The Mazda Miata was welcomed as the second coming of the affordable British sports car when it was introduced for 1990. Never mind that the Miata was built in Japan, styled in California or came from no appreciable racing heritage. Instead, the Mazda Miata was hailed as everything the lamented British roadsters should have been and perhaps could have been. Alas, by the time the Mazda Miata was introduced production British sports cars were virtually a thing of the past.

The Mazda Miata was described as a lightweight, rear wheel-drive roadster with a rigid chassis, five-speed manual transmission, phenomenal balance and perfectly weighted steering.

A 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine providing 115 horsepower powered the first Miata, but tipping the scales at slightly over 2,000 pounds that was already good enough for a top speed of 125 mph plus. The designation ‘RX-5’ was preferred by the car’s engineers to reflect on Mazda’s history with rotary-powered automobiles. But the Miata wasn’t rotary powered. The first generation MX-5 Miata started its own lineage instead, with the ‘M’ meaning ‘prize’ or ‘reward’ in Japanese.

Legions of old and new enthusiasts eagerly embraced the new Miata. It didn’t hurt a bit that the styling created by American Mark Jordan and Asian-American Tom Matano at Mazda’s California Design Center bore a strong resemblance to the Lotus Elan right down to the sleek pop-up headlights. The Japanese engineered and built chassis and running gear had already come to mean something far more to buyers than affordable British sports ever achieved – reliability. Technically, the Miata was a convertible, not a roadster, with roll-up glass side windows, a tight-fitting soft top and even an available removable hard top. But a comfortable two-seat cockpit and a heater that actually worked were enough to seal the deal for many, who made the Miata their only car. The Mazda Miata has become the most popular roadster in history with total sales estimated somewhere around a million cars since 1990.

A few of the most ardent of the Miata’s new enthusiasts went as far as to purchase a new Miata and immediately put it into storage. The first-year Mazda MX-5 we are offering here is a brand new, twenty-six year old Mazda MX-5 Miata with everything ‘but the box it came in’. The odometer shows just 3,310 miles from new. This Miata presents as a brand new car, finished in Silver Stone Metallic with a black cloth interior, black soft top and the body-colored optional hardtop fitted in place. Other equipment as originally delivered includes power steering, leather wrapped steering wheel, am/fm cassette player and alloy wheels, as well as power brakes, cruise control and air conditioning. Accordingly, every detail about this car is in as-new condition.

Delivery includes original documentation from the East Pointe Car Company of Kentwood, Michigan, the new car dealer who sold this Miata, complete with business cards from the dealership. All delivery stickers, the original owners manual and booklets in the original envelope are also provided with the sale.

Whether it was the appeal of a new two-seat, open-air sports car, the new/old styling, modern equipment or comfort that the first Mazda Miata represented, Miatas have created a large and loyal following all around the world. Mazda’s advertising in 2016 still promises a “Pure. Modern. Roadster.” Want more? J.D. Power describes the Mazda Miata as the best selling two seat-sports car of all time. This is an opportunity to invest in a time capsule example of the first year Mazda Miata that is ready is every way to show, benchmark or drive sparingly without mindless obsession on preserving original mileage – it’s already been driven. Who will be the next driver?