Monday 7th February 2011

Mazda MX-5 Passes 900,000 mark

...this is presumably because at least half of all PHers drive one....

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Mazda's iconic MX-5 has passed another milestone today (Feb 4th), with total production for the three generations of the little roadster passing the 900,000 mark.

This, hopes Mazda, will mean the MX-5 sets a new Guinness World Record as the world's best-selling two-seater sports car - except that it's already held that record for more than a decade, when production reached 531,890 units back in May 2000.

Guinness duly updated the record when MX-5 production passed 700,000 and 800,000 units, and now Mazda is reapplying to have the record updated once again.

We certainly enjoy an MX-5 here on PH, as our sojourn to Yorkshire in all three versions a couple of summers ago confirmed. So happy 900,000, MX-5. Here's to the next 21 years and 10 months...

[Greenwich Ross]

What the heck is an MX-5?

[B10]

To be fair there have been two distinct versions, mk1 / mk2 and the current mk3. These should not be combined together. Toyota have tried this trick with the Corolla and one could say that the Golf has been in production since 1972, however that there have been a number of vehicles that in that time that are not related.

However it is still a remarkable success.

[skilly1]

I wonder which country buys the most per capita, is it the UK?

[cptsideways]

skilly1 said:

I wonder which country buys the most per capita, is it the UK?

USA is the biggest market, UK is not far behind, strangely not so popular in the rest of sunny Europe.

I'd guess the UK or Japan is most sold per capita

[Superhoop]

skilly1 said:

I wonder which country buys the most per capita, is it the UK?

Last time I read anything about it, the UK accounted for over 10% of worldwide sales

[Ibizahoo2]

Greenwich Ross said:

What the heck is an MX-5?

[TobesH]

As I am poorer than a church mouse, who wife has run off with another mouse, and taken all the cheese, I am going to buy an MX5 Mk1 because I cannot see what else there is for £1k that does so much. Then stick a bl**dy great turbo on it

[TobesH]

And they get bigger, and bigger...

[Ari]

Which is a good thing because now I can fit in one.

Next size up I might even have some room to spare!

[HereBeMonsters]

B10 said:

To be fair there have been two distinct versions, mk1 / mk2 and the current mk3. These should not be combined together. Toyota have tried this trick with the Corolla and one could say that the Golf has been in production since 1972, however that there have been a number of vehicles that in that time that are not related.

However it is still a remarkable success.

I've always wondered this. How do car companies get away with a World record just for calling their next car the same name as the previous one?

Surely if someone like Peugeot, Vauxhall or Ford still called their medium sized car whatever it was called in 1910, then that would be the biggest selling car in the World ever?

[brillomaster]

anyone else read the title and think there was an mx5 out there that had covered 900,000miles? if so, surely the queen should honor it with a statue or something...

[CaptainSlow]

Under powered, bland styling suitable only for hairdressers and lady boys.

[TotalControl]

CaptainSlow said:

Under powered, bland styling suitable only for hairdressers and lady boys.

Burn him!

[wackojacko]

TotalControl said:

CaptainSlow said:

Under powered, bland styling suitable only for hairdressers and lady boys.

Burn him!

+1 a typical ' I have never driven one , i'll just say what some other people say'.......... Drive one and then delete that comment chap.

[audidoody]

My hairdresser drives a 1989 911 Turbo

[MotorsportTom]

brillomaster said:

anyone else read the title and think there was an mx5 out there that had covered 900,000miles? if so, surely the queen should honor it with a statue or something...

Your not the only one who thought that

[Uhura fighter]

wackojacko said:

TotalControl said:

CaptainSlow said:

Under powered, bland styling suitable only for hairdressers and lady boys.

Burn him!

+1 a typical ' I have never driven one , i'll just say what some other people say'.......... Drive one and then delete that comment chap.

He is right

Check profiles......

[wackojacko]

Uhura fighter said:

wackojacko said:

TotalControl said:

CaptainSlow said:

Under powered, bland styling suitable only for hairdressers and lady boys.

Burn him!

+1 a typical ' I have never driven one , i'll just say what some other people say'.......... Drive one and then delete that comment chap.

He is right

Check profiles......

MX5 ........ Well all I can say is you must have bought a Wrong'un ......honest

[Uhura fighter]

wackojacko said:

MX5 ........ Well all I can say is you must have bought a Wrong'un ......honest

In an odd twist we both own an S-Special (92 and 96 type 2) Great cars, I love mine.

[ukaskew]

B10 said:

To be fair there have been two distinct versions, mk1 / mk2 and the current mk3. These should not be combined together. Toyota have tried this trick with the Corolla and one could say that the Golf has been in production since 1972, however that there have been a number of vehicles that in that time that are not related.

However it is still a remarkable success.

I think the MX-5 is deserving more than any other 'same-name' car, put any version side by side and they clearly share the same DNA, the image in this story nicely portrays that.

You could stick 5 different Corollas in a group of 10 cars and the average person would probably struggle to pick out the 5 Corolla's, not so with the MX-5.