Mazda MX-5

Build instructions

What you'll need: 200-250 gsm paper or cardstock, scissors or a craft knife, a ruler and glue stick.

• Print the PDF at actual size (100%, do not scale to fit page) on 200-250 gsm paper.
• Cut out each piece along the solid lines.
• Score the dashed lines with a ruler for precise folds.
• Glue the pieces in the numbered order on each sheet, working from the body outward to the details.
• Let each joint dry before moving on to the next piece.

About the Mazda MX-5

Launched in 1989, the MX-5 became the world's best-selling two-seat roadster thanks to its lightweight philosophy and agile handling, spanning several generations to this day.

History and trivia

The project that became the MX-5 began at Mazda's design studio in California, where journalist and designer Bob Hall pitched reviving the spirit of lightweight British roadsters from the 1960s, such as the Lotus Elan, at a time when that type of car had almost disappeared from the market. The team, with Tom Matano and Mark Jordan among its lead designers, developed the concept around the "jinba ittai" philosophy (horse and rider as one), prioritizing light weight and balanced handling over raw power. The result, launched in 1989, single-handedly revived the affordable roadster segment.

Since then the MX-5 has gone through four generations (NA, NB, NC and ND), and in 2000 it entered the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling two-seat roadster in history, a title it still holds today. Beyond sales figures, the model has an active racing life through the MX-5 Cup, one of motorsport's longest-running one-make championships, and it has served as the basis for limited special editions in nearly every market where it's sold.