Despite having no formal engineering training, Mazda took Bob Hall on board when they were looking to create the small drop-top sports car that ultimately became known as the Miata / MX-5.
He is seen as “the father of the Miata,” despite not doing any of the major engineering or design work on the car. Nonetheless, he was instrumental in shaping the car into the success story we know today.
Hall was on hand at the reveal of the all-new Miata, where he gives a tour of the various heritage models brought to the event. He’s one of those uber-knowledgeable smart (car) guys that you could probably listen to for hours and not get bored, so the fact that the video posted below is over twenty minutes long shouldn’t be a problem – you will have learned something new by the time it ends.
He doesn’t go into details regarding the new model, but the context he provides for it is invaluable knowledge for any sports car fan with a knack for history.