Saturday, February 5, 2011
  Best selling two-seat sports car: Mazda MX-5 sets world record (Video)
 IRVINE, Calif., USA -- 21 years and 10 months after mass production of the first-generation MX-5 commenced, the total production of Mazda Motor Corporation's MX-5 sports car (known as the Mazda Roadster in Japan) reached 900,000 units on February 4, 2011 - setting the new world record for the Best selling two-seat sports car .

  Photo: Mazda MX-5, the World's best selling two-seat sports car. ( enlarge photo )

   ?Nearly 45 percent ? more than 388,000 units ? of those were sold in the United States since the car launched in 1989,? writes Mazda.

The previous Guinness world record for the Best selling two-seat sports carwas first set by Mazda when production reached 531,890 units in May 2000.
   Guinness World Records updated the record when production passed 700,000 and, later, 800,000 units.

  Guinness World Records also recognized the largest parade of Mazda cars world record, which is 459 and was achieved by Mazda MX-5 (Germany) at Zeche Zollverein Essen, in Essen, Germany.

  The MX-5 made its global debut at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show and has since received several facelifts, seen many limited and special edition versions, been named ?Car of the Year? multiple times around the world and topped countless ?Best Sports Car? lists.

  Currently equipped with an MZR-series 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine, today?s MX-5 produces 167 horsepower (158 for automatic transmission) and delivers 140 lb-ft of torque.  The soft-topped Sport model starts at $23,110 with top-level, Power Retractable Hard Top Grand Touring models starting at $28,550.