The
Mazda MX-5, released as the
Mazda MX-5 Miata in North America and as the
Eunos Roadster in Japan, is a lightweight two-seater
roadster with a
front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Manufactured by
Mazda in
Hiroshima, Japan, the model debuted in 1989 at the
Chicago Auto Show. The MX-5 was conceived as a small roadster – with light weight and minimal mechanical complexity limited only by legal and safety requirements, while being technologically modern and reliable. The MX-5 is conceptually an evolution of small sports roadsters of the 1960s, such as the
Triumph Spitfire,
Datsun 2000,
Alfa Romeo Spider, and particularly the
Lotus Elan.