An authentic, one-piece hardtop Mazda Miata was not available in the US until the introduction of the fourth-gen Miata RF, but Japan had one as early as the early 2000s, featuring a genuine fastback design made in extremely limited quantities. The Type-A, the most distinctively styled among these almost unattainable vehicles, is now up for auction at Japanese auto sales house Davey Japan.
The vehicles—known as the “Roadster Coupe” series of Miatas—are based on a traditional NB-platform Miata, but manufactured in extremely limited numbers spanning four variants: a base model, the Type-A (currently available for sale), the Type-S, and the Type-E. The Type-A, according to Mazda, aimed to evoke an “authentic design reminiscent of traditional racing cars,” featuring a unique aesthetic package including wider fender flares, custom headlight housings, foglamps, and a sporty body kit. Mazda proudly highlights that despite adding a full solid roof structure to the typically soft-top Miata, the Roadster Coupes only weighed a mere 22 pounds more than their convertible counterparts (a significant improvement compared to the 120 pounds of additional weight the ND-generation RF hardtop carries).
In addition, the Type-A was equipped with a more potent version of the 1.8L Japanese-spec four-cylinder engine featuring variable intake valve timing and delivering a total of 157 HP (about 20 more horsepower than US-spec NB Miatas were able to provide). It was exclusively available with a six-speed manual transmission, and as per the auction listing, only 200 units were ever sold.
While the Type-A is currently up for auction with no final price disclosed, a Type-S, equipped with the same VVT-equipped, more potent engine (sans the bold body kit), is listed for just under $38,000 on an online platform called Pistonheads, making it likely one of the pricier Miatas money can buy, even when comparing to brand new models off the showroom floor. However, if the price is not a deterrent, patience is required: The Roadster Coupe was sold only from 2003-2004, hence you’ll need to wait almost until the end of the decade to legally import one to the US under the 25-year import regulations.
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