The Mazda MX-5 has just set a new record in the “Guinness World Records,” the record book, with the “Media Roadster 4-Hour Endurance Race,” which uses the brand’s roadster and is considered the oldest series of one-make car races.
The first edition of this event, exclusively run since its inception with examples of what is now the world’s best-selling roadster, dates back to 1989, the year the first generation of an iconic two-seater model from the Japanese brand was launched in Europe, known as the Mazda MX-5, but sold in other parts of the world as the Mazda Roadster or Mazda Miata.
The 35th edition of this motorsport gathering, known to the Japanese as “Media 4-Tai,” took place at the end of last year at the Tsukuba Circuit in the Japanese prefecture of Ibaraki, allowing members of the Japanese media to experience firsthand the appeal and enjoyment inherent in car racing with the MX-5.
It is worth noting that the Japanese brand is celebrating 35 years of the iconic MX-5 and recently showcased at Rétromobile 2025, held in Paris, examples and special series from the first three generations of the world’s best-selling roadster, along with a more recent MX-5.
Unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show on February 9, 1989, the MX-5 has garnered a massive fan community and numerous awards over the years, showcasing its excellence.
With a design reminiscent of a classic rear-wheel-drive sports car, yet resolutely innovative in its centrally positioned front engine – a configuration that ensures excellent weight distribution – the Japanese roadster revived a car segment that had nearly vanished at the time. Compact and lightweight, the Mazda MX-5 truly redefined the joy of driving with the top down.
