The 1990 Mazda Miata arrived at a moment when driving risked becoming an appliance task, not an experience. With a tiny footprint, a manual roof, and a modest engine, it reminded buyers that ...

It was 36 years ago at the Chicago Auto Show when Mazda revealed its first-ever Miata roadster. During a cold, blustery February in 1989, the Hiroshima-based automaker pulled the sheets off what would ...