Mazda Motor Corporation announced today that the Mazda Roadster, known as the MX-5 in overseas markets, has won the Japan Car of the Year Award for 2005-2006. The final ballot resulted in the award being bestowed on the lightweight, open-top sports car, which was launched in Japan in August 2005.

Photo: http://www.mazda.com/publicity/release/200511/1109.jpg

Production vehicles launched in Japan between November 1 of the previous year and October 31 of the current year, and with a sales volume exceeding 500 units, are eligible for the Japan Car of the Year award. The first selection round nominates 10 finalists, and the most outstanding vehicle of the year is selected from among them and named Japan Car of the Year.

It has been 23 years since Mazda won the Japan Car of the Year in 1982, with the Capella sedan. The RX-8 sports car won the 2003-2004 Most Fun special prize, and the Mazda Verisa received the 2004-2005 Best Value award in 2004-2005.

The all-new Roadster's "Lots of Fun" product concept culminated in a two-seater that offers an exhilarating sense of driving freedom, modern-yet-inviting styling, and the sheer enjoyment of open air driving. An open-top, lightweight sports car, the Roadster meets all the latest environmental and safety requirements. The RS-model comes with a six-speed manual transmission, 17-inch aluminum wheels, and Bilstein dampers as standard equipment. The VS-model has a tan-colored leather interior and six-speed manual transmission, while the standard Roadster model has a five-speed manual transmission as standard. Base model prices start at 2.2 million yen, including tax.

An overview of the Roadster is available at the Mazda Motor Corporation official website at http://www.mazda.com/product/mx-5/