For just one year, Mazda put a fixed roof on the Miata.
Maybe Mazda’s MX-5 isn’t exactly a rare car. After all, the roadster has a Guinness World Record for being the best-selling two-seat sports car of all time. They’ve topped more than a million of the lightweight driver’s car. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some extremely unusual versions of the Miata out there.
We don’t mean rare in the way that classic muscle cars so often do, where it was the only one in green with a yellow interior built on a Friday buy a guy named Steve, but really rare. Fewer than 200 of these cars were ever built. Ever.
It’s the MX-5 that’s not a roadster. A coupe. That’s right, for just one year, Mazda put a fixed roof on the Miata, or the Roadster as it was called in Japan. The only place this car was sold new.
The Mazda Roadster Coupe, which is an incredibly incongruous name, was built working with the company’s Engineering and Technology division. The addition of a fixed roof to the Miata made for a stunning car. It also increased the rigidity of the car which probably made the go-kart handling even sharper. Yes, there was a weight penalty, but it was said to be only around 10 kg, or the same as a just a few litres of gas.
Only 179 of the cars are said to have been built. The cars started with 2004’s base engine, a 125 hp 1.6L four. But this one is a Type S. That means the bigger 1.8L engine and 158 hp. The car also boasts a six-speed stick.
At just 63 built, the Type S was definitely a rare car. It’s also one of the most normal versions. Mazda also built a Type A that got fender flares, headlight covers, and a ducktail. And the Type E that had a gaping front grille with giant and oddly-placed driving lights.
The seller says that this one has recently had a complete restoration. That’s despite having less than 48,000 km on the odometer. The refresh includes new paint and other new parts to make it look as close to new as possible. It has a full service history as well.
The car is for sale in Hong Kong, but hey, it’s 2019 which means that this 2004 model year car is either already eligible for import here or soon will be. It’s up for just under 300,000 Hong Kong dollars, or about $50,000 Canadian.
All Images: Contempo Concept Limited
Keyword: Mazda Roadster Coupe - Yes, That's Right - For Sale