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In Japan Father Christmas Drives A Mazda MX-5 Miata
Dec. 28, 2021 9:37 AM ET by Roger Biermann Sports Cars / 1 Comment Santa's sleigh is small, lightweight, and has a droptop. Think of the happiest car you can, and you'll likely think of the Mazda MX-5 Miata. It's almost impossible to see the smiling face on any of the four generations and not grin broadly at the sight. But that's not the only way the Miata brings joy to people's lives. In Japan, cheerfulness of a different kind is spread around this time every year, as an army of Miata-driving Santas spreads Christmas cheer to Japanese children. That's because the Mazda Roadster Club of Japan has made a tradition out of decking their cars with tinsel and decorations and taking local kids out for a drive as the cars parade through the streets. MZRacing Channel/YouTube MZRacing Channel/YouTube MZRacing Channel/YouTube MZRacing Channel/YouTube This year marks the 13th annual running of the Santa Drive. What originally started in Yokohama when the city asked various organizations for Santa-themed charity over the festive season has blossomed into something more, as even Mazda HQ is now in on the action, starting in 2018 and continuing with its own run every year since. The parade, which features Miatas decked in Christmas gear driven by Santa of all ages, doesn't just bring a smile to the faces of kids that get to ride along, but raises money for a good cause too, raising funds for single-parent families in the Tokyo, Yokohama, and Hiroshima areas. MZRacing Channel/YouTube MZRacing Channel/YouTube MZRacing Channel/YouTube MZRacing Channel/YouTube All in, around 280 families took part in this year's festivities. In Japan, convertibles are not a common sight, despite the Miata and other historic greats like the Honda S2000 hailing from the country. The MX-5 Miata is one of the last remaining Japanese drop-tops after the demise of the Nissan 370Z Roadster, with no confirmed replacement at this stage for the Z cabrio. Despite rumors suggesting the next-gen MX-5 will go hybrid, we can be sure that the famous roadster will live on as a convertible. The 2021 running of the parade carries special meaning, as just a few short weeks ago Shunji Tanaka, the designer of the fist-gen Miata, passed away at the age of 75. MZRacing Channel/YouTube MZRacing Channel/YouTube MZRacing Channel/YouTube Join The Discussion
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Mazda MX-5 Miata Roger Biermann Managing Editor After spending the first three years of his life after school pursuing a career in interior design and architecture, the automotive bug bit Roger hard. This led him down the path of forging a career in motoring, running his own website and spending eight years building up his automotive knowledge, driving ability, and wordcraft before joining CarBuzz in 2017, first as a writer, and later as an editor, technical expert, and in-house graphics wizard fulfilling the role of company joker and jack of all trades. Roger is highly proficient at writing in the third person and spends his time away from the keyboard tinkering on and autocrossing his two Miatas. Contact Roger @Roger.mx5 LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top