From The Classifieds: 1990 Mazda MX-5

Today’s Mazda MX-5 is clearly related, in style and concept, to the two-seat sports car that first appeared locally 25 years ago

When Mazda introduced the original MX-5 convertible locally in October 1989, there was a battle of wits between it and the simultaneously launched Capri convertible from Ford.

At the time, there were close connections between Mazda and the American giant: Ford at that stage had a stake in the Hiroshima-based company and some product sharing was taking place – such as the then Mazda 323 and the Ford Laser.

But although the Mazda MX-5 and Ford Capri were both convertibles, there was not much sharing going on apart from the basic 1.6-litre engine block.

The Mazda, in the spirit of the 1960s Lotus which is widely accepted as playing a big role in its inspiration, was front-engined with rear wheel drive and the 85kW/130Nm 1.6-litre engine was gifted with twin overhead camshafts working away under the Elan-style polished alloy rocker covers.

The Ford was basically built up from the Mazda 323/Ford Laser platform with its 61kW/122Nm 1.6-litre engine mounted transversely and driving the front wheels. And, where the Mazda was strictly a two-seater, the Capri was actually able to accommodate four.

History shows that Mazda struck the right chord with buyers: As well as critical acclaim from the motoring press that praised its handling, style and build quality, the MX-5 was appreciated for its carefully chosen balance between on-road performance and driving pleasure. It was – and remains today, in its third generation – more about a holistic driver experience than blood and thunder acceleration. Once again, pretty much the same as the original Lotus Elan.

The Ford, on the other hand, quickly revealed flaws in build quality, and suffered from a degree of body flex that was not really surprising given the size of the open, four-passenger cockpit.

Ford soldiered on with numerous Capri variants, including a two-seat Barchetta and a couple of turbocharged versions including the 100kW/184Nm XR2 that was on sale from 1992 until 1994, when Ford dropped the whole Capri idea.

Mazda, on the other hand, went from strength to strength with its MX-5, always careful to retain the original core values – although there have been a couple of turbo versions including the mighty, locally-developed 150kW/280Nm SP in 2002 and the less-spectacular 121kW/206Nm SE in 2004.

In fact, about the only basic element that has changed over the years is the headlight design: The first Capri, Lotus-style, featured pop-up headlights that folded down into the smooth bonnet line when they weren’t being used. Unfortunately the US market put a stop to that in 1999.

The MX-5 formula has been so successful that updates over the years have not strayed too far from the original – which means a 1989 Mazda MX-5, with its purity of line, still looks good today and performs well enough too.

But the march of time means the numbers on the road are dwindling, and finding a clean, original car requires a discriminating, critical search among those that are available.

This 1990 model on carsales.com.au appears to be a good example of what can be found on the market today.

The car, which lives in Woy Woy in NSW (once the maternal home of the late British comedian Spike Milligan) is described as a one-owner, with 111,000km showing on the odometer with the service records to prove it.

The red MX-5 has been treated to a full two-pack respray, new “sports” suspension, custom seat trim and a set of chrome alloy wheels tasteful enough not to detract from the clean, convertible lines. The main shortcoming is that the buyer will need to be responsible for acquiring a roadworthy certificate.

The owner has put a price of $8,500 on the car, which fits pretty nicely into expectations of what you would anticipate spending on a well presented 24 year-old MX-5 today.