1991 Mazda MX-5 1.6 Mk1 NA

Highlights

• Extremely low mileage
• Very well presented all-original example
• Pop-up headlights
• Interior unchanged from new
• Very clean underneath

Overview

Everyone has their own favourite generation of MX-5. At least everyone who cares about classic sports cars. And for many it’ll be the original which gets their vote. It represents the MX-5 in its purest form, an unashamed continuation of the traditions of sports car manufacturers — only with a little more emphasis on engineering precision and production quality than customers of British sports cars had been accustomed to.

This very early MX-5 has a 1.6-litre twin-cam engine, which sends its power to the rear wheels via a five-speed ‘box with a famously delicious shift. It’s direct and responsive, with the lightweight body shell allowing the car to handle extremely well. And those all-important pop-up headlights allow the car to retain a very low, sleek front end, creating a very slippery aerodynamic profile.

It’s not often that you get to see such a well-preserved example of this vintage of MX-5. There was a time when they were at the bottom of their depreciation curve, so many fell victim to boy racers and modifiers. But not this one. It has only had one owner, who bought it from Runcorn Mazda back in 1991, when the car was only a few days old.

Fortunately for us, this owner had kept the car in excellent original condition, with the interior and paintwork showing very few signs of use. Looking back through the digital MOT record — which goes back to 2006 — it has managed to pass an MOT every year without picking up a single advisory, an impressive feat of maintenance.

So if you’re looking to experience a pure, thoroughbred, original, unaltered, box-fresh, MX-5, then this is the closest thing you can get to perfection, without the use of a time machine. Or just buy it for the pop-up headlights. That’s also fine.

History and documentation

• Registered 26 Mar 1991
• The vendor is this car’s first owner, having purchased the car in Mar 1991
• The original dealer — Runcorn Mazda — is registered as the car’s only previous keeper (for three days in Mar 1991)
• Original ‘Customer Information & Service Record’ book
• There is no official service history with the car, but the vendor tells us that it has been serviced by a family friend, with oil changes every 5,000 miles
• Extensive collection of old MOT certificates
• Two keys
• Current MOT with no advisories expires Jul 2025
• The online MOT record shows a continuous run of advisory-free MOTs since 2006, and minimal mileage gain
• V5 present in owner’s name
• HPI clear

Interior

• All-black interior with cloth seat upholstery
• The cosy cabin is in excellent condition throughout
• Very few signs of damage or wear that we could see
• The driver’s seat is excellent
• Deep bolsters provide plenty of lateral support
• Manual seat adjusters
• Matching black carpets appear to be clean and tidy
• Door cards free from scuffs and scratches
• Leather-trimmed, three-spoke steering wheel
• Analogue instruments
• Well stocked centre console, with tactile buttons and heater controls
• Original stereo/cassette player
• The seller tells us that everything on the interior functions as it should do
• The optional hard-top roof keeps things cosy
• Small boot at the rear, with space-saver spare wheel
• Radio aerial stowed in the boot for safe keeping

Exterior

• Classic roadster styling, with a low profile
• Pop-up headlights keep the bonnet line low
• Choice of hard-top and soft-top roofs
• Original tonneau covers included
• Finished in ‘Silverstone Metallic’ paint
• The original paint is extremely well preserved
• There are only a few small stone chips that we could see
• Body panels present very well, with no obvious dents or damage
• 14-inch, seven-spoke Mazda alloy wheels
• There are only a few small scuffs on the wheel rims
• Matching set of Kumho tyres, with a little cracking on the sidewalls
• Chrome badges front and rear
• Headlight lenses look well preserved, with the residue from a couple of stickers still present
• Heated rear windscreen
• The underside of the car was reportedly undersealed when it was five years old
• It still looks very clean, from what we could see

Mechanical

• 1,587 cc, four-cylinder, naturally-aspirated, petrol engine
• Produces 115 bhp and 100 lb ft
• Top speed 116 mph, 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds
• Five-speed manual transmission
• Rear-wheel drive
• Cast aluminium twin cam cover proudly on display
• The engine bay looks remarkably clean, tidy, and original
• On the underside, the suspension components have been undersealed
• A note in the car’s history file indicates that the cambelt was changed at 18,000 miles, and the oil, brake fluid, and spark plugs were changed in 2018
• The vendor informs that the car’s servicing is up to date, and that it drives and stops well
• No mechanical issues reported
• Advisory-free MOT

Summary

Opportunities like this don’t come up very often. Here you have the chance to bid on an extremely original example of a Mk 1 MX-5. In this condition and with this mileage, you’d be mad not to.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Preston, Lancashire.