This time it’s not the Brits who get a special MX-5! At Chicago auto show, Mazda North America announced the 2011 MX-5 Miata Special Edition which is limited to just 750 units, powered by the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
The car’s a fully-equipped Grand Touring model but is only available with Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT). This folding roof opens and closes in 12 seconds, but it’s heavier than the car’s with cloth roof and therefore not just as brilliant to drive. It’s not bad, but not just as good if you know what I mean!
The Premium Package is standard on the Special Edition and includes a Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, SIRIUS® Satellite Radio with a six-month complimentary subscription, Xenon headlights, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with a Traction Control System (TCS), an anti-theft alarm and the Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry and Start System. That leads us to the interior where you get a few unique touches.
Those mentioned touches include gray door trim and heated leather seats with gray stitching, a black leather-wrapped parking brake and steering wheel with contrasting gray stitching, chrome treatments to the air vents and instrument cluster as well as aluminum pedals (6MT only). As for the exterior, it gets 17-inch Bright Finish aluminum alloy wheels and Sparkling Black Mica or Dolphin Gray Mica body color.
The 2.0 liter engine can be had with either a six-speed manual transmission with short-throw shifter or a six-speed Sport automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and produces 167-horsepower, 140 lb-ft of torque (158 horsepower with the 6AT). The car also gets the Suspension Package as standard which includes Bilstein shocks, a limited slip differential (LSD) and a sport-tuned suspension.
Pricing for the Miata Special edition starts from $30,925 for the manual transmission, and $31,525 when equipped with the six-speed Sport AT automatic.
