All-New 1999 Mazda Miata Poised to Capture the Hearts of American Drivers ... Again
29 December 1997
All-New 1999 Mazda Miata Poised to Capture the Hearts of American Drivers ... AgainPopular Roadster Makes North American Debut at Los Angeles Auto Show LOS ANGELES, Dec. 29 -- The latest iteration of the world's best-selling sports car made its North American debut today as executives from Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) unveiled the all-new 1999 Mazda Miata roadster at the 1998 Los Angeles Auto Show. The new Miata, which features a more powerful engine, dramatically restyled body, redesigned interior and improved handling, goes on sale in Mazda dealerships early in 1998. "California is well known for its `fun-in-the-sun' lifestyle," said Richard Beattie, president and CEO of MNAO, "and perhaps no convertible in the world symbolizes that lifestyle better than the Mazda Miata. The all-new version of the Miata we're introducing today was designed at our R&D center in Irvine, California, as was the original. In fact, California accounts for more Mazda Miata sales than any other state and several countries where the car is sold." Members of the Miata Club of America from around the state of California took part in the unveiling of the new Mazda Miata. The Miata Club is the single largest single marque car club in the country, with 30,000 members nationwide. "We at Mazda are fortunate to have such loyal, dedicated and enthusiastic owners as our friends in the Miata Club," noted Beattie. The new 1999 Mazda Miata features a more powerful 140-horsepower 1.8-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine, improved four-wheel double-wishbone suspension, more aggressively styled body and a redesigned interior. The body of the new Miata is more rigid for improved handling, yet it weighs the same as its predecessor. The easy-to-use folding top is even easier to operate and now uses a glass rear window with built-in defroster, a feature not found on several convertibles costing much more. The new Mazda Miata may not be on sale yet, but the editors of Car and Driver magazine already are hailing it as one of the "l0 Best Cars" in the publication's January l998 issue. This is nothing new for the Miata -- the original car won several awards and accolades before it went on sale as well. Since its introduction in 1989, Mazda has sold more than 450,000 Miatas worldwide, with more than half of that total coming in North America. The Miata is the best-selling two-seat roadster in the world. In addition, the Mazda Miata is a champion on the track, earning several SCCA class championships. SOURCE Mazda Information Bureau