1999 Mazda Miata

The 1999 Mazda Miata MX-5 2-door convertible had a base price of just under $20,000 and was powered by a dual-overhead-cam four-cylinder engine delivering 140 horsepower. They had a five-speed manual gearbox or optional four-speed automatic, along with disc brakes at all four corners. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in just 7.4 seconds.

1999 was a big year for the Miata as it was the first year to receive significant modifications since its introduction a decade prior. Trunk space was greatly increased, and it was given flush-mounted headlights. The first generation's retractable headlamps no longer passed pedestrian safety tests, so fixed ones were substituted in their place. Styling cues were taken from the third-generation Mazda RX-7 model, designed in 1995 by Tom Matano. The car grew slightly, and the aerodynamics were improved, achieving a Cd figure of 0.36.

The Second Generation Miata was given a four-wheel independent suspension, with enlarged anti-roll bars, enlarged wheels and tires, and larger brakes. An anti-locking braking system was available as optional equipment.

In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Mazda introduced the 10th Anniversary limited edition model. The 10th Anniversary model (nicknamed the 10AM or 10AE) was given a six-speed transmission and Bilstein shock absorbers. The sixth gear helped improve the car's performance slightly, racing to 60mph 0.4 seconds faster than its five-speed counterpart. They were painted a unique sapphire blue mica with two-toned black leather and blue alcantara seats. Each car was sequentially numbered on a badge on the driver-side quarter panel. Each car was also given a 'Certificate of Authenticity,' signed by Mazda President James E. Miller and dated 10 February 1999. In some markets, a special gift set was also included, a metal keychain in the form of the Mazda logo, two Seiko wristwatches with matching blue faceplate and Miata logo, and a 1/24 scale diecast model. Priced at nearly $27,000, these special edition models were about $6,500 more than a base model. This steep price and the number of units produced resulted in slow sales. 7,500 examples were built, and it took more than a year to sell all units.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2015