1999 Mazda Miata

Ten years ago, Mazda jump-started the American love affair with the convertible sports car. Remember when people followed Miata transporters to dealerships and paid unbelievable markups for those first '89 Miatas?

The name "Miata" is German for high reward, but don't think that means Mazda is trying to compete in the same market with upscale, higher-priced two-seaters. It doesn't have to; the Miata is already the world's best-selling roadster and has nothing to prove-but it will, anyway. Although there have been numerous improvements to the car, what the new Miata "means," how it drives, and how it's priced all remain in line with the model's overall philosophy. Remarkably, the ragtop Miata has come a long way without forgoing its heritage as a fun-to-drive, back-to-basics two-seater. Yet, this destined-to-be-classic car is better than ever and shows no sign of being overlooked by the media, enthusiasts, or the fun-loving public in general.

Four design teams, the foremost two in Hiroshima, Japan, and Irvine, California, had the seriously tough task of spicing up the recipe without putting a bad taste in mouths of the over 450,000 satisfied worldwide customers-including the 30,000-member Miata Club of America. The more masculine-looking '99 model (there will be no '98) will be offered about the time you read this with five somewhat overlapping option packages encompassing a $6000 range in price: base plus Power Steering, Touring, Popular Equipment, Leather, and Sports packages. All Miatas will be powered by the same 1.8-liter inline-four, DOHC 16-valve engine, but equipped with varying degrees of posh and performance. Depending on the package, you may outfit your pint-size fun-mobile with everything from a four-speed automatic transmission, Bose audio system, leather, and ABS, to a Nardi steering wheel, fender flares, Bilstein shock absorbers, strut tower connector brace, and 195/50VR15 Michelin Pilot SX tires. Make no mistake: This is not your sister's Miata. Imagine the old one with a jolt of caffeine, a lower voice, and dancing lessons, and you'd come close-it's that much better.

We sampled both the Popular Equipment (pictured) and Sports versions with similar but different impressions of the two. While the Popular-equipped car was evidently more capable, more comfortable, and easier to drive than the vehicle it replaces, the Sport version provided some world-class performance figures.

The Miata's often-criticized (for its lackluster performance) powertrain receives a gentle massage (larger, straighter, variable intake ports, higher compression, and new-profile cam lobes) upping the output from 133 to 140 horsepower (138 in the Golden State). That's good enough to run 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds (same as the BMW Z3 1.9), and tour the quarter mile a tenth quicker than BMW's lowest-priced droptop, at 15.9 seconds. If that doesn't convince you that Mazda has gotten serious about the Miata's performance, how about a wickedly fast cone-dodging display through the 600-foot slalom at 70.5 mph. Believe it or not, that's in the realm of the F355, NSX, 911, and even the record-holding Viper! The little sportster's 0.92g lateral acceleration figure is enough to make your head spin, but when it stops, it'll do so from 60 mph in only 122 feet.

If you want to drive the Miata fast, you'd best like oversteer. (If not, perhaps we could show you something in a front-driver.) Autocrossers will rejoice because its at-the-limit handling retains the same spirited, wheels crossed-up, four-wheel-drift-master characteristics of the previous car, but the new, grippier tires push that time- and tire-wasting limit a bit farther away. Nevertheless, we found it every bit as catchable and well balanced as before.