There has been a renaissance spirit for the Mazda MX-5 in recent years, ever since Mazda launched the ND model in September 2015. In 2006, Mazda sold nearly 1,500 MX-5s in Australia. By 2013, that had slipped to 60 cars, less than 5% of the sales from seven years earlier.
There were many reasons for this. The model was aging, and by the time Mazda replaced it, the model was ten years old, albeit with some minor updates. The price had ballooned to over $50,000 and the available models trimmed back to a single hard-top model.
Adding to Mazda's woes, Toyota released the 86 (and its Subaru cousin, the BRZ) in 2012 with a starting price of under $30,000. For Mazda and us Zoom Zoom enthusiasts, the ND model release in 2015 couldn't come quickly enough.
With the ND model's release, Mazda returned the MX-5 to its roots as a lightweight convertible sports car with a fabric soft top and a starting price under $32,000. The all-new Mazda MX-5 was to be the panacea for the dwindling sales.
Today, almost 25% of the Zoom Zoom club members own an ND model, and I have no doubt that this has contributed to the growing member numbers now and will do so in the future.
There were many reasons for this. The model was aging, and by the time Mazda replaced it, the model was ten years old, albeit with some minor updates. The price had ballooned to over $50,000 and the available models trimmed back to a single hard-top model.
Adding to Mazda's woes, Toyota released the 86 (and its Subaru cousin, the BRZ) in 2012 with a starting price of under $30,000. For Mazda and us Zoom Zoom enthusiasts, the ND model release in 2015 couldn't come quickly enough.
With the ND model's release, Mazda returned the MX-5 to its roots as a lightweight convertible sports car with a fabric soft top and a starting price under $32,000. The all-new Mazda MX-5 was to be the panacea for the dwindling sales.
Today, almost 25% of the Zoom Zoom club members own an ND model, and I have no doubt that this has contributed to the growing member numbers now and will do so in the future.
