Jump to content
Create New...
  • William Maley
    William Maley

    Chicago 2012: Mazda Brings A Special Edition MX-5 Miata


    William Maley

    Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

    February 3, 2012

    Back in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show, Mazda pulled the covers off the first generation Miata roadster. Since then, Chicago has become the showplace for Mazda to show off special version of Miata and this year will be no different.

    Mazda will show off the new 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition next week at Chicago. The special edition brings takes the top of the line Grand Touring model further with a new black-only power retractable hard top, 17-inch gunmetal wheels, black exterior accents, black heated leather seats and piano black interior trim. Two new exterior colors – a special white and red, will be offered.

    Mazda doesn't say whether the powertrain will see an upgrade for special edition, but a six-speed manual and automatic will be offered. The special edition will also come with Premium and Suspension packages will come as standard equipment. That means buyers will get Bluetooth, Sirius satellite radio, Bilstein shocks and a sport-tuned suspension.

    Only 450 Special Edtion MX-5 Miatas will be built.

    Press Release is on Page 2


    2012 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA SPECIAL EDITION MAKES NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT IN CHICAGO

    IRVINE, Calif. (February 2, 2012) - Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) will unveil its 2012 MX-5 Miata [4] Special Edition at the upcoming 2012 Chicago Auto Show. The limited-run model features a black-only Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) - the first time a non-body-colored hard top is available in North America - as well as other exclusivities such as two new exterior colors, new 17-inch black gunmetal alloy wheels, black exterior accents, black heated leather seats and piano black interior finishes.

    The MX-5 Miata is the world's best-selling two-seat roadster with more than 900,000 produced, and made its global debut at the Chicago Auto Show in 1989. The MX-5 Special Edition continues the sports car's history of being a dynamically-engineered, enthusiast-approved roadster whose price doesn't discriminate and whose luxuries are not stripped.

    Available with either the six-speed manual transmission with short-throw shifter or six-speed Sport automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, the Special Edition model is based off the Grand Touring model. Both Premium and Suspension packages will be standard on the MX-5 Special Edition and include features such as a Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, SIRIUS® Satellite Radio, Bilstein shocks and a sport-tuned suspension.

    Also on display at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show will be:

    • Turbo2 - Unveiled at the SEMA Show held in Las Vegas this past November, this concept is the brainchild of The Autobarn, which owns two Mazda dealerships in the Greater Chicago area. Here, a "Zoom-Zoom Concentrated" Mazda2 is outfitted with an extra-strength component in the form of a MAZDASPEED3 MZR 2.3-liter Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI) turbo engine. Consider the Turbo2 a subcompact cat that doesn't purr - it growls.
    • Dempsey Racing No. 40 GRAND-AM Road Racing Race Car - Most recently seen Zoom-Zoom-ing across the SPEED Channel's live coverage of the 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona last month, the No. 40 car - piloted by Patrick Dempsey, Joe Foster, Charles Espenlaub, Tom Long and Charlie Putman - made its third consecutive Top 10 finish in the annual 24-hour race, besting competitors in a 46-car field which included BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche.
    • 1990 Miata - A first-generation Mazda Miata, which made its debut in Chicago in 1989. This vehicle has 3,688 original miles and is the 15th Miata off the line.
    • Star Mazda Championship Open-Wheel Race Car - The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is a major part of the Mazda Road to Indy. Rising motorsports stars from around the world compete for prizes valued at $1.5 million, including a scholarship to move up and compete in the 2013 Firestone Indy Lights series.

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Great another coffin on wheels to pick out of my suburbans grill. You have two kinds of Miata owners, those that buy them and then hold up traffic driving 10 miles below the posted sign or those that think it is a Corvette and drive it like one but tend to not think about a 10K lb suv having to stop when they cut in front of you greatly reducing the space between you and the auto in front.

    I have come to hate the people who drive these cars here in seattle as they think they are so much better / more important than anyone else. Rudest drivers I know.

    Over all I will not miss this car when they finally kill it off.

    • Disagree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • google-news-icon.png



  • google-news-icon.png

  • Subscribe to Cheers & Gears

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001 we've brought you real content and honest opinions, not AI-generated stuff with no feeling or opinions influenced by the manufacturers.

    Please consider subscribing. Subscriptions can be as little as $1.75 a month, and a paid subscription drops most ads.*
     

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Posts

    • TELO is sure getting more press.  Telo Clears Big Hurdle for Its Small Electric Pickup Truck TELO has confirmed since opening up reservations, they have over 5,000 in the last few days.
    • I am quoting myself, so to speak. I was speaking with this friend today and, while overall views haven't changed, there was "defense" of Musk because (and I'm only citing the items he mentioned): 1) he was thrown under the bus in favor of Mary Barra at a speech at GM, and 2) regarding the failed SpaceX rocket launch on 1/16/25, mistakes happen and people and organizations learn from them.   I don't recall item 1), so I looked up the YouTube and the comments were mixed, with a few people mentioning that this was on GM property and, for that matter, neither Ford nor Stellantis were given props, from what I listened to, and 2) completely oblivious to the launch event, I was there on 1/16/25 and thought, "Everyone has closed shop and checked out, so I might as well watch the launch."  I made a 1 minute video of it on my phone.  Later that evening, I learned of the aftermath and thought that, with this now being routine, that shouldn't have happened and it also posed air traffic control issues as well as danger to people and property depending on where the debris* fell. *We Americans pronounce it "duh-bree," while I once heard a VIP in the UK refer to is as "deh-bris" ... never forgot that So there's that update.
    • This was the newest listing I could find and does not seem to require that the front of the wheels be covered. Microsoft Word - 7176_QuickReferenceGuidetoFMVSS_02-24-11_v2.docx NHTSA Statutes, Regulations, Authorities & FMVSS | NHTSA
    • Genesis Is doing that with their electrified versions of everything except GV60 which is EV entirely.  The G80 EV loses the rear seat middle hump and has a flat floor. (except on the ultra-lux models with a center console.)
    • Days of cheap autos are over I fear due to incompetent leadership. I think the new era will see all types of autos be in the 35 to 45K range. I do think these are a bit expensive for a subcompact auto, but then if they have all the safety features, they talk about then there is the cost there that would help to justify cost. @Drew Dowdell do you know if the NHTSA requires covers on those front wheels? I seem to see plenty of Jeeps Wranglers that really do not have covers there, so while I found conflicting info from a state standpoint, I have not been able to find any requirements for wheel coverings on the front wheels.
  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search