Re: Miata Schmiata!

[Steve An <stevean@domain.elided>]

This is not entirely true in my opinion...

The miata was conceived by Bob Hall and his team at MANA (Mazda of North 
America) in San Diego. It was sketched by Mark Jordan (Chuck's son) and 
final details were done by W.H. Chin, both were Art Center grads, where 
most of today car designers come from, including most Italian design houses 
(e.g. Chris Bangle (head of BMW design), Freeman Thomas (TT, Beetle, head 
of Chrysler Design), Jay Mays (Ford, Beetle), Ben Dimson (Mercedes) just to 
name a few whom I know personally.

Mazda has a long and illustrious history of making sportscars, they stuck 
with the Wankel, made the Cosmo, RX7, won  Lemans, re-introduced the rag 
top to the masses, they have sold over 500K Miatas. It may not be the most 
original concept, but you can't tell me it was ill-conceived or not well 
executed. What did we get from Alfa around the same time? the FWD Spider, 
with enough cowl shakes to give your wrists arthritis.

I love Alfas, but the Miata is about as pure a sportscar as there is, then 
again, I think cars that weighs 2 tons with 400 horses (e.g. Astons) are 
just plain silly.

Yes, I have owned 3 Miatas in various stages of tune and love every mile 
behind the wheel. Fabulous chassis, one of the best shifters around, 
durable motor and the best part, almost no maintenance and mind numbing 
reliability.

Check out the Miata club, go to any autox or SCCA events and tell me Miata 
fans aren't passionate or rabid.

        con brio,

                - Steve.

                        (who loves his 3 lovely Italian cars)




> By the way, even though I've not driven a recent Miata, the original one 
> was certainly no real competition for an Alfa Spider in my eyes. Like most 
> Japanese cars, it was designed by the numbers by engineers who take the 
> train to work, and therefore there was something left out. That 
> "something" is, in my humble estimation, the passion that makes all of us 
> rabid Alfisti.
>
> George Graves
> '86 GTV-6
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