20/05/2013 16:15
The Mazda MX-5 has been named Britain’s Most Popular Roadster in the Honest John Awards 2013, adding another prize to its already bulging trophy cabinet.
Honoured with the award at a special ceremony in London, the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car proved to be equally as popular among the readers at Honest John.
The trophy is handed to the vehicle that garners the most interest from visitors to the motoring website and gets the most searches.
Mazda’s MX-5 beat off competition from the likes of the Audi TT, BMW Z4, Mercedes SLK and Porsche Boxster to walk home with the award, which was making its debut this year.
"We may rarely see the sun in the UK, in fact we're more likely to see snow judging by recent months, yet convertibles and roadsters remain very popular and that's reflected in what our users are viewing,” said Dan Harrison, editor at Honest John.
"It may not be the newest two-seater open-top car on the market but the Mazda MX-5 remains the most fun to drive and it's very affordable. Our users clearly think so too. It proves that a good quality soft-top needn't cost the earth.”
Jeremy Thomson, managing director at Mazda UK, welcomed the award, stating that the MX-5 has had a wonderful relationship with the British public and continues to be popular 24 years after its inception.
“The upgraded 2013 models and the recently introduced Venture Edition cars make the beautifully balanced, front engine rear-wheel drive, MX-5 sports car even more desirable,” he added.
To promote the new versions of the MX-5, Mazda is hosting a competition entitled Fun in the Sun and all people have to do to enter the prize draw is to take the vehicle out on a test drive. Entries are set to close on May 31st.
Mazda is also attempting to set a new Guinness World Record with its MX-5. It is hoping to bring together the “largest parade of Mazda cars” in Lelystad, Netherlands on June 15th. As many as 800 MX-5 owners are to descend on the Dutch town to try to beat the record of 459 cars brought together in Essen, Germany in 2010.
Posted by Louise Clarke