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Michael Hofstetter (born 6 September 1961) is a German conductor and academic. He was chief conductor of the festival Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele from 2005 to 2012, and has been Generalmusikdirektor of Gießen since. He has worked internationally at notable opera houses and festivals. He is regarded as an expert of historically informed performance, who has rediscovered and recorded rarely performed operas. |
Born in Munich, Hofstetter studied organ, piano and conducting at the Richard Strauss Conservatory in his hometown. He worked as Kapellmeister at the Staatstheater Wiesbaden. He was the chief conductor of the festival Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele from 2005 to 2012, where he performed and recorded rarely played operas, including Salieri's opera "Les Danaïdes" in 2006, and in 2008 the premiere of E. T. A. Hoffmann's "Liebe und Eifersucht" which was never performed in the composer's lifetime. He performed there Verdi's "Il trovatore" in a 2011 production with period instruments. A review noted that "Michael Hofstetter's well-chosen tempos, elegant yet unfussy phrasing, and precise control of dynamics propel the opera with real excitement". From 2006 to 2012, he was chief conductor of the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, conducting premieres of works by Moritz Eggert and Helmut Oehring. Beginning in 2012, he has been Generalmusikdirektor at the Theater Gießen. He was also from 2012 to 2017 chief conductor of the orchestra . |
Hofstetter was professor of orchestral conducting and Early Music at the Hochschule für Musik Mainz. He is regarded as an expert for historically informed performance. He has performed internationally at opera houses such as Hamburgische Staatsoper, Bavarian State Opera, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Hannover, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, and the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, and at festivals including styriarte in Graz the Salzburg Festival. |
He has regularly worked at the from 1999, including "Partenope" in 2011. At the Houston Grand Opera, he conducted a production of "Béatrice et Bénédict" by Berlioz in 2008, and Beethoven's "Fidelio" in 2012. He conducted Mozart's "Le nozze di Figaro" at the Welsh National Opera in Cardiff in 2009, and Verdi's "La traviata" at the English National Opera in London in 2013, staged by Peter Konwitschny. |
Hofstetter was nominated as Conductor of the Year several times, for Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" at the Opernhaus Dortmund in 2000, for Hasse's "Didone abbandonata" at the Prinzregententheater in Munich in 2011, and in 2013 for his work as GMD in Gießen, which included Handel's "Agrippina" and Weber's "Der Freischütz". |
Edward Lee (1925 – 14 November 1988) was a Chinese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics. |
The Kenpeitai West District Branch was one of the branches of the Kenpeitai in Singapore besides the much noted Kenpeitai East District Branch during the Japanese occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945. |
The Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) was a government organisation set up in 1927 by the British colonial government in the Straits Settlements with the recruitment of Captain Edwin Percy Richards as its deputy chairman in response to the housing needs of the population of Singapore. At the time, many people resided in overcrowded shophouses and squatter settlements, resulting in widespread disease and lack of hygiene and sanitation. The SIT organisation had brought in professional architects and general contractors to resolve this large social problem, with the ultimate goal of building affordable public housing for the common population of Singapore. |
Following the Japanese Occupation of Singapore in 1942, work at SIT came to a standstill with all its senior officers as prisoners-of-war, with a large number of the subordinate staff, however, worked for the Japanese administration. The Kenpeitai came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War in Tokyo. There were about 200 regular Kenpeitai in Singapore but 1,000 auxiliaries were recruited from the army. |
The Kenpeitai took over a three-storey SIT residential flat which was located at the intersection of Smith Street and New Bridge Road to operate as one of their branches known as the Kenpeitai West District Branch. An Old YMCA Building at Stamford Road formed the Kenpeitai East District Branch and also the Kenpeitai headquarters. The Kenpeitai jail was situated at the Outram Prison and another branch at the Central Police Station. The Kenpeitai would operated in these buildings in Singapore until 1945. |
The SIT flat buildings (known as New Bridge Estate) along the Smith Street, including the one which once housed Kenpeitai West District Branch, were demolished in 1975, A commercial building New Bridge Centre was completed on its former site in 1980. |
Viviana Mall is a shopping mall located in Thane West, Thane, |
Maharashtra. Located on the Eastern Express Highway, it is well-connected with all areas of the city. It has a wide range of retail and entertainment outlets at the mall. Built on a 13-acre plot and spread over an area of one million sq. ft. The mall has a movie theatre (Cinépolis). The mall has Fun City, which is an Arcade for kids to play. The mall has over 250 stores which comprises 19 large and mini anchors tenants. |
It is strategically located to cater to the catchments area of Thane, Mulund, Powai, Ghatkopar and other central suburbs of Mumbai. The mall is also easily accessible to the western suburbs of Mumbai via Powai. The mall also has a 900 KVA rooftop solar power plant built on its rooftop. This initiative has made it the first mall to generate 91,000 watts in a month through solar energy. It has over 250 leading brands in its prime retail and leisure space. The mall is India's first and only visually-impaired friendly mall and has launched “XRCVC-Viviana Extension” a resource centre for visually impaired. |
With more than 250 brands, it calls itself a lifestyle mall that caters to all groups of people. It houses one of the largest multiplexes, Cinepolis, along with an arcade and play area called Funcity. |
It has one of the largest multiplexes in India with Cinepolis, a megaplex with 14 screens and 19 large anchor tenants. |
The mall has been named ‘The Best Retail Project of 2014’ across Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) in an event held at Taj Palace, New Delhi. |
In the same year, the mall also received two awards at the Asia Real Estate Awards 2014 namely ‘Retailer of the Year Award’ and ‘Impactful Design and Visual Merchandise Award’. |
Lee Tsuntung (11 April 1916 – 24 February 2017) was a Chinese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics. |
Exposure is a 1932 American drama film directed by Norman Houston and starring Lila Lee, Walter Byron and Tully Marshall. |
John Pao was a Chinese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics. |
Sarah Jane Stone (born 23 March 1982) is a former professional tennis player from Australia. |
A doubles specialist from Melbourne, Stone competed on the professional tour in the early 2000s before her career was cut short due to a right foot and back injury. |
Stone won 11 ITF doubles titles during her career, eight of which came in the 2002 season. Stone excelled as a doubles player on the ITF junior world tour where she reached the number 8 ranking in the world. |
Her best result on the WTA Tour was a quarter-final appearance partnering Samantha Stosur at the 2002 Tasmanian International. |
In 2003 she featured in the main draw of the women's doubles at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon. She played in the Australian Open as a wildcard pairing with Samantha Stosur, then at Wimbledon, she and Nicole Sewell played as successful qualifiers after defeating Dinara Safina and Maria Elena Camarin. |
Between 2006-2008 Stone worked with WTA tour players Anastasia Rodionova, Romina Oprandi, Vasilisa Bardina and Christina Wheeler. |
Now based in the United States, she currently coaches American player Alexa Glatch and Serbian world number 39 Aleksandra Krunic. Stone began working with Krunic's team at Indian Wells in 2018. Under Stone's coaching tutilage Krunic won her first WTA tour title at 'S Hertogenbosch defeating Coco Vandeweghe and Kirsten Flipkens along the way. As a result, Krunic reached a career-high ranking of 39 on the WTA tour. |
She was previously the coach of her former doubles partner Samantha Stosur for three years during which time Stosur reached the world number one doubles ranking and won three Grand Slam doubles titles. |
In 2015 Stone founded the Women's Tennis Coaching Association (WTCA) she currently serves as the CEO of the 501 (C3) organization. |
Stone is the chairperson of the women's tennis coaching board of the Professional Tennis Registry. |
She is currently a WTA Gold level coach and is a coaching consultant to the SBW Tennis academy in Brentwood Los Angeles. |
Wee Tian Siak (26 April 1921 – 29 July 2004) was a Chinese-Singaporean basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics, representing China, and at the 1956 Summer Olympics, representing Singapore. |
Jewish Happiness () is a 1925 Soviet film directed by Alexis Granowsky. |
Menachim Mendel, with the goal of making money, opens an insurance company, and he involved in the street haberdashery trade, but all is unsuccessful. Suddenly he learns the names of rich brides and begins to engage in matchmaking. |
Yee Jin was a Chinese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics. |
Hemidactylus macropholis, also known as Boulenger's gecko or largescale leaf-toed gecko, is a species of gecko. It is endemic to northeastern Africa and occurs in Somalia, northern Kenya, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. |
Yu Saichang was a Chinese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics. |
In chaos magic, "gnosis" or "the gnostic state" refers to an altered state of consciousness in which a person's mind is focused on only one point, thought, or goal and all other thoughts are thrust out. The gnostic state is used to bypass the "filter" of the conscious mind – something thought to be necessary for working most forms of magic. |
Since it takes years of training to master this sort of Zen-like meditative ability, chaos magicians employ a variety of other ways to attain a "brief 'no-mind' state" in which to work magic. |
Gnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge (γνῶσις, "gnôsis", f.). A related term is the adjective "gnostikos", "cognitive", a reasonably common adjective in Classical Greek. Plato uses the plural adjective γνωστικοί – "gnostikoi" and the singular feminine adjective γνωστικὴ ἐπιστήμη – "gnostike episteme" in his "Politikos" where "Gnostike episteme" was also used to indicate one's aptitude. |
According to chaos magic, successfully executing an act of magic is dependent on bypassing the conscious mind. To achieve this, it is necessary to enter into an altered state of consciousness in which thoughts are stilled, and awareness is held on a single point. Only then will the ritual, sigil or working flow unimpeded into the unconscious, from where it works its effects. Without any etymological justification, the earliest texts on chaos magic, "Liber Null" (1978) and "The Book of Results" (1978), both refer to this state of one-pointedness as "gnosis": |
The particular state of mind required has a name in every tradition: No-mind. Stopping the internal dialogue, passing through the eye of the needle, "ain" or nothing, "samadhi", or onepointedness. In this book it will be known as "Gnosis". It is an extension of the magical trance by other means. |
In asserting the necessity of attaining such a state, the earliest chaos magicians were following the example set by artist and occultist Austin Osman Spare. In Spare's magical system, magic was thought to operate by using symbols to communicate "desire" to something Spare termed "Kia" (a sort of universal mind, of which individual human consciousnesses are aspects) via the "passage" of the unconscious. These desires would then grow, unconsciously, into "obsessions", which would culminate in magical results occurring in reality. |
Aleister Crowley had also argued that the key to magic was an altered state of consciousness, whether attained through meditation, sexual practices or the use of drugs. However, the real breakthrough of the early chaos magicians was the realisation that there are many states of exhaustion, arousal or inhibition that cause consciousness to briefly "blink", sidestepping the need for years of meditative attainment. |
Three main types of gnosis are described in chaos magic texts: |
Alex Thomson (born 20 February 1921) is a former Scotland international rugby union player. Thomson played as a Lock. |
Thomson played for University of St Andrews RFC. |
Thomson was selected for the combined North of Scotland team to play the South on 12 November 1949. |
He was capped for Scotland just once. He played in the Scotland v Ireland match at Murrayfield Stadium on 26 February 1949 in the Five Nations tournament. |
National Highway 168, commonly called NH 168 is a national highway in India. It is a spur road of National Highway 68. NH-168 traverses the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in India. |
Tharad, Dhanera, Panthvada |
Revdar, Anandra, Sirohi . |
The Mazda MX-5 (NA) (sold in Japan as the and in North America as the Mazda MX-5 Miata) is the first generation of the Mazda MX-5 manufactured from 1989 to 1997. Inspired by the post-war era British sports cars, the MX-5 rejuvenated interest in roadsters after the demise of cars such as the MG B and Triumph Spitfire. Since its debut, the MX-5 has won numerous automotive awards and has become the world's best selling sports car. |
The MX-5 was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show on February 10, 1989, with a price tag of . The MX-5, with production code NA, was made available for delivery to buyers worldwide in the following dates: May 1989 (as a 1990 model) in the US and Canada; September 1, 1989 in Japan; and 1990 in Europe. An optional hardtop was made available at the same time, in sheet moulding compound (SMC). Demand initially outstripped production, fueled by enthusiastic press reviews. |
In Japan, the car was not badged as a Mazda, as the company was experimenting with the creation of different marques for deluxe models, similar to Nissan's Infiniti, Honda's Acura and Toyota's Lexus. Instead, the Mazda MX-5 was sold as the Eunos Roadster in Japan, and was joined by the MX-3/AZ-3/Eunos Presso (based on Japanese Mazda dealerships). The exterior dimensions and the engine displacement were also in compliance with Japanese compact car regulation. |
The body shell of the NA was all-steel with a lightweight aluminum hood. Overall dimensions were in length, in width, and in height. Without options, the NA weighed only . It had a . Suspension was an independent double wishbone on all four wheels, with an anti-roll bar at the front and rear. Four-wheel disc brakes, ventilated at the front, were behind alloy wheels with 185/60HR14 radial tires. The base model came with stamped steel wheels from the then-current 323/Protege. |
The original MX-5 came with a DOHC inline four-cylinder engine, producing at 6,500 rpm, and of torque at 5,500 rpm. The engine employs an electronic fuel injection system using a vane-type air flow meter and an electronic ignition system with a camshaft angle sensor instead of a distributor. This engine, codenamed B6ZE(RS), was specifically designed for the MX-5 and featured a lightened crankshaft, flywheel, and aluminum sump with cooling fins. |
The standard transmission was a five-speed manual, derived from the one used in the Mazda 929/Luce (also rear-wheel drive). The gear shift was the subject of close attention during development, with engineers told to make it shift in as small a gear pattern as possible and with minimal effort. In Japan and the US, an optional automatic transmission was also offered but proved to be unpopular. The Japanese and American markets also received an optional viscous limited-slip differential, although it was only available for cars with a manual transmission. To achieve the low introductory price, the base model was stripped. It had steel wheels, manual steering, roll-up windows, and no stereo or air-conditioning. Power steering, air-conditioning, and stereo were added as standard equipment in later years. |
In 1993, 1,500 LE (Limited Edition) cars were produced. This model featured red leather interior, upgraded stereo, Nardi shift knob, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, limited-slip differential, power windows, power mirrors, power steering, air conditioning, BBS wheels, Bilstein shocks, front and rear spoilers, ABS brakes, stainless sill plates, and Harley style peanut tank door speaker trim. All 1993 LE cars came in black. |
For the 1994 model year, the first-generation MX-5 was freshened with the introduction of the more powerful "BP-ZE" engine, dual airbags placed in a redesigned dashboard, the addition of a Mazda badge on the front fascia in the US and a limited-slip differential in some markets. The chassis was substantially braced to meet new side-impact standards, most visibly by adding a "track bar" between the seatbelt towers inside the car, but also to the front and rear subframes. Also, 1994 and 1995 were the only years in which Mazda offered a light metallic blue paint (Laguna Blue Mica), making these cars rare collectors cars to some. 1994 also saw the introduction of the "R" package, a sport-themed package with Bilstein shocks, stiffer sway bars, retuned springs, subtle front and rear underbody spoilers, and a Torsen LSD. Air conditioning was optional, but the "R" package was not available with power steering, leather, or an automatic transmission. It can also be identified by a red Miata badge on the rear instead of the usual black. No body style changes were made, however. Halfway through the 1997 model year the hazard light button was changed to a black button with red symbol as opposed to the earlier red button with white symbol. |
The new engine produced at 6,500 rpm and of torque at 5,500 rpm, which was then increased to at 6,500 rpm and of torque at 5,500 rpm for the 1996 model year . The base weight increased to . Performance was thus improved slightly, because the additional weight was more than offset by the extra power. In some markets such as Europe, the engine continued to be available as a lower-cost option, but was detuned to . This lower-powered model did not receive all the additional chassis bracing of the new . Japanese and U.S. models offered an optional Torsen LSD, which was far more durable than the previous viscous differential. |
There were a number of trim levels and special editions available, determined by local Mazda marketing departments. In the US, the base model was offered for US$13,995 at launch and was very basic, with manual windows, steel wheels, and without air conditioning or power steering. The "A Package" offered power steering, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum alloy wheels and cassette stereo. The "B Package" added power windows, along with cruise control and headrest speakers, while the "C Package" included a tan interior and top and leather seats. The "R Package" was for racing, and the annual special editions were formalized as "M Editions". These included all of the luxury options from the "C Package" as well as special paint and, sometimes, special wheels. In the UK, to celebrate Mazda's 24 hours of Le Mans win, Mazda brought out a special edition of the MX-5, with the winner's color scheme (see Mazda 787B) and came equipped with BBR (Brodie Brittain Racing) turbo conversion; the car is one of the most sought after special edition cars of the MX-5s. |
The first generation MX-5 was phased out after the 1997 model year (with the exception of 400 limited edition Berkeley models sold only in the UK in 1999 to mark the end of the NA), with the final 1,500 NAs produced for the US market being the "STO" ("Special Touring Option") versions. |
Limited to 3,997 units, this edition of the MX-5 NA was offered only in British racing green with tan leather interior and tonneau cover and featured a wooden Nardi shift knob and handbrake lever, stainless steel door sills, air conditioning, CD player, cruise control, and headrest speakers. |
A US$250 option for the exclusive Sunburst Yellow color, limited to 1,519 units. |
Limited to 4,625 units, this edition was offered only in Brilliant Black with tan leather interior, Nardi shift knob and handbrake lever and special 14" BBS wheels. |
Limited to 1,505 units, this Limited Edition model was equipped similarly to the 1992 Black Miata, but with red leather interior, sport suspension, front and rear spoilers, rear skirt, air conditioning, and headrest speakers. |
In 1993, Mazda partnered with the Chugoku Electric Power Company to produce an electric prototype called the "Energia Electric Vehicle." The prototype had a top speed of and had a range of . It was also significantly heavier, weighing . |
Limited to 3,000 units, the M-Edition introduced the Montego Blue Mica exterior color and was equipped similarly to the 1992 Black Miata, but with power windows, power mirrors, a Torsen limited-slip differential and special M-Edition badges. |
An upgrade to the 1994 M-Edition in Merlot Metallic with adjustable headrests and 15" BBS wheels, this M-Edition MX-5 was limited to 3,500 units. |
A one-off concept featuring large fog lights and a smaller windshield with the side mirrors mounted on it. |
The 1996 M-Edition was in Starlight Blue Mica and added an alarm system and used 15" Enkei wheels. A total of 3,000 units were manufactured. |
Introduced at the 1996 New York International Auto Show, this concept was a fixed hardtop version of the MX-5. |
The final M-Edition was offered in Marina Green and limited to 3,000 units. |
Advertised by Mazda USA as "Still The One" and limited to 1,500 units, the Special Touring Option (STO) was offered in Twilight Blue Mica and featured the exterior options of the 1996 M-Edition, but lacked the Torsen differential, cruise control, premium stereo, and hardtop. |
A small range of Eunos Roadster units were assembled by the M2 Incorporated. Founded in November 1991, M2, also known as "Mazda Too", was Mazda's new off-line planning / niche-house / Research & Development company back in the early '90s. The M2 Corp. employees had noble intentions — creating niche-mobiles derived from Mazda's volume products. Although M2's basic mission involved focusing on the "soft" aspects of vehicle design in an attempt to create more specifically targeted niche variants, the changes to the off-line cars would go well beyond mere cosmetics. |
Heading the M2 operation was Mr. Masakatsu Kato, original father of the Miata (Eunos Roadster) in Japan, as well as creator of several Mazda concept vehicles. Kato-san was assisted by Hirotaka Tachibana, development engineer responsible for the superb dynamics of the Mazda FC (second generation RX-7) and the NA Roadster. M2 Corp. was based out of Tokyo, Japan. M2-Corp was a 100% owned subsidiary of Mazda, and it was closed by Mazda in 1995. Mazda kept a similar program going with the Mazdaspeed vehicles, and then in the late '90s Mazdaspeed was absorbed into Mazda as a subsidiary company in Mazda Auto Tokyo. There were many types of M2 branded vehicles between 1991 and 1995, beginning with the 1001 up to the 1031 Cafe Racer (Dec-91). |
M2 Corp. released the M2-1001 Roadster in December 1991. It was a special "Limited Production" Roadster variant that was a short production run of only 300 units, in a special Blue/Black Mica Paint, with a sticker price of $26,000. Prospective buyers were required to show up in person at M2's Tokyo headquarters to register for a lottery to place an order for this extremely limited Roadster. |
This upscale Roadster was M2's first turn-key, race-ready offering. A list of popular features, while not exhaustive, is as follows: functional front airdam with integrated fog lamps, vintage aero mirrors, 4-point roll bar, vintage gauge cluster, fixed back bucket seats, polished 3-spoke steering wheel, stiffer suspension package with M2 specific rates, polished aluminum strut brace, upgraded exhaust by HKS, intake system, 1.6 L motor with new aggressive pistons, upgraded camshaft, lightweight flywheel, LSD cooling intake, manual steering, manual windows (A/C was optional), racing pedals, centerless console with matching shortened radio bezel, aluminum gas filler cap, a more aggressive wheel & tire package (15" x 6" Panasport rims), and a rear spoiler (which became standard for the R package). The performance changes made to the Roadster would bump the power to at 7,000 rpm, and of torque at 5,500 rpm. Once released, it proved so popular that people were paying up to $35,000 for one. |
M2 Corp. released its second Roadster in November 1992, with a slightly different front bumper but all the same items as the previous 1001 Roadster. This one did not do as well as the 1001. |
M2-Corp released its third Roadster in February 1994, based on the original "Jinba Ittai" concept made by Toshihiko Hirai. This was billed as a track-ready Roadster. (The US saw a cheaper version known as the R-Package.) Offered in Chaste White or Brilliant Black only, this Roadster used the new 1.8 L powerplant with upgraded pistons, camshafts, and other similar goodies as the previous 1001 and 1002. This Roadster had an output of close to , and included 14" Eunos Factory Rims with a unique gunmetal paint with polished lip. The only real changes were a new set of lightweight side mirrors, MOMO Steering Wheel, centerless console, racing seats, racing tow hook, a set of lower lip spoilers (R-Package), and a newly designed "Duck-Tail" trunk lid with integrated spoiler. The M2-1028 trunk lid was made from aluminum and weighed only , a very light weight from the original lid of . It also came with a 6-point roll cage, but no soft-top, instead featuring a tarp that stretched over the cage. With optional FRP Hardtop with plexiglass rear window for more weight savings coming in at only . |
Brodie Britain Racing (BBR) of Brackley, England, have had a long history of involvement with NA models in the UK, having supplied parts and equipment for a dealer supplied BBR Turbo version of the car between 1990 and 1991. This raised power output to , and produced of torque. The kit consisted of 68 parts and was covered by a full dealer warranty. They were supplied and fitted to around 750 UK spec cars, including for the 1991 'Le Mans' special edition, with a further 150 kits being supplied overseas. Two decades later in 2011, BBR now offer a turn-key refurbishment package for old NA MX-5's, again including a turbo charger kit. This now increases power output to , and produces of torque. The estimated top speed is now , with 0–97 (60 mph) approached in 5.5 seconds. The turbo charger used is a Garrett AiResearch GT25 ball bearing unit, and the package also includes an air-to-air intercooler, and a digital piggy-back ECU to control timing, fueling, and boost pressures. Subject to a satisfactory donor car, the refurbishment and turbo upgrade package includes rust treatment, a paint respray, new seats, wheels, and other trim. As of January 2011 the cost for a 'refreshed' BBR MX-5 Turbo is £7,500. |
In the United States, NA (and later model) turbo conversions are available from companies like Flyin' Miata. The conversions use mainly Garrett turbochargers (GT2560R) and are available as a kit or fully installed. Flyin' Miata also offers a CARB-legal kit as well. |
In 2018, Mazda began a factory restoration program for Eunos Roadster owners in Japan. The program has each Roadster fully restored to factory-spec using OEM parts and certified by TÜV Rheinland. Over 600 owners applied for the restoration program. On September 27, 2018, Mazda unveiled the first fully restored Roadster: a 1992 V-Special in British racing green with tan leather interior. The car belongs to tomato farmer Keiji Nishimoto, who has owned it since new. |
The Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference of Japan gave the program a Special Award for Classic Car Restoration Service at the 2018 RJC Car of the Year Awards. |
On October 28, 2019, Mazda announced that they will introduce select reproduction parts for North American MX-5 Miata NA owners. All parts will be remanufactured using modern methods and materials while retaining the original look and feel of that era. Enkei will reproduce the original alloy wheels, but with a lighter weight and a more durable finish. |
The Mazda MX-5 NA is portrayed in the 2006 Disney/Pixar film "Cars" as the identical twins Mia and Tia. The car has also made film appearances in "MacGruber" and "Looper". |
Sarah Stone may refer to: |
The Mazda MX-5 (NB) is the second generation of the Mazda MX-5 manufactured from 1998 to 2005. The model continued the MX-5's philosophy of being a lightweight, front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive roadster while featuring numerous performance improvements, however lacking its predecessor's retractable headlamps. The NB is also the only generation to feature a factory-built turbocharged variant in the form of the Mazdaspeed MX-5. |
The redesigned MX-5 was previewed at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1997. In February 1998, Mazda released the second-generation MX-5, production code NB, for the 1999 model year. The NB featured a more powerful engine and external styling cues borrowed from the third generation Mazda RX-7, designed in 1995 by Tom Matano. Prices in the United States, the main market for the MX-5, started at US$19,770. |
Although many parts of the interior and body were different, the most notable changes were the headlamps: the first generation's retractable headlamps no longer passed pedestrian safety tests and were replaced by fixed ones. The new car grew slightly in width compared to the earlier model and was slightly more aerodynamic than the original, with a . Other notable improvements include a glass rear window with defogger for the convertible top and a retractable wind deflector behind the seats. |
The NB continued to employ four-wheel independent suspension, with enlarged anti-roll bars at the front and rear, but the wheels, tires and brakes were significantly upgraded: anti-lock braking system was offered as an option; alloy wheels were now 14" (360 mm) or 15" (380 mm) in diameter and 6" (150 mm) in width, depending on the trim package; sports models were equipped with the larger wheels and 195/50VR15 tires. |
The BP-4W engine remained at but received several minor updates. The engine compression ratio was raised from 9.0:1 to 9.5:1 by adding slightly domed pistons. The intake cam was changed to a solid lifter design with a stronger cam; the intake runners in the head were straightened and the intake manifold was mounted higher up. Mazda's Variable Intake Control System was introduced, which effectively gave a long narrow intake manifold at low rpm for better swirl, changing to a short, free-flowing manifold at high rpm for maximum breathing. Power output of the new engine was quoted at with of torque. |
The B6 engine remained available in Europe and Japan. The base-model NB could reach in 7.8 s and had a top speed of . |
In 1999, Mazda celebrated the 10th anniversary of the MX-5 with the 10th Anniversary Model, a limited edition featuring some until-then exclusive features, namely a 6-speed manual transmission and Bilstein shock absorbers; 15 inch polished aluminum wheels with 195/50R15 tires and a very desirable Torsen limited-slip differential. Performance figures were slightly different, with quicker acceleration and higher top speed than the standard 5-speed model. The model's nickname among owners and enthusiasts was 10AM or 10AE (as in "10th Anniversary Edition"). The car had a unique sapphire blue mica (called innocent blue in Japan) paint colour with two-toned black leather and blue Alcantara seats and floor mats, matching 3-spoke Nardi leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, BOSE audio system, bright gauge rings, carbon grained center console panel and stainless steel scuff plates. The addition of the sixth gear resulted in different performance results, with 0– in 7.6 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the standard 5-speed model, according to "Car and Driver", and 0.4 seconds faster according to "Motor Trend". However, in spite of the 10AM's greater weight, its top rated speed increased from . Combined fuel consumption improved from . |
Each car was sequentially numbered on a badge on the driver-side front quarter panel. A "Certificate of Authenticity" with the same number came with each car, signed by Mazda President James E. Miller and dated 10 February 1999. On certain markets, a gift set was also included, consisting of a 1:43 scale diecast model, two Seiko-branded wristwatches (his and hers) with matching blue faceplate and Miata logo, and metal keychain in the form of the Miata logo, all encased in a luxury blue velvet box. |
Despite the publicity that Mazda gave to this model, it took more than a year to sell all units, drawing criticism that too many units had been produced (another factor was the high price with an MSRP of $26,875, about $6500 more than a base model). 7,500 units of the 10th Anniversary were produced, with 3,700 distributed to Europe (of which: 600 – UK, 20 – Portugal), 3,150 to North America (of which 3,000 to US and 150 to Canada), 500 to Japan and 150 to Australia, with car number 7,500 being sold in the UK. |
For comparison, there were 3,500 units of the NC's 3rd Generation Limited launch model in 2005, and regular limited editions produced each year do not usually exceed 1,500 units per region. The polished aluminum wheels are notorious for corroding once the thin lacquer coating is damaged. Mazda replaced thousands of sets under warranty. There were minor differences in specification according to the market, such as no sports appearance package (front/side/back skirts, rear wing) or air conditioning for Europe. |
Introduced at the 2000 SEMA Show, the Mono-Posto concept was designed to be a single-seat sports car inspired by the Lotus Eleven and Jaguar D-Type. |
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