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Huge Mazda Roadster 20th Anniversary Commemorative Event Held in Japan
- Over 1,600 Mazda Roadsters converged on Miyoshi Proving Ground in Hiroshima prefecture in western Japan -
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HIROSHIMA, Japan—To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Mazda Roadster (known overseas as the Mazda MX-5), Mazda Motor Corporation hosted a special commemorative event on September 20, 2009, at its Miyoshi Proving Ground in western Japan.
Scenes from the Roadster 20th Anniversary Meet
First launched in 1989, Mazda’s two-seat lightweight open-top sports car is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. To commemorate the milestone, over 1,600 Roadsters and their owners made their way to the car’s birthplace at the Miyoshi Proving Ground.
When the proving ground gates opened at 6:30 a.m., the arriving Roadsters were welcomed home by attending staff. Approximately 2,600 owners and fans had journeyed from all over Japan and overseas to join in the celebration. The event was officially launched with a toast from a 20-year old Roadster owner, who had been born the same year as the iconic vehicle was launched.
During the event, members of the development team and MX-5 owners from abroad delivered congratulatory speeches; Roadster owners’ clubs from every region of Japan were introduced; and guests were invited to take part in a Roadster quiz. To bring the celebration to a close, Mazda’s director and senior managing executive officer in charge of vehicle development, Seita Kanai, stood up to address the crowd. His cry of, “The Roadster is forever!” was greeted by thunderous applause from the spectators.
To end with a Zoom-Zoom flourish, all 1,600 Roadsters formed up to parade around the track before leaving the Miyoshi Proving Ground with a fond farewell from the Mazda staff.
Main events at the Roadster 20th Anniversary Meet Date held: Sunday, September 20, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. Venue: Mazda Miyoshi Proving Ground in Miyoshi, Hiroshima prefecture. (Mazda’s main proving ground in Japan.) Organizer: Roadster 20th Anniversary Meet Committee. (This committee is mainly comprised of staff from Mazda’s Domestic Business Division and members of Roadster owners’ clubs.) Hosted by: Mazda Motor Corporation Hosted by: Mazda Motor Corporation Supported by: Volunteers from the “National Roadster Meeting Official Summit for (the) 20th/World Roadster Friendship Clubs” Participating Mazda Roadsters: Approximately 1,600 units
Mazda Roadster 20th Anniversary Web Site (currently available in Japanese only):
Information about the official Mazda MX-5 community is available in English at: |
