March 17, 2004 -- Mazda Motor Corporation marked a significant
production
milestone on March 5 as the 700,000th Mazda Roadster rolled off the
assembly
line at the Ujina No. 1 plant near Mazda's headquarters in Hiroshima,
Japan.
Vehicle number 700,000, powered by the new 1.8-liter turbocharged,
178-horsepower engine and painted Velocity Red Mica, will be shipped to
the
U.S. market. This milestone was achieved 14 years and 11 months after
the
original Mazda Roadster was launched in April 1989 and further extends
the
company's world record for production volume of a two-seat convertible
sports car.
In May 2000, the Mazda Roadster was recognized by the Guinness Book of
World
Records as the world's top-selling two-seater roadster with a
cumulative
production volume of 531,890 units*. To mark the new production
milestone,
Mazda will re-apply with the Guinness organization in an effort to
reestablish the record.
The Mazda Roadster debuted at the Chicago Auto Show in February 1989,
was
launched in the United States in May of the same year and then rolled
out in
markets throughout the world. The Mazda Roadster debuted in Japan in
September 1989.
Currently in its 15th year of production, the best-selling sports car
and
Mazda brand icon has become the symbol of driving pleasure in many
markets
throughout the world. Roadster fans around the globe have established
driving clubs in an effort to support their shared enthusiasm for the
vehicle. Since launch, the Roadster has captured more than 100
international
automotive awards, including two key awards in the United States:
"Automobile of the Year" by Automobile Magazine and one of Car and
Driver
magazine's 10 Best Cars.
The Roadster was developed based on the simple and pure concept of
"oneness
between car and driver." With its fun-to-drive, lightweight open-top
design
and simple, distinctive styling, it is instantly recognizable as a
product
embodying Mazda's "Zoom-Zoom" brand philosophy.
The first-generation Roadster achieved a total production volume of
just
over 430,000 units during eight years of production. This was followed
by
the introduction of the current, second-generation model in January
1998.
With the ongoing refinement of its engine and chassis, as well as
introduction of various limited-edition models in markets across the
globe,
Mazda's lightweight sports car continues today to meet the high
expectations
of driving enthusiasts.
The most recent special editions of the Mazda Roadster include the
two-seat
Roadster Coupe released in October 2003 in Japan and a turbocharged
model
launched initially in Japan in December 2003 and now also available in
North
America and Australia. In December 2001, Mazda introduced the Roadster
NR-A
in the Japanese market, a model specifically designed for the motor
sports
beginner to race in Roadster Party Races (one-make races) sponsored in
Japan
by Mazda.
*: Produced between April 1989 and October 1999.
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