There’s plenty of chatter around the web about Mazda and their design approach on the new 2016 MX-5 roadster, with some loving it, others feeling its nothing special and some simply waiting for a better look to make up their minds.
Oh well, what else is new in the world of car designs and …
The MX-5 or Miata roadster has been around for a long time – a quarter of a century, to be exact, and in those years, we’ve seen three generations, not counting the latest one presented this week well ahead of its mid-2015 market launch.
Mazda gave us the original MX-5 NA at the Chicago Auto Show on February 9, revitalizing a category long forgotten, with a fun-to-drive, rear-wheel drive roadster for the masses. It was a pretty risky move at the time, but the gamble paid off and it redefined Mazda for years to come.
The second-generation model (NB) was revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1997, and the third-generation model (NC) made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in February 2005.
Cumulative sales of the MX-5 reached 935,364 units in July of 2014, but the world’s most successful roadster hasn’t been doing so well in the past few years, with deliveries plummeting from 41,574 units in 2007 to 13,770 in 2013.
Only time will tell if the ND generation can give the MX-5 its mojo back.
In the meantime, how about you check our gallery below and cast your vote in our poll for the best looking MX-5?
POLL
Which is the Prettiest Mazda MX-5 of All?