual model achieved the same fuel economy as the first 1990 Miata. A limited-slip differential was available with the six-speed option.
The third generation Miata also produced a change in the suspension for the first time. A front wishbone/rear multilink suspension was used beginning with the 2006 MX-5 to increase ride quality and handling. Technologies like traction control and stability control were also added.

In 2007, Mazda offered, for the first time, a new Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT). Opening and closing cycles last only 12 seconds, making this the fastest power-operated retractable hard top in the U.S., and the only retractable hardtop on the market that doesn't compromise trunk space. Additionally, the PRHT adds only 77 pounds to the total weight of the car.

Significant events over the past 20 years for the Mazda MX-5 Miata include:
1983
Mazda begins study of lightweight sports car production
1986
February: Starts project aimed at volume production
1987
September: Design finalized
1989
February: Mazda introduces the MX-5 Miata sports car as a 1990 model at the Chicago auto show
May: U.S. Sales begin
July: MX-5 Miata named as one of the five "World's Best Cars" by Road & Track
September: Sold as Eunos Roadster in Japan
October: Sales begin in Australia
1990
January: MX-5 Miata receives a "10Best" award from Car and Driver
January: MX-5 Miata receives "Automobile of the Year" award from Automobile Magazine
February: Sales begin in Europe (U.K. and Holland)
1991
January: MX-5 Miata receives a Car and Driver "10Best" award
January: Automobile Magazine names MX-5 Miata to its "All-Star" list
1992
January: MX-5 Miata receives a "10Best" award from Car and Driver
January: Automobile Magazine names MX-5 Miata to its "All-Star" list
1993
January: Automobile Magazine names MX-5 Miata to its "All-Star" list
July: undergoes minor change. 1.8-liter engine introduced.
1994
January: Automobile Magazine names MX-5 Miata to its "All-Star" list
1995
January: Automobile Magazine names MX-5 Miata to its "All-Star" list
1996
January: Automobile Magazine names MX-5 Miata to its "All-Star" list
J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study rated the Miata among the top three vehicles in the sports car segment in initial quality
1997
January: Automobile Magazine names MX-5 Miata to its "All-Star" list
October: Second-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata unveiled at Tokyo Motor Show – the first redesign since its introduction in 1989
1998
December: Limited edition Miata released to commemorate ten years of production. Special limited edition car with world-class specifications: total of 7,500 units manufactured for worldwide sale (500 units for Japan, 7,000 units for the three markets comprised of North America, Europe and Australia)
The second-generation Miata goes on sales as a 1999 model.
1999
The MX-5 Miata receives numerous accolades, including:
January: Fifth "10Best" award from Car and Driver
January: Automobile Magazine names MX-5 to its "All Star Best Entry-Level Sports Car".
January: "Best Convertible" in MotorWeek's Driver's Choice Awards
April: Consumers Digest's "Best Buy"
December: One of Sport Compact Car's "Eight Great Rides"
2000
January: Automobile Magazine names MX-5 Miata to its "All-Star" list
May: Guinness Book of World Records recognizes the Miata as the best-selling two-seat convertible with sales of 531,890 units
July: Second-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata undergoes minor change for the 2001 model year. In addition to interior and exterior changes, the 1.8-liter engine gets a power boost, and body stiffness and other improvements add up to a greatly upgraded version.
2001
Mazda MX-5 Miata named Consumers Digest "Best Buys"
2002
The MX-5 Miata named to Automobile Magazine "All-Star" list for the 12th time
2005

March: Third-generation MX-5 unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show and is later debuted in commemorative limited edition format (Mazda MX-5 3rd Generation Limited) at the New York International Auto Show.

April: The Guinness Book of World Records updated the number of units produced to 700,000

2006

Mazda launched the MX-5 Roadster Coupe featuring a Power Retractable Hard Top
MX-5 Miata receives a "10Best" award from Car and Driver

2007

MX-5 Miata receives a "10Best" award from Car and Driver

2008

MX-5 Miata receives a "10Best" award from Car and Driver

2009

Face-lifted MX-5 makes its North American debut at the Chicago Auto show

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers.  Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

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As a member of the new Mega Cheater class, this team started the race beneath the crushing weight of 800 penalty laps. A nice, shiny FC RX-7 for 500 bucks? This lil' orange devil ran a crazy-fast best lap of 1:35.990 and finished 97th… ahead of the other Mega Cheaters.


These guys are serious RX-7 racers who really know what they're doing, and thus it was tough for them to avoid a 20-lap BS penalty. Without it: 8th place; with it: 23rd place.


Here's the 3rd-place car from Arse Freeze '07; this time they got 67th place. Their 1:38.424 best lap speaks for itself, though.


Pitmates to the RotoRevenge and SNOT RAcinG Mazdas, the Old Punks are also Arse Freeze '07 veterans. They finished 8th last year, and 26th this time. 1:36.263 best lap- hey, those old RX-7s are quick!


Everyone loves the bewinged Miata from Altamont, though we suspect it would have been quicker than 1:39.385 without the added weight.


Team Eyesore Racing is a genuine member of LeMons-veteran royalty, with a People's Choice win at LeMons SF '08 and some excellent wheelmen and wheelwomen. The nightmarish-yet-incredibly-cool Ghettocharging setup on their patched-together-from-corpses race car looked like it would blow up for sure on the track, but instead it held together for a 4th-place finish. Not only that, its best lap time of 1:32.692 was second only to the post-Curse Blues Brothers Crown Vic!


Yet another quick RX-7; the Loose Nuts '84 ran a best lap of 1:37.117 and came in 37th place.


Tip for wannabe LeMons racers: when you put a Jackson turbocharging setup on a non-thrashed Miata and don't provide any sort of convincing documentary evidence of how much you paid for that stuff (no, allegedly copy/pasted text from a Craigslist ad doesn't count), you're going to pay big in the BS Inspection. The Dead Smurfs took their punishment like real men, however, and they very kindly let the car-deprived Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys take some laps in their car.


Hey, it's the former Autoblog racer from LeMons Demolition Derby '07 (aka LeMons SF '07)! Mechanical problems limited this team- made up of fellow Alamedans and pitted right next door to the Black Metal V8olvo at Thunderhill- to a 68th-place finish.

This refresh adds a dash of nagare spice to a design considered too conservative for an already understated car. The car will be powered by the same 2.0-liter fourbanger, though with a few revisions that will stretch the rev limit to 7,500 rpm from 7,000 rpm. A five-speed manual is only available in the soft-top model while the retractable hard-top version will get either a six-speed manual or automanual.

Prices in Japan start at $25,000 for the soft-top and $28,900 for the folding hard top. Full details in the press release below. Look for most of this design, if not the price, to make it into the US version.

Mazda Launches Freshened Roadster in Japan

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation today announced the launch of the freshened Mazda Roadster (known as the MX-5 overseas) into the Japanese market. Mazda’s updated iconic lightweight, open-top sports car goes on sale today (December 9, 2008) at all Mazda and Mazda Anfini dealers throughout Japan. Manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (including consumption tax) range from 2,330,000 to 2,600,000 yen for the soft top models, and from 2,680,000 to 2,950,000 yen for the Power Retractable Hard Top (RHT) models that feature Mazda’s groundbreaking electric roof system.

The latest version of Mazda’s two-seat sports car carries forward the Roadster’s traditional “Jinba Ittai” (“rider and horse as one”) concept, and features detailed improvements in the exterior and interior design, quality, functionality and dynamic performance. As a result, the Roadster is now more fun-to-drive and more desirable than ever. The RHT models, which provide both the enjoyment of open-top driving and the comfort of a coupe, are now even quieter and feature new, exclusive exterior parts, offering customers even higher levels of comfort and quality.

The design of the front fascia has been updated with Mazda’s hallmark five-point grille. A stronger character line that stretches along the lower edge of the vehicle’s sides has been visually extended to the rear bumper, further enhancing the Roadster’s sporty dynamism. Newly designed alloy wheels (two sizes) now come as standard on all model grades. Three new exterior body colors have been added, including the high quality Aluminum Metallic and vivid Sunflower Yellow.

On the inside, the five gauges on the instrument panel have been newly designed and are highlighted by a dark silver decorative panel. The interior quality is enhanced by a choice of tactile brown leather seats or Recaro bucket seats upholstered in a combination of leather and Alcantara®*1. Comfort levels are also improved through the addition of heated seats with a temperature control with five temperature settings (for grades with leather seats only).

The rev limit on grades with a manual transmission has been increased to 7,500 rpm for improved driving performance. The height of the front roll center has been optimized, and the retuned suspension makes the vehicle’s handling even more natural. Additionally, automatic grades now offer Direct Mode*2 and Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)*3 functions for an even sportier ride. Improvements have also been made to the engine and body to enhance noise reduction levels and provide a more satisfying engine sound.

The Mazda Roadster was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s highest production two-seat open-top sports car when production passed 500,000 units in 2000. Guinness has updated the Roadster’s record since then, which now stands at over 800,000 units built.

Main features of the refreshed Mazda Roadster

Exterior
The freshened Roadster carries forward the simple elegance and familiar styling of previous Roadsters, yet incorporates Mazda’s latest design motifs.
- The front fascia now features Mazda’s hallmark five-pointed grille. Sharper headlights and bold fog light bezels enhance the lively and refined styling. This further emphasizes the curved corners of the front bumper, which also improves the vehicle aerodynamics.
- More prominent character lines running along the bottom of the vehicle sides strengthen the appearance of the side sill garnish. The character lines have been visually extended to the rear bumper to better express speed and stability.
- The rear end has been updated with new rear combination lights that flow smoothly into the bumper. A larger black rear diffuser further emphasizes the Roadster’s sporty appearance.
- RHT models feature an exclusive mesh grille with a chrome border, chrome headlight inner bezels, silver fog light inner bezels and chrome outer door handles. A high-mounted clear brake light completes the RHT’s distinctive and high quality look.
- All models come with newly designed alloy wheels as standard equipment. The five-spoke 16-inch wheels complement the Roadster’s lightweight image (on the S, NR-A, S RHT and VS RHT model grades). The 17-inch wheels feature 10 rounded spokes for a more dynamic appearance (on the RS and RS RHT model grades). Additionally, forged 17-inch alloy wheels, customized by BBS, are available as a factory-installed option (on the RS, RS RHT and VS RHT grades).
- Eight exterior body colors are available, including three new options: deep Metropolitan Gray Mica, high quality Aluminum Metallic, and Sunflower Yellow, which expresses the Roadster’s Zoom-Zoom spirit.

Interior
The interior design of the freshened Mazda Roadster offers improved quality and functionality in every detail, while the snug cabin conveys a sense of openness.
- A sporty, dark silver decorative panel runs across the center of the dashboard. Silver rings have been added to the air conditioner dials on the center panel to raise the interior quality feel.
- The five gauges on the instrument cluster have been newly designed to make them easier to read. A red LCD screen is located in the center of the meter console. It displays data from the odometer/trip meter, as well as the average fuel consumption and ambient air temperature.
- The design of the inner door pocket has been flattened to increase space in the foot well. Soft padding has been added to the lid on the center console storage box and the door armrests to increase comfort levels.
- The newly designed seats come in four grades. Sporty black fabric seats are available for all grades except the VS RHT. The VS RHT features tactile, Havana Brown leather upholstery as standard equipment. Black leather seat covers (for the RS and the RS RHT grades) and RECARO bucket seats upholstered in a combination of black leather and Alcantara® (for the RS, RS RHT and VS RHT grades) are available as factory-installed options.
- The seats have larger side bolsters for greater support. For added comfort, heated seats with a five-setting temperature control are standard for the VS RHT and available for the RS and RS RHT grades as a factory-installed option.
- A BOSE® sound system, developed exclusively for the Roadster, features a six-channel digital amplifier and seven speakers with independent playback. The system also features AUDIOPILOTTM 2, a BOSE® noise compensation system (available as a factory-installed option on all grades except NR-A).
- An auxiliary jack that is located at the base of the center stack provides connectivity for portable audio devices (standard on the VS RHT and available as a factory-installed option on all other grades except the NR-A).

Driving performance
By reviewing and evolving the basic aspects of the vehicle’s dynamics, such as acceleration, cornering, and braking, Mazda further enhanced the “Jinba Ittai” (“rider and horse as one”) feel that the Roadster has become famous for since the original version was introduced.

Powertrains
- The 2.0-liter double overhead cam (DOHC) engine features a newly forged crankshaft for extra strength. Additionally, new full floating piston pins and revised valve springs raise the engine’s overall operational precision. Maximum output is now generated at 7,000 rpm, up from 6,700 rpm, and the rev limit has been increased from 7,000 to 7,500 rpm. These changes result in a stretched power band at higher engine speeds (for manual transmission models).
- The highly rigid forged crankshaft, together with a stiffer plastic surge tank, contributes to improved quietness when cruising. At the same time, these changes bring out a clearer sound when driving at medium to high speeds. Six-speed manual transmission models also feature a newly developed Induction Sound Enhancer. This amplifies the throbbing noise generated as air is sucked into the engine and reverberates it around the cabin for an even better driving experience.
- The updated six-speed manual transmission provides an even smoother shift feel thanks to the carbon-coated meshing surfaces on the first to fourth triple-cone synchronizers and a larger diameter third to fourth synchronizer.
- The electrically-controlled six-speed automatic (Activematic) transmission now has a “Direct mode” and Active Adoptive Shift (AAS) which enhance the sporty driving experience and provide better response to driver inputs.

Body and chassis
- By lowering the front roll center height by 26 mm, the added vertical load on the outer wheels when cornering is minimized. This results in a more natural amount of body roll when cornering and more linear response to steering inputs. With added improvements to the suspension, the updated Roadster offers improved “Jinba Ittai” handling balanced with a higher quality ride.
- The protruding design of the front bumper corners and the rear combination lights, together with wider front under-floor tire deflectors, contribute to improved aerodynamics.

Quietness
The door modules are made from a stiffer new material and feature a reinforcement rib for extra rigidity. Together with a stronger number two crossmember, these changes make sound insulation better than ever. For RHT models, road noise is further reduced due to the addition of urethane foam filling in the front suspension crossmember and extra sound insulation in the roof.

Environmental and safety features
Mazda evolved the eco-friendly and safety features of the Mazda Roadster to increase its fun-to-drive qualities.
- All models qualify as Super-Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles (SU-LEV) by achieving exhaust emissions that are at least 75% lower than the levels required by the Japanese government’s 2005 exhaust emissions standard.
- A display on the instrument panel shows the average fuel consumption and ambient temperature.
- The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system supports linear and confident driving by helping to prevent loss of control when cornering (standard equipment on the RS, RS RHT, and VS RHT grades).
- The Roadster offers excellent collision safety performance thanks to a version of Mazda’s highly rigid Advanced Impact-energy Distribution and Absorption System that has been specially adapted for an open-top car. Other safety equipment to mitigate potential injuries to occupants and pedestrians includes an airbag system and a bonnet with Mazda’s shock cone structure.

[Source: Mazda]

[NASA 25 Hours Timing]

You remember the 24 Hours Of LeMons SF 2008 People's Choice-winning Eyesore Pimpin CRX, of course. The Eyesore Racing CRX showed us that pimpin' really ain't easy, and neither is finishing the race with a little Honda that's had the crap beat out of it while finishing in the Top Ten in three previous LeMons races.


Sadly, the Eyesore Racing CRX pimpmobile's racing career was over. Crushed! That meant it was time for a new car.


Mazda Miatas usually do quite well at the 24 Hours Of Lemons; a Miata won at the LeMons South event (and another got the People's Curse in Texas). The Eyesore guys managed to find a pair of totally crunched Miata wrecks, plus enough worn-out engine parts to assemble a possibly serviceable powerplant, plus a rusted-solid turbocharger. What next? Why, break out the galvanized plumbing fittings and rig up some turbo plumbing above the engine! Here's what Eyesore Racer and Jalopnik commenter Wrappedinbacon has to say about this rig:
The additional fuel to support the turbo's boost is done caveman-style—with a mechanical fuel pressure regulator. We bought a used one for $20. It's very simple—it squeezes down on the fuel return line when boost increases. Presto, fuel pressure increases, which forces more fuel through the stock injectors.

With the regulator handling things during boosted operation, the factory airflow meter is sort of just along for the ride. Keep in mind that we intentionally kept boost low—the turbo only generates a light breeze of 3.5-psi of boost. Now, I wouldn't say that the driveability is perfect (it isn't) or that our car will go the distance (just look at the turbo installation) but cost was the overriding priority. That's why our car still has the stock Miata exhaust manifold.

The turbo itself was free—it came from a Mexican Domestic Market (MDM, yo) Dodge Stratus and was rusted solid when we got it. The rest of the turbo installation consists primarily of scrap iron and MIG welding rod. The radiator enclosure is the sheetmetal of one of our team member's old hot water heater shed. Coolant lines are galvanized EMT electrical conduit from Home Depot. The engine was rebuilt with a two drills and recycled gaskets.



After god-knows-how-many hours of labor, they got their turbocharged, intercooled Mazda B engine putting out 140 horsepower with 4 pounds of boost. Sure, it's probably going to start spitting red-hot exhaust valve chunks out the tailpipe about 25 laps into the race, but what a glorious 25 laps it will be! Those guys on Team Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys and their Peugeot 505 Turbo had better watch out! Now go check out the whole Ghettocharged FrankenMiata story here!

Here's what John has to say about his past experiences and future plans in NASA endurance racing:

I’ve been competing in the NASA 25 hr race since its inception as a 12 hr back in 1995.. Usually with a first generation RX7.. last year we raced a Miata and the old warhorse RX. Some simple math says that that RX has 1500 hours of racing on it… that is a huge amount of time for a racecar… it has been put into semi-retirement, it is now eligible for vintage racing and will probably be used for just that.

This year we are going after the 25hr in a big way, two brand new ITA spec 1.8L Miatas and a third Spec Miata 1.6. Three cars, yes, I’m crazy. We’ve teamed up with Miller Motorsports, a team that has been a perennial contender for the E-2 class win, as we have been. Rather than race against them, we’re racing with them this year.

Our build up started back in June, we bought a 200,000 mile 1.8L Miata on Craigslist, acquired another one from one of my customers and started stripping them down. I’ve always liked the Lotus green/yellow combo. So we painted them half and half, then mixed up the parts. So the cars have a yellow/green—- green/yellow mashup. Our first test of the new cars was at Thunderhill at the end of October. We had many issues, no oil pressure in one car… some loose nuts and bolts, but in the end our drivers got us a 1st and 6th in the ITA race, a 3rd and a 6th in the 4 hour enduro and we won the Improved Touring cup, as the fastest Improved Touring (IT) finisher in the enduro. This past weekend we tested at Thunderhill again, both cars are down on power, so as I write this the engines are coming out, we are hunting for more power… let’s hope we can find some………. I will update you guys at Jalopnik as I have time.

If you can, come to the race. The start is quite a scene, with F-16 flyovers, bagpipers, and lots of other pageantry, and of course you can cheer for us boys and girls from Evil Genius. It is only $10 to get in as a spectator…… 11:00AM on Saturday Dec 6th is when it starts, ending 25 hours later at noon on Sunday.