Orange is the New Black

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Way back in 2019 Mazda were celebrating 30 years of the MX-5 with this special, limited edition. That means the MX5 has now been around for 36 years, and it’s still cool. This car was sold new in NZ and is one of 3000 produced. That may not sound that exclusive, but only 17 were allocated to NZ and all were sold before the cars arrived. And it’s Racing Orange, exclusive to this edition. So if you missed out here’s your second chance. Read on...

The first generation Mazda MX5 is still a great car to own, even after all this time. It’s lightweight, fun, reliable and pretty cheap to own for a classic. You could argue it’s the purist version of the four that Mazda has produced, and the only one with the iconic pop-up headlights.

But Mazda were smart when it came the latest instalment, the ND. With the trend for cars to get bigger through the generations, Mazda made the new car smaller than all but the original version. In fact it is shorter the very small NA, but a bit wider and a touch heavier. So still a small car but with more power, safety, tech and comfort, while still staying true to the nimble sports car brief.

Now this 30^th Anniversary model is a bit special. It was quite a bit more expensive than the standard GT model it was based on but you got some exclusive touches. Just 17 made it to NZ, split between roadster and folding hardtop RF versions. All had manual 6 speed transmissions with an improved 2L engine and upgraded brakes. The wheels are Rays forged with ‘30^th Anniversary’ engraved into the lip. The Racing Orange colour scheme extends into the cabin where you also get a premium interior with Recaro seats and all the fruit that was available at the time.

This one owner car has travelled just 39,000kms, is fitted with high end Michelin Pilot sport tyres and appears to be in amazing condition. If you missed out six years ago, don’t let this one slip away for a second time. It’s available to buy right now for $37,990 from Turners Christchurch. More details here.