Mosky’s Musings: 1990 Mazda Miata and the 1991 Lotus Elan SE
Featured below are two late century sports cars: the 1990 Mazda Miata and the 1991 Lotus Elan SE. The two classic open roadsters are affordable, offer joyous driving experiences, and share a connection.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata was introduced with fanfare at the Chicago Auto Show in early 1989 and arrived as a 1990 model. Automotive enthusiast magazines and Mazda officials were quick to point out the similarity to and the influence of the 1962 to 1973 Lotus Elan. The Lotus mantra had been do a lot with a little. The Elans were lightweight, sleek, and spartan. Suspensions were sophisticated and the Elan offered race car handling with an ease of input. Engines were “peaky” and driver engagement was a must.
The above description was apt for the new Mazda. There had been nothing like it on the American scene for over a decade. Though steel bodied, it had an aluminum hood and tipped the scales at 2070 pounds. Its 1600 cc dual overhead cam four had ample torque and put out 115 hp at 6500 rpms. Electronic ignition, fuel injection, a five-speed transmission, four-wheel disc brakes, independent suspension and front and rear anti-rollbars complemented the presentation. The Miata achieved a 0 to 60 time of 8.8 seconds and a top speed of 121 mph. The new Mazda listed for $13,800.
Among the options were power steering, alloy wheels, a removeable hardtop, cruise control, power windows and headrest speakers. Air conditioning could be added for $800.
I’ve yet to meet anyone without praise for the Miata driving experience. Shifts are quick and precise, clutch pedal travel is minimal, handling is predictable and while cornering force was rated as a modest 0.86G, the limits could be explored fearlessly.
The car was a hit. Dealers tacked on premiums. Sales and production grew rapidly. In its first eight years, Mazda sold over 400,000 Miatas with more than half going to the US. The millionth Miata toured the states in 2016.
Lotus seemed to have lost its way in the 1980s. Production tumbled to a few hundred units per year. Founder Colin Chapman, then embroiled in litigation surrounding the demise of the DeLorean, died suddenly of a heart attack. A stream of investors failed to rescue the company and control was ceded to Toyota and then General Motors in 1986. Under GM’s auspices a new Elan was launched in late 1989. It was a marketing disaster. Mazda and its Miata had out “Elan-ed” them offering the logical Lotus evolution. The new Lotus Elan also designated as type M100 was Coke-bottle-shaped and perhaps too futuristic for the time. Look at today’s attractive Evora; the M100 can easily be recognized as a predecessor. It had revolutionary for the time but certainly un-sports car like front-wheel drive. And an Isuzu engine no matter how sophisticated had no cachet. The asking price was $39,990. Only 559 were sold in the United States; 3855 worldwide.* Rebates or discounts of greater than $10,000 were not unusual.
The car, however, is phenomenal. It’s fast; the turbo kicks in at 4000 RPMs and propels the car to 60 miles an hour in 6.6 seconds. 135 mph is easily achievable. The engine was rated at 162 hp at 6600 RPM and the Lotus weighed 2400 pounds. Numerous enthusiast magazines praised the car for its high-speed handling. It drives as well as many modern GT cars. The interior is cavernous; the seating comfortable and steering and stick shift work well. Trunk space is generous.
Today a reasonable example of the early Miata can be had for $6000 and great examples for twice that. A great Elan can be found for between $12,000 and $15,000.
Both cars have incredibly durable drivetrains. A Miata’s timing belt should have been changed at 80,000 miles. Look for rust on both cars. Though the Elan body was fiberglass, many of the chassis components were steel. Specifically check front and rear suspension arms.
No production car appears more frequently on club racing grids than the Miata; the parent company is a famed and liberal supporter of amateur racing. Keep this in mind when inspecting a potential purchase. Those Miatas optioned with power windows bear a bit more scrutiny.
If you run into trouble, fear not as Mazda clubs abound and inexpensive parts and support are readily available.
The electrics and a few unique parts are a bit more troublesome in the Elan. Particular attention should be paid to the shift cable and the power window mechanisms. Various electrical connectors can fail. Check them all especially for the function of both front auxiliary fans as well as the dashboard lighting. Fortunately, the network for Lotus is exceptional. GM part numbers for many of those exotic Lotus pieces can be found here.
If you seek a great car for auto-crosses, spirited short runs, or entry level club racing…. if you’re looking for reliability, economy and parts availability, I commend the Mazda.
If you seek individuality, the choice is obvious. In the early nineties, I drove a Ferrari Mondial T and a Lotus contemporaneously. The latter was by far the crowd favorite. If you’re looking for a car for that five day high-speed tour, the Lotus offers tractability and composure at speed. And, of course, one can’t forget the heritage of championship drivers like Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt, Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti to name a few.
Have you owned either car? Which do you prefer? Any personal experiences? We value your comments.
* Lotus subsequently came under the control of Bugatti and then Kia; both tried to resurrect the M100. An estimated 1800 Euro and Asia-spec cars were built.
About Mark Moskowitz MD
Mark Moskowitz MD is a retired surgeon, racer, and car collector. He is director and curator of The Museum of Automobile History (pvt), manages the estate of renowned automotive artist, Carlo Demand, serves on the Board of Directors of Carolina Motorsports Park and is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. He is a frequent contributor to multiple motoring publications and in the past 12 months, Dr. Moskowitz has been privileged to judge concours events at Boca Raton, Pinehurst, Hershey (the Elegance), Radnor Hunt, Cobble Beach, Hilton Head, Dusseldorf, La Jolla, Monticello Raceway and Scottsdale.
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