Antony Ingram – författare

At well over 1.2 million cars and counting, the Mazda MX-5 holds the Guinness World Record as the bestselling two-seater sports car ever produced. With a compelling mixture of timeless good looks, simple mechanicals, legendary reliability and Mazda’s commitment to developing and honing an idea first conceived back in the 1970s, the MX-5 not only single-handedly revived the ailing sports car segment on its debut, but is one of few cars still flying the flag today. The motoring landscape has changed dramatically since its conception, but one thing is certain: you can still rely on an MX-5 for a good time.This fully revised edition of Mazda MX-5 charts the MX-5’s story from the first seeds of its conception right up to the concept cars and special editions of the modern day, covering:•Design, development and production over more than three decades and four generations.•The engine and drivetrain technology that gave the MX-5 its sharp handling and performance.•Stories of the engineers and designers behind the MX-5’s successes, showing how simple, intelligent engineering ensured such a bespoke product was able to compete in a world obsessed by volume and margins.•The MX-5’s extensive racing story.•A detailed buyer’s guide for all four generations, compiled with the help of specialists, as well as details of the myriad special editions sold globally.•Detailed specifications for all major models.Illustrated in full colour, Mazda MX-5 is a concise, detailed guide to this groundbreaking and innovative sports car.

At well over 1.2 million cars and counting, the Mazda MX-5 holds the Guinness World Record as the bestselling two-seater sports car ever produced. With a compelling mixture of timeless good looks, simple mechanicals, legendary reliability and Mazda's commitment to developing and honing an idea first conceived back in the 1970s, the MX-5 not only single-handedly revived the ailing sports car segment on its debut, but is one of few cars still flying the flag today. The motoring landscape has changed dramatically since its conception, but one thing is certain: you can still rely on an MX-5 for a good time. This fully revised edition of Mazda MX-5 charts the MX-5 s story from the first seeds of its conception right up to the concept cars and special editions of the modern day, covering: Design, development and production over more than three decades and four generations. The engine and drivetrain technology that gave the MX-5 its sharp handling and performance. Stories of the engineers and designers behind the MX-5 s successes, showing how simple, intelligent engineering ensured such a bespoke product was able to compete in a world obsessed by volume and margins. The MX-5 s extensive racing story. A detailed buyer s guide for all four generations, compiled with the help of specialists, as well as details of the myriad special editions sold globally. Detailed specifications for all major models. Illustrated in full colour, Mazda MX-5 is a concise, detailed guide to this groundbreaking and innovative sports car.

From Mazda’s first experiments with rotary power in the early 1960s, to the supercar-baiting models that dominated automotive pop culture in the early 20th century, this book charts the story of the Mazda RX-7 in all its generations and variations, as well as those involved in its conception and development, and the tuners and race teams that contributed to the model’s success. The Wankel rotary engine has never quite achieved the prominence its inventor Felix Wankel, nor its adopted family at Mazda, probably expected it to achieve. However, the Japanese carmaker’s time, investment and dedication to the rotary engine has still been rewarded with millions of sales, and has given us one of the world’s greatest sports cars: the Mazda RX-7. From its launch in 1978 until production ceased three generations later in 2002, the RX-7 was recognised as one of the finest sports cars of its era, with the styling, performance and handling to do what so many other brands have failed to achieve over the years, challenging and even beating the likes of Porsche. Over 24 years and three generations, the Mazda RX-7 secured its place as one of the world’s legendary sports cars. Powered by the Wankel rotary engine, which over the years Mazda has truly made its own, the RX-7 began life as a democratic sports car offering Porsche-eclipsing performance for a fraction of the price, and evolved to become one of Japan’s most formidable performance cars, offering a thrilling driving experience on the road and track. The car’s performance increased considerably over the years, yet Mazda’s focus on light weight, driver interaction and consistent improvements to the rotary engine never wavered. This book follows the story of the RX-7 and its many variations, racing endeavours and appearances in popular culture along the way. The RX-7 also established Mazda as a serious player in the market, proving the rotary engine was far more than just a curiosity and demonstrating that its engineers were capable of much more than building worthy, but dull, economy cars. Without the RX-7, and the more than 800,000 cars Mazda sold bearing the nameplate, the company as we know it today may not exist.

From Mazda’s first experiments with rotary power in the early 1960s, to the supercar-baiting models that dominated automotive pop culture in the early 20th century, this book charts the story of the Mazda RX-7 in all its generations and variations, as well as those involved in its conception and development, and the tuners and race teams that contributed to the model’s success. The Wankel rotary engine has never quite achieved the prominence its inventor Felix Wankel, nor its adopted family at Mazda, probably expected it to achieve. However, the Japanese carmaker’s time, investment and dedication to the rotary engine has still been rewarded with millions of sales, and has given us one of the world’s greatest sports cars: the Mazda RX-7. From its launch in 1978 until production ceased three generations later in 2002, the RX-7 was recognised as one of the finest sports cars of its era, with the styling, performance and handling to do what so many other brands have failed to achieve over the years, challenging and even beating the likes of Porsche. Over 24 years and three generations, the Mazda RX-7 secured its place as one of the world’s legendary sports cars. Powered by the Wankel rotary engine, which over the years Mazda has truly made its own, the RX-7 began life as a democratic sports car offering Porsche-eclipsing performance for a fraction of the price, and evolved to become one of Japan’s most formidable performance cars, offering a thrilling driving experience on the road and track. The car’s performance increased considerably over the years, yet Mazda’s focus on light weight, driver interaction and consistent improvements to the rotary engine never wavered. This book follows the story of the RX-7 and its many variations, racing endeavours and appearances in popular culture along the way. The RX-7 also established Mazda as a serious player in the market, proving the rotary engine was far more than just a curiosity and demonstrating that its engineers were capable of much more than building worthy, but dull, economy cars. Without the RX-7, and the more than 800,000 cars Mazda sold bearing the nameplate, the company as we know it today may not exist.