Tkblazer
01-30-2015, 03:06 PM
http://jalopnik.com/your-guide-to-every-special-edition-mazda-miata-ever-so-1675339097
Your Guide To Every Special Edition Mazda Miata Ever Sold In America
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/v90nbv9vdg3ks3ftjk9e.jpg
While it's known as the bare bones sports car, the Mazda Miata has come in a staggering array of special editions that ranged from hardcore to posh. Here are all of them.
The Miata has been in America for 25 years, and nearly every single one of them had at least one special edition. At the beginning, most of the special edition-ness was relegated to colors and interior materials. But as time has passed they've become more elaborate in how they differentiate themselves from the base Miata.
Here is every single special edition Miata that was sold in the United States.
1991 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/mhgy4qj7bnnrruhgb88y.jpg
How many were built? 3,997
What's the color called? British Racing Green.
What was special? The first Special Edition Miata set the trend of what would be standard features for nearly every more lux Miata to come after it. There was a wood Nardi shifter and hand brake, stainless sills, AC, CD stereo, cruise control, and headrest speakers. The interior was tan leather and it came with a tan tonneau cover. The top was still black, though a hard top was an option.
Nothing changed under the hood, so it still had the 1.6 liter inline-four and five speed manual, though a four speed auto was optional.
1992 Sunburst Yellow
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/kcbc1vkg43czmlvflpbt.jpg
How many were built? 1,519
What's the color called? Sunburst Yellow, though most just call this "the yellow Miata."
What was special? Literally it was just the color. The yellow was a $250 option and was not an "official" special edition, though the limited production levels certainly mean it's deemed one now. In terms of equipment, most Sunbursts had the A Package, which is your basic Miata. They did mostly have premium floor mats though, so that's good.
1992 Black Miata
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/e1p9ku1dtj2oayqfe9ot.jpg
How many were built? 4,625
What's the color called? Brilliant Black
What was special? This is before Mazda came up with the idea to call special editions of the NA the M-Edition. It's colloquially known as the Black and Tan, which means it has black paint and a tan leather interior. A lot of them had the C package, which included the Nardi shift nob and hand brake along with lightweight 14-inch BBS wheels.7
1993 Limited Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/tc5oorcohyuqdhrtea6p.jpg
How many were built? 1,505
What's the color called? Brilliant Black.
What was special? Like the 1992, this one is black. Unlike the 1992 car, this one has a brilliant red interior, the only time a red interior was fitted to an NA Miata. As standard, it had the 14-inch BBS wheels, headrest speakers, sport suspension, front and rear spoilers, a rear skirt, and air conditioning.
1994 M-Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/goyotnpzgvi27py5unok.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? Montego Blue Mica. Interestingly, this is the only M-Edition to have its color used in subsequent model years for non M-Edition cars. So you can get a Montego Blue Miata that isn't a 1994 M-Edition. The more you know.
What was special? Here it is, the first M-Edition. It has a tan leather interior, Nardi shift knob and parking brake, AC, custom mats, M-Edition badging, and power everything. The ultimate party piece is the Torsen limited slip diff, a piece that was fitted to all the subsequent M-Editions.
1994 - 1995 Laguna Blue and Tan
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/wcquwjigkoro6e6qrrtc.jpg
How many were built? 341 (1994), 122 (1995)
What's the color called? Laguna Blue. That's why it's called the Laguna Blue.
What was special? This is another car that isn't technically a "special edition," but the rarity has led the inner sanctum of Miata enthusiasts to consider it one. Basically, it was just a blue Miata with a leather interior, and a rare one. No Nardi shift knob here.
1995 M-Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/evkwozx6uisqgc2fu8ep.jpg
How many were built? 3,500
What's the color called? Merlot Metallic. See how it's in a vineyard? That's because it's named after wine.
What was special? It has a tan leather interior, but it had new seats. These are the first ones that Mazda ever made with adjustable headrests. It had a leather Nardi shift knob, and 15-inch lightweight BBS wheels, some of the lightest ever fitted to a Miata. It also had the Torsen LSD.
1996 M-Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/rxzzcgj5z64at7tvvxyd.jpg
How many were built? 3000
What's the color called? Starlight Blue Mica, it's a glorious color that appears bright blue in some light, purple in others, and black in others.*(Full Disclosure:*This is the year and trim of Miata that I own.)
What was special? The '96 M is basically a fully loaded Miata with every single possible feature you could think of. It even has an alarm... in a car with a soft top. The wheels are 15-inch Enkeis. Unlike the BBS wheels on the '95 M, they are some of the heaviest ever fitted to an NA Miata.
1997 M-Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/baakn0m1lyf17wqqagsk.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? Marina Green, a kind of muted and dirtier British Racing Green.
What was special? Like other M-Editions, it had a tan leather interior and some Nardi bits and pieces. Wheels are polished Enkeis, and it also had the LSD. The 97M is the final Miata to be called an M-Edition, and it's also a gorgeous color combination.
1997 STO
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/dzjrrz0xv7lrotc8dfg4.jpg
How many were built? 1,500
What's the color called? Twilight Blue Mica, it's like Starlight Blue Mica, just not as good.
What was special? So, the STO is an interesting one, in that it's a special edition that isn't really "better." STO stood for "Special Touring Option," Mazda called it "Still The One" in ads, but in Miata circles it's casually called the "Stuff Taken Off" edition. This is mainly a frankenstein appearance package with the wheels from the 1996 M-Edition, tan leather, and a spoiler. It looks great, but the Torsen diff, cruise control, premium stereo, and hard top were not available.*
1994 - 1997 R-Package
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/xifhfgcqhsqkqfcvkllp.jpg
How many were built? 1,218 (1994), 465 (1995), 111 (1996), 47 (1997)
What's the color called? Came in a ton of colors, including the very rare Laguna Blue R-Package.
What was special? The R-Package is another version of the Miata that isn't technically a special edition, but was limited production enough to earn a place in the hall of fame. This is basically the factory hardcore autocross/track pack. It included Bilstein shocks, heavy duty springs, stiffer sways, a rear spoiler, front air dam, alloy wheels and the Torsen LSD. You could not get power steering, an automatic, or a leather interior. Air conditioning was optional.
1999 10th Anniversary Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/fglu4fqjgfaaldxi845o.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? Sapphire Blue Mica
What was special? It had a six speed manual! The slickness of the Miata five speed, now with an extra ratio. How posh! It also had polished wheels, Bilstein shocks, a front suspension tower bar, and a blue top, blue seats, blue wheel, and blue shifter. That's a lot of blue. The Torsen LSD was now standard.13
2000 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/ekii6vyin6bf01h7jzgs.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? Mahogany Mica
What was special? The color is reminiscent of the Merlot Mica that appeared on the 1995 M-Edition. It has a Nardi wheel, shift knob, and hand brake, lighter tan leather than normal Miatas, polished wheels, a Bose stereo, and a six speed transmission with an automatic as optional.
2001 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/i8gdsmutj3dkxffjm8ig.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? British Racing Green
What was special? The usual! Nardi equipment on the inside, a leather interior, polished wheels, and a great color. It also came with some collectibles like a numbered key fob and a laser cut Miata in lucite.
2002 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/yknexsmblhhfwtiawn1d.jpg
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/cnfgcwhjfwcjqk0gpx2j.jpg
How many were built? 1,491 (Titanium Gray), 1,000 (Blazing Yellow)
What's the color called? This was the first special edition to come in two colors, Titanium Gray or Blazing Yellow.*
What was special? You had the choice of two colors for the first time on an SE Miata. They both shared the same wheels, but the gray cars had brown leather while the yellow ones had black. Nardi provided the steering wheel and Bose gave you the stereo. The gauges were changed, with white faces and chrome surrounds. They both had the Torsen LSD.
2002 Special Order
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/jck1lzwrowstnlzioktp.jpg
How many were built? 239 (Vivid Yellow), 151 (Laser Blue)
What's the color called? Vivid Yellow and Laser Blue were exclusive for the special order cars, but you could also get them in Crystal Blue, Midnight Blue, Pure White, Brilliant Black, Emerald Mica, and Starlight Silver. Just 10 were ordered in colors that weren't Vivid Yellow or Laser Blue.
What was special? Mazda let customers spec and buy cars online in any standard color, along with Vivid Yellow or Laser Blue, and sent them to a local dealership based on your zip code. Very cool beginning of the internet age in the car world. They accepted orders until October 15, 2001 or until they got 600 orders. Mazda did not get 600 orders, so about 400 total special order cars exist. There was an exclusive "pre-order" program for members of the Miata Owner's Club before the sale went public.
2003 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/ciqntbtyifpwul9aoish.jpg
How many were built? 1,549
What's the color called? Strato Blue Mica
What was special? 2003 was a year of three special Miatas. The Special Edition came in Strato Blue Mica, a color reminiscent of the 1996 M-Edition. It had great leather seats and a grey top, huge 16 inch wheels, a six speed with a two tone shift knob, white gauge faces, six disc CD changer, and special keys and badges.
2003 Shinsen Version
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/wzihwceee1uzmz7xjrad.jpg
How many were built? 1,451
What's the color called? Titanium Grey Metallic
What was special? Shinsen (新鮮 in Japanese), translates to "fresh" in English. So what do you get? It's a fresh Miata. The Shinsen is grey with a blue cloth interior and blue top. It also has the white gauges from the SE and a leather shift knob. The package is purely cosmetic.14
2003 Club Sport
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/iuwrrfy933pvv8kskmz5.jpg
How many were built? 25 (Soft Top), 25 (Hard top, no soft top)
What's the color called? Pure White or Classic Red
What was special? This has to be one of the most interesting NB Miatas ever built. At the behest of the SCCA, Mazda agreed to build 50 Miatas with absolutely no options. 25 of them would have the soft top at all, while the other 25 would just have the removable hard top and no soft top. Called the MCS Package (for Miata Club Sport), these cars have no air conditioning, no power steering, no stereo, and no windblocker, the intent is to run them in SCCA Solo or SCCA Road Racing.*
It is rumored that at least one of the 50 has been fully written off. The sticker price was just $19,995, making it a real steal for the weekend racer. That was $2,500 off the MSRP and Mazda enforced that the 50 cars sold for sticker through its dealers and that invoice would not change when it was ordered. Basically, this car is the inverse of a 911 GT3 RS.
Your Guide To Every Special Edition Mazda Miata Ever Sold In America
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/v90nbv9vdg3ks3ftjk9e.jpg
While it's known as the bare bones sports car, the Mazda Miata has come in a staggering array of special editions that ranged from hardcore to posh. Here are all of them.
The Miata has been in America for 25 years, and nearly every single one of them had at least one special edition. At the beginning, most of the special edition-ness was relegated to colors and interior materials. But as time has passed they've become more elaborate in how they differentiate themselves from the base Miata.
Here is every single special edition Miata that was sold in the United States.
1991 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/mhgy4qj7bnnrruhgb88y.jpg
How many were built? 3,997
What's the color called? British Racing Green.
What was special? The first Special Edition Miata set the trend of what would be standard features for nearly every more lux Miata to come after it. There was a wood Nardi shifter and hand brake, stainless sills, AC, CD stereo, cruise control, and headrest speakers. The interior was tan leather and it came with a tan tonneau cover. The top was still black, though a hard top was an option.
Nothing changed under the hood, so it still had the 1.6 liter inline-four and five speed manual, though a four speed auto was optional.
1992 Sunburst Yellow
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/kcbc1vkg43czmlvflpbt.jpg
How many were built? 1,519
What's the color called? Sunburst Yellow, though most just call this "the yellow Miata."
What was special? Literally it was just the color. The yellow was a $250 option and was not an "official" special edition, though the limited production levels certainly mean it's deemed one now. In terms of equipment, most Sunbursts had the A Package, which is your basic Miata. They did mostly have premium floor mats though, so that's good.
1992 Black Miata
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/e1p9ku1dtj2oayqfe9ot.jpg
How many were built? 4,625
What's the color called? Brilliant Black
What was special? This is before Mazda came up with the idea to call special editions of the NA the M-Edition. It's colloquially known as the Black and Tan, which means it has black paint and a tan leather interior. A lot of them had the C package, which included the Nardi shift nob and hand brake along with lightweight 14-inch BBS wheels.7
1993 Limited Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/tc5oorcohyuqdhrtea6p.jpg
How many were built? 1,505
What's the color called? Brilliant Black.
What was special? Like the 1992, this one is black. Unlike the 1992 car, this one has a brilliant red interior, the only time a red interior was fitted to an NA Miata. As standard, it had the 14-inch BBS wheels, headrest speakers, sport suspension, front and rear spoilers, a rear skirt, and air conditioning.
1994 M-Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/goyotnpzgvi27py5unok.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? Montego Blue Mica. Interestingly, this is the only M-Edition to have its color used in subsequent model years for non M-Edition cars. So you can get a Montego Blue Miata that isn't a 1994 M-Edition. The more you know.
What was special? Here it is, the first M-Edition. It has a tan leather interior, Nardi shift knob and parking brake, AC, custom mats, M-Edition badging, and power everything. The ultimate party piece is the Torsen limited slip diff, a piece that was fitted to all the subsequent M-Editions.
1994 - 1995 Laguna Blue and Tan
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/wcquwjigkoro6e6qrrtc.jpg
How many were built? 341 (1994), 122 (1995)
What's the color called? Laguna Blue. That's why it's called the Laguna Blue.
What was special? This is another car that isn't technically a "special edition," but the rarity has led the inner sanctum of Miata enthusiasts to consider it one. Basically, it was just a blue Miata with a leather interior, and a rare one. No Nardi shift knob here.
1995 M-Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/evkwozx6uisqgc2fu8ep.jpg
How many were built? 3,500
What's the color called? Merlot Metallic. See how it's in a vineyard? That's because it's named after wine.
What was special? It has a tan leather interior, but it had new seats. These are the first ones that Mazda ever made with adjustable headrests. It had a leather Nardi shift knob, and 15-inch lightweight BBS wheels, some of the lightest ever fitted to a Miata. It also had the Torsen LSD.
1996 M-Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/rxzzcgj5z64at7tvvxyd.jpg
How many were built? 3000
What's the color called? Starlight Blue Mica, it's a glorious color that appears bright blue in some light, purple in others, and black in others.*(Full Disclosure:*This is the year and trim of Miata that I own.)
What was special? The '96 M is basically a fully loaded Miata with every single possible feature you could think of. It even has an alarm... in a car with a soft top. The wheels are 15-inch Enkeis. Unlike the BBS wheels on the '95 M, they are some of the heaviest ever fitted to an NA Miata.
1997 M-Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/baakn0m1lyf17wqqagsk.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? Marina Green, a kind of muted and dirtier British Racing Green.
What was special? Like other M-Editions, it had a tan leather interior and some Nardi bits and pieces. Wheels are polished Enkeis, and it also had the LSD. The 97M is the final Miata to be called an M-Edition, and it's also a gorgeous color combination.
1997 STO
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/dzjrrz0xv7lrotc8dfg4.jpg
How many were built? 1,500
What's the color called? Twilight Blue Mica, it's like Starlight Blue Mica, just not as good.
What was special? So, the STO is an interesting one, in that it's a special edition that isn't really "better." STO stood for "Special Touring Option," Mazda called it "Still The One" in ads, but in Miata circles it's casually called the "Stuff Taken Off" edition. This is mainly a frankenstein appearance package with the wheels from the 1996 M-Edition, tan leather, and a spoiler. It looks great, but the Torsen diff, cruise control, premium stereo, and hard top were not available.*
1994 - 1997 R-Package
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/xifhfgcqhsqkqfcvkllp.jpg
How many were built? 1,218 (1994), 465 (1995), 111 (1996), 47 (1997)
What's the color called? Came in a ton of colors, including the very rare Laguna Blue R-Package.
What was special? The R-Package is another version of the Miata that isn't technically a special edition, but was limited production enough to earn a place in the hall of fame. This is basically the factory hardcore autocross/track pack. It included Bilstein shocks, heavy duty springs, stiffer sways, a rear spoiler, front air dam, alloy wheels and the Torsen LSD. You could not get power steering, an automatic, or a leather interior. Air conditioning was optional.
1999 10th Anniversary Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/fglu4fqjgfaaldxi845o.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? Sapphire Blue Mica
What was special? It had a six speed manual! The slickness of the Miata five speed, now with an extra ratio. How posh! It also had polished wheels, Bilstein shocks, a front suspension tower bar, and a blue top, blue seats, blue wheel, and blue shifter. That's a lot of blue. The Torsen LSD was now standard.13
2000 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/ekii6vyin6bf01h7jzgs.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? Mahogany Mica
What was special? The color is reminiscent of the Merlot Mica that appeared on the 1995 M-Edition. It has a Nardi wheel, shift knob, and hand brake, lighter tan leather than normal Miatas, polished wheels, a Bose stereo, and a six speed transmission with an automatic as optional.
2001 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/i8gdsmutj3dkxffjm8ig.jpg
How many were built? 3,000
What's the color called? British Racing Green
What was special? The usual! Nardi equipment on the inside, a leather interior, polished wheels, and a great color. It also came with some collectibles like a numbered key fob and a laser cut Miata in lucite.
2002 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/yknexsmblhhfwtiawn1d.jpg
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/cnfgcwhjfwcjqk0gpx2j.jpg
How many were built? 1,491 (Titanium Gray), 1,000 (Blazing Yellow)
What's the color called? This was the first special edition to come in two colors, Titanium Gray or Blazing Yellow.*
What was special? You had the choice of two colors for the first time on an SE Miata. They both shared the same wheels, but the gray cars had brown leather while the yellow ones had black. Nardi provided the steering wheel and Bose gave you the stereo. The gauges were changed, with white faces and chrome surrounds. They both had the Torsen LSD.
2002 Special Order
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/jck1lzwrowstnlzioktp.jpg
How many were built? 239 (Vivid Yellow), 151 (Laser Blue)
What's the color called? Vivid Yellow and Laser Blue were exclusive for the special order cars, but you could also get them in Crystal Blue, Midnight Blue, Pure White, Brilliant Black, Emerald Mica, and Starlight Silver. Just 10 were ordered in colors that weren't Vivid Yellow or Laser Blue.
What was special? Mazda let customers spec and buy cars online in any standard color, along with Vivid Yellow or Laser Blue, and sent them to a local dealership based on your zip code. Very cool beginning of the internet age in the car world. They accepted orders until October 15, 2001 or until they got 600 orders. Mazda did not get 600 orders, so about 400 total special order cars exist. There was an exclusive "pre-order" program for members of the Miata Owner's Club before the sale went public.
2003 Special Edition
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/ciqntbtyifpwul9aoish.jpg
How many were built? 1,549
What's the color called? Strato Blue Mica
What was special? 2003 was a year of three special Miatas. The Special Edition came in Strato Blue Mica, a color reminiscent of the 1996 M-Edition. It had great leather seats and a grey top, huge 16 inch wheels, a six speed with a two tone shift knob, white gauge faces, six disc CD changer, and special keys and badges.
2003 Shinsen Version
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/wzihwceee1uzmz7xjrad.jpg
How many were built? 1,451
What's the color called? Titanium Grey Metallic
What was special? Shinsen (新鮮 in Japanese), translates to "fresh" in English. So what do you get? It's a fresh Miata. The Shinsen is grey with a blue cloth interior and blue top. It also has the white gauges from the SE and a leather shift knob. The package is purely cosmetic.14
2003 Club Sport
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/iuwrrfy933pvv8kskmz5.jpg
How many were built? 25 (Soft Top), 25 (Hard top, no soft top)
What's the color called? Pure White or Classic Red
What was special? This has to be one of the most interesting NB Miatas ever built. At the behest of the SCCA, Mazda agreed to build 50 Miatas with absolutely no options. 25 of them would have the soft top at all, while the other 25 would just have the removable hard top and no soft top. Called the MCS Package (for Miata Club Sport), these cars have no air conditioning, no power steering, no stereo, and no windblocker, the intent is to run them in SCCA Solo or SCCA Road Racing.*
It is rumored that at least one of the 50 has been fully written off. The sticker price was just $19,995, making it a real steal for the weekend racer. That was $2,500 off the MSRP and Mazda enforced that the 50 cars sold for sticker through its dealers and that invoice would not change when it was ordered. Basically, this car is the inverse of a 911 GT3 RS.