2025 Mazda MX-5 35th Anniversary revealed

22 October 2024 / drive.com.au

The story below by Alex Misoyannis was originally published by drive.com.au on 21 October 2024.

The Mazda MX-5 is celebrating its 35th birthday with the third anniversary special edition of this generation, unveiled in Japan and confirmed for Australia. The 35th Anniversary MX-5 does not add any more performance – or sharpen the handling – but rather, it focuses on visual changes to mark the anniversary. An Australian launch for the 35th Anniversary edition has been confirmed by Mazda, though arrival timing, prices and the body styles – soft-top Roadster or folding hard-top RF – it will be offered with are yet to be announced. Production of the new special edition will be limited by time, rather than a cap on the number of cars built.

Details for the Japanese market were announced at a live-streamed Mazda fan festival over the weekend, where these images were sourced (see video below). The 35th Anniversary is finished in Artisan Red Premium – a three-layer paint debuted on the CX-90 seven-seat SUV – with a silver finish on the 16-inch (soft-top) and 17-inch (RF) wheels, which share their design with cheaper models in the range.

The soft-top receives a beige soft-top, while both cars are fitted with numbered 35th Anniversary badges behind the doors.
The beige treatment continues to the lower dashboard, centre console, carpeting and leather seats, with 35th Anniversary debossing on the headrests, unique branded floor mats, and Artisan Red air vent accents. Customers in Japan can also option an Artisan Red shell for the key fob.

The special edition is otherwise mechanically unchanged, with no mention of performance options from the MX-5 'parts bin' – such as Bilstein dampers, Brembo brakes or additional body bracing, as offered on flagship versions. In Australia, it is expected to mean a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine in both body styles developing 135kW and 205Nm, matched with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. A 1.5-litre engine is the only choice in all Japanese-market MX-5 soft-tops, but the smaller unit was dropped from Australian models nearly three years ago.

Mazda has not announced release timing for the 2025 Mazda MX-5 35th Anniversary, but reports in Japan suggest it will enter production next month ahead of the first deliveries in early 2025. Australian arrivals would therefore likely commence towards the middle of next year – by which point the MX-5 will be in its 36th year of production, having launched locally in late 1989.

The 35th Anniversary MX-5 is the latest in a line of birthday specials for Mazda's long-running roadster. It celebrated 30 years with Racing Orange paint, black Rays forged wheels, Brembo brakes and Bilstein dampers, while Mazda celebrated 100 years of operation with an MX-5 finished in Snowflake White paint, and a burgundy roof and interior. Both of these editions were based on the current ND-series MX-5, which was unveiled a decade ago – but launched in 2015, opening the door for another anniversary special edition next year. The car's 25th anniversary was celebrated with a 2014 limited edition based on the then-soon-to-be-superseded NC MX-5, adding Soul Red Metallic paint, black highlights, and white leather seats.