The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a well-known two-seat rear-wheel drive roadster. Made by Hiroshima-based automaker Mazda, the MX-5 was introduced in 1989. Since then, over a million have been sold worldwide, the car is now in its fourth generation and revered by enthusiasts. Many say that the best way to learn performance driving skills is behind the wheel of an MX-5 Miata. Perhaps that’s why most racing schools overseas use this diminutive roadster for their teaching cars.
Our subject 1993 MX-5 Miata, 17-6491 is a left-hand drive variant, because as its current owner Sheran Cooke tells us, it was imported from the United States. Sheran believes that it may have seen some diplomatic use, and at one point, he recalls seeing the car with a bike rack. Sheran clinched the car in 2000 when Paramesh David notified him of its for-sale status. The car was minus a rear differential, and needed plenty of work, which Sheran and his prolific dad with an illustrious motor sports history - Suren Cooke, attended to with gusto.
This first-gen car showcases those iconic pop-up headlamps that are so Eighties and yet desired to this day (I too am a sucker for pop-up headlamps, as are most Eighties and Nineties kids). That, plus the car’s overall looks and clean silhouette are key to its appeal. The design has aged well, and as we now know, there are at least thirty Miatas of various vintages in Sri Lanka.
Beneath the hood of this lustrous blue beau lies a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter water-cooled, fuel-injected four-cylinder engine. The engine has double overhead camshafts, and was factory rated for 115 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque. Power goes to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. However, the car isn’t a totally stripped out affair. You’ve got air conditioning, and an aftermarket JVC head unit for some music. However, the windows are wind-up affairs, and the mirrors are manually adjusted too. Ditto the convertible top, although in typical Japanese fashion, it’s supremely engineered and easy to deploy. Even so, this car is meant to be driven top-down for most of its time on the roads.
The Miata’s front-engined rear-wheel drive layout is classic old-school sports car stuff. Pack all this into a body that’s less than 4 metres in length and you’ve got a recipe for fun. Independent double wishbone suspension, all-round disc brakes and a kerb weight of around 1,000 kilos only contribute towards the smiles behind the wheel. Sheran’s car also rides on 13-inch wheels which wear sticky Toyo Proxes rubber.
Sheran invites me to take the wheel, and it’s an offer I can’t refuse. Even though I haven’t driven a left-hand-drive car since 2019. Thankfully it’s a Sunday morning and Colombo traffic is relatively light. I quickly get used to shifting gears with my right hand, and then notice that the exhaust note is rather stirring. That’s because this car has a Magnaflow exhaust, and it really uplifts the character of the car.
Of course, I don’t push it since I’m still getting used to the whole driving-from-the-passenger-seat thing. After all, I don’t want to be the one to crash the only LHD MX-5 Miata in Sri Lanka! When I do open it up a bit, I notice the relatively communicative suspension and direct steering. I also notice the car’s relatively light weight, making its 115 horsepower more than enough for a spirited drive.
Sheran expresses his appreciation to the late Mr. Jinasena (father of Nadeera Jinasena) for rebuilding the engine of 17-6491, which included polishing the head and ports, plus plenty of other work. He also extends a special thanks to his cousin Gabriel, for looking after this car and keeping it in great condition.
We’re grateful as well for being able to feature this lovely Miata, so if you see it on the road, give the driver a wave and a smile…
