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What Makes a Great Sports Car? | Articles

What Makes a Great Sports Car? | Articles

[Editor’s Note: This article originally ran in the December 2014 issue of Grassroots Motorsports. Some information may be different today.]

Story by Norman Garrett • Illustrations by Sarah Young

When Grassroots Motorsports came on the scene 30 years ago–back when it was called Auto-X magazine–the sports car world was facing sorry times. Famed brands like MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey had long left our shores, while Alfa Romeo’s Spider was still a carryover from decades earlier. The once-mighty Corvette was all new, yet rather bloated. Even the Porsche 911 faced an uncertain future.

Then came the Mazda Miata. This little roadster revived the flat-lining sports car market, and it was the real deal, too: rear-drive chassis, willing engine, five-speed gearbox, amazing looks and a fold-down top. It didn’t cost a mint, either. Twenty-five years after its release, the Miata is still a cornerstone of our scene.

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