1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata

After it debuted in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show, Mazda had a sudden hit on its hands with its MX-5 Miata, a two-seat roadster that pays homage to classic British and Italian roadsters from the 1950s and 1960s like the MG B, Triumph's Spitfire, Fiat's Spider and Lotus' Élan.

This example was made in April 1991 at Mazda's Hiroshima, Japan factory. Dressed in Mariner Blue (code DU), this car's paint and trim are in overall very good order and there's a matching removable hardtop along with a cloth, powered fold-down top. We are selling for a local consignor who inherited the car from her mother. Her mom purchased this striking Miata in approx. 2000 as a second car and was always garaged. Upon her passing earlier this year the car then went to her daughter who has no space for it.

The rear-drive Miata was lightweight and had a rigid unibody that provided the car with sharp, responsive handling and a curb weight of under 2,500 pounds, or about 1,000 less than a traditional sedan or coupe. Notably, the MX-5 incorporates a longitudinal truss, marketed as the Powerplant Frame (PPF), that provided a rigid connection between the engine and differential to minimize flex and improve balance.

The MX-5 was designed with inspiration from the Lotus Elan, and features such as pop-up headlights, unique to the NA model, and slim chrome door handles pay homage to the famous British roadster. With a near 50/50 front/rear weight balance, the Miata had nearly neutral handling. Inducing oversteer is easy and very controllable, thus making the MX-5 a popular choice for amateur and stock racing, autocross and club racing.

This two-seater rolls on all-season radials, size 185/60R14, at every corner. Each one is mounted on a Pacer aftermarket alloy wheel. The tires are in very good order while the wheels are in excellent shape.

MX-5, with standard manual transmission, came with a 1.6L DOHC inline four-cylinder engine. The engine employed an electronic fuel injection system using a vane-type air flow meter and an electronic ignition system with a camshaft angle sensor instead of a distributor. This engine, codenamed B6ZE(RS), was specifically designed for the MX-5 and featured a lightened crankshaft, flywheel and aluminum sump with cooling fins. The standard transmission was a five-speed manual, derived from the one used in the Mazda 929/Luce (also rear-wheel drive). The gear shift was the subject of close attention during development, with engineers told to make it shift in as small a gear pattern as possible and with minimal effort.

Driver convenience features include air-conditioning, power windows and cruise control.

Inside, there's a black cloth interior (code NA0) that is in overall very good order, including the bucket seats and carpet. A four-spoke steering wheel faces the driver. The inner door panels and dashboard are in the same condition. A center console and a console-mounted shifter look great. A factory AM/FM stereo with a cassette deck rounds out the interior.

In 1976, Bob Hall, a journalist at Motor Trend magazine who was an expert in Japanese cars and fluent in the language, met Kenichi Yamamoto and Gai Arai, head of research and development at Mazda. Yamamoto and Gai Arai asked Hall what kind of car Mazda should make in the future.

“I babbled...how the...simple, bugs-in-the-teeth, wind-in-the-hair, classically-British sports car doesn't exist anymore,” Hall said. “I told Mr. Yamamoto that somebody should build one...inexpensive roadster.”

Documentation includes various receipts and invoices.

The MX-5 has won multiple awards, including Wheels Magazine's Car of the Year for 1989, 2005 and 2016; Sports Car International's “Best sports car of the 1990s” and “10 best sports cars of all time”; 2005–2006 Car of the Year Japan; and 2005 Australian Car of the Year. The MX-5 has also made Car and Driver magazine's annual 10 Best list 17 times. In their December 2009 issue, Grassroots Motorsports magazine named the MX-5 as the most important sports car built during the previous 25 years.

Convertible competition to this Mazda in 1991 included Alfa Romeo's Spider and Mercury's Capri. If you're looking for the modern successor to the MG and other classic two-seaters, come by MotoeXotica Classic Cars to see this Miata for yourself.

VIN: JM1NA3514M0232869

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 90,438 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

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