Eunos Roadster History

Unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show on February 10, 1989 and on sale in Japan from March of that year, the NA-generation Roadster was Mazda's response to the disappearance of affordable British and Italian roadsters. Under its Japanese Eunos brand the car embodied the design philosophy of 'jinba ittai' — unity of horse and rider — emphasizing light weight, balance, and driver feedback above outright power.

The Japanese-market Eunos Roadster launched with a 1.6-litre DOHC four-cylinder producing 120 PS (118 hp), driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual. The all-steel body shell used an aluminium bonnet to keep kerb weight at around 940 kg (2,072 lb). A 1.8-litre engine option (130 PS) was added for 1993. Outside Japan the car carried the Mazda badge and the MX-5 or Miata name, making it one of the few cases where a Mazda sub-brand model was the version sold globally.

The NA generation ran from 1989 through 1997 and sold 228,961 units worldwide. It is widely credited with reviving enthusiasm for lightweight two-seat roadsters at a time when the segment had nearly vanished, directly inspiring a wave of competitors including the BMW Z3, Toyota MR2 Spyder, and Honda S2000.