Mazda MX-5 special edition unveiled

Mazda may have just pulled the wraps off the new Mazda MX-5 (or its internals, at least), but there's a double celebration this week as the company launches the Mazda MX-5 25th Anniversary Edition. Based on the current model, it marks 25 years of the company's compact sports car – a model that has seen impressive success around the globe. The new special edition gets both cosmetic and mechanical upgrades that should make it even more appealling to MX-5 enthusiasts.

The most obvious changes are on the outside where the car gets a Brilliant Black-painted roof, A-pillars, and door mirror housings. The 25th Anniversary Edition also gets its own exclusive shade of paint – Soul Red Metallic.

Inside, there's off-white leather for the seats and door trims, as well as a hand-finished decorative, Piano Black dashboard panel.

Underneath, the Mazda has been treated to suspension components from Bilstein – which supplies numerous race car teams – so we can expect the MX-5 25th Anniversary Edition to be even more fun to drive than the normal model, without having an adverse affect on the comfort of the suspension.

The car is based on a 2.0-litre Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe, which means it can do 0-60mph in just 7.6 seconds and return fuel economy of up to 36mpg, while emitting 181g/km of CO2 for annual road tax of £225.

Buyers can choose to opt for an automatic gearbox over the standard manual, but all models come with Mazda’s folding metal roof rather than the fabric version that the MX-5 can also be specced with.

Since its launch in 1989, Mazda has built more than 940,000 Mazda MX-5s and still holds a Guinness World Record for the best selling two-seater in history. Much of the car's success has been attributed to its ability to provide the fun of a British sports car – like the original MGB – but with none of the reliability shortfalls.

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