Vehicle Description
1997 Mazda Miata MX-5
The first generation Miatas were such an incredible success that
despite four generations, the spirit of the original has been
maintained in the current iteration. Taking inspiration from the
Lotus Elan and a history of British sports car configuration, the
1989 Miata hit a nerve in the United States that created a
phenomenon not seen since the VW Beetle. Fun, practical, and priced
right, the first generation Miatas were the most popular of the
four generations, selling nearly 229,000 units between 1989 and
1997.
For consignment, a final year generation 1 1997 Mazda Miata MX-5. A
one owner car with an incredible title verified 16,794 actual
miles. Not only is it now a classic, but it's a drivable one. If
you've ever dreamed of owning a new first generation Miata, this is
as close to showroom new as you might ever get.
Exterior
Classic Red is aptly named since it was the most common and
recognizable color often used in press coverage. You'll be able to
tell yours from the crowd as it has a double pinstripe down the
side but beyond that, standard Miata with pop up headlights, oval
lower intake, leading marker lights and yes, that cute tail with
the flush, wrap around tail lights. The 14-inch wheels were
standard too although changed since Miata's first years and some
say, preferred. A black canvas soft top and its plastic window are
in excellent condition, evidence that this car may have been
garaged a good part, if not all its life. The door handles are
inspired by British sports cars and the oval shape and inset
actuator are fitting for a car full of ovals and rounded curves.
Imperfections are few and include some scratches on the bumper
cover.
Interior
And like those British sports cars, the door panels are simple and
pragmatic, dressed in black plastic and housing a leather map
pocket. The seats here are black leather with red inserts and based
on our research, this was not a stock configuration in '97 so may
have been ordered or recovered. Speakers are integrated in the high
headrest and the driver's seat shows a small bit of wear at the
entry point. Beyond that they look great and certainly match the
car well. Miatas offer a simple yet driver focused cockpit that
supplies the pilot with only essential information via a basic
gauge cluster behind a black steering wheel, the center stack
reserved for climate controls and the stock AM/FM/Cassette radio.
In the center console, the short shifter wears a black leather boot
and a tidy storage bin follows and serves as an armrest. Low pile
black carpet covers the floor and not unexpectedly, it looks
practically new. The trunk is clean and lined with a gray flannel
covering, surprisingly roomy and certainly usable as a grocery
getter. Please note that while the air conditioning was working at
the time of our drive report, we cannot guarantee this system will
continue proper operation in the future.
Drivetrain
Under the hood, we find the clean 1.8 liter DOHC inline 4 cylinder
engine producing 133 horsepower rowed by a 5-speed manual
transmission and sending the power to the rear wheels and 4.30
gears, because that's what true sportscars do! The Miata however,
has the advantage of power disc brakes at all four corners,
something vintage Brits didn't have.
Undercarriage
As expected for a car with this low mileage, utterly clean
underneath. The biggest detractors from being pristine are the
spider webs and occasional, expected surface rust. A single exhaust
travels down the center tunnel then makes a sharp turn before
entering the original muffler, then another quick turn to exist in
the sculpted valance via a chrome tip. Independent suspension on
front and back consists of coil springs.
Drive-Ability
These cars are fun because they instantly feel like adult toys, and
not the kind you're thinking of! These are akin to being 6 years
old and getting a battery powered car. That's the feeling Miata's
evoke and why they've been so successful. There's nothing notably
wrong with this car, it does everything well and all functional
items work as expected.
There are plenty of first gens still on the road, but how many have
this kind of mileage and can claim this kind of condition? This is
a unique opportunity to purchase a like new Miata from the 90's.
Use it daily or reserve it for shows, even Radwood. You don't need
a ton of room to store it nor a bunch of gas to keep it going.
JM1NA3539V0731945
J-Japan
M-Mazda
1-Passenger Car
NA-M1
35-Convertible
3-1.8L
9-Check Digit
V-1997
0-Hiroshima Japan Assy Plant
731945-Sequential Unit Number
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
