How far can the love for a classic go? When the words Mazda Miata are mentioned, you immediately see a sparkling energy in Gilles. A stream of words that likes to talk about all those beautiful details of the Miata, about the pure beauty, about the unique power source.
By: Dirk de Jong
Owning it is just a thrill for him. He makes it clear that it is a privilege to own such a special classic. A sporty car is special in itself, but when only 3000 of these have been produced, it acquires an exclusive value.
The first tire tracks
Gilles: “The life of my beauty on wheels started in America where a Dutchman – the first and only owner of the Mazda Miata – bought this car at the Mazda dealer Rosenthal in Virginia USA. The first owner bought most parts from the worldwide known Flyin'Miata to build the car as it is today. Increasing the performance of the Mazda Miata started there. †www.flyinmiata.com)
Good investment
There were personal adjustments. The engine got more power (eventually 330 hp & 420 nm), the brakes and chassis were modified and everything fine-tuned for maximum performance and reliability. The owner was a positive perfectionist. Everything came into balance, showing the surprises under the hood. After 22 years and less than 47.000 km, the time came that due to the advanced age (by now the age of 67 had been reached) the car was allowed to get a new owner. The Mazda Miata was given a place in the showroom of Mazda specialist Jan Scholten in Almelo. There was only one condition for sale: the car had to be returned to an enthusiast.”
Capturing the excitement
When Gilles was looking for a sporty convertible, coincidence brought him to Jan Scholten. Gilles previously had a Lotus Elise 111R and the open drive was sorely missed. It's a good thing the Mazda didn't have a heart rate monitor on board yet, otherwise it would have captured its excitement at this find. To avoid making a decision with the mind and not the heart, Gilles wanted to talk to the owner.
Inspiration came alive
The first owner was a super techie and could tell the whole history, with everything recorded and preserved in the Miata folder. The US seller's business card, original US license plate and picnic set were even preserved. You couldn't see any traces of car life. Always properly cared for, an indoor sleeper, a power source in excellent condition. The sale was quickly closed, which should come as no surprise. Is there anyone who dares to say that owning a classic car has no effect on happiness?
Also read:
- Mazda 323, the first generation. A trailblazer.
- Mazda MX-5… Beauty & The Beast
- A small Mazda with a Wankel engine
- Mazda 818. Days when you mistakenly forget it
Beautiful and special appearance in this version.
I've been driving an NC (also called Mark 3 in England) for two years now, sounds just a bit more fun… 🙂 and I like it.
Delivered new in the Netherlands and with only 31000 km and documented maintenance, the car feels exceptionally “fresh”.
That MX5 is a brilliant design. Not only because they are reliable and well put together, but also because they have above-average driving characteristics.
The downside is the rust prevention ex works. Mazda seems to have dropped the ball there. My copy is an indoor sleeper (and will remain so) and makes its kilometers mainly in favorable weather conditions, so I don't expect any problems there.
Beautiful special car. Have had an NA, an NB and an NBFL myself, the latter with 6 gears. All 3 fine cars, but I like my current NC the best. The NC is sometimes issued because of the weight, but the license plate weight is even less than that of the NBFL. The placement of the handbrake on the right and the cruise control also makes it a nicer car for cruising, with the electric hardtop it is better protected against the Dutch weather.
But as a model I think the NB is the most beautiful.
I myself had an NA for years and was not really fond of the NB. But this one is gorgeous. Be proud and take care of this special version Gilles and wish you many safe and pleasant kilometers with it.