Mazda marks 25 years of Miata, the best-selling roadster of all time

Taking a simple concept and turning it into a car enthusiasts' dream that lasts for 25 years – a phenomenon that remains as strong today as it did a quarter of a century ago – is unfathomable. And yet that is exactly what Tom Matano, Bob Hall and their team did back in 1989 with the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

In celebration of these achievements, Mazda has brought a 25th anniversary special edition Miata to the New York auto show, a glimpse into the next generation Miata set to arrive within the next 12 months, and an array of 15 iconic Miatas from the past 25 years – including the 1996 M Coupe concept and the only 1998 Miata ever built.

The philosophy of the original Miata was simple: Create a two-seater sports car that evokes a sense of passion; a car that makes you smile. It wasn't about numbers or statistics. Nor was it about following a form book; although it clearly took inspiration from the legendary British roadsters of the 1960s. What was expected to sell in the range of a few hundred a month turned into thousands. Today, around 1 million Miatas have been sold globally, making it the best-selling two seater sports car this world has ever seen.

Over the years, imitators have come and gone – such as the BMW Z3 and the Pontiac Solstice. When GM released its roadster in 2005, Bob Hall, a former car journalists turned product planner at Mazda who was responsible for imagining the original Miata, remembers the time well: "They just didn't get it," he said. "And it was the same with BMW. I couldn't help but laugh. A Miata is not about a number; it's about a feeling."