In January 1998, nine years after its debut and becoming an instant classic, the second generation arrived. In Japan, Mazda's Eunos brand had disappeared, so the car became known simply as the Mazda Roadster. Although the look has slightly changed from the original model, the car retained the qualities that made the first-gen Roadster so endearing. Like the original, it was developed under the "rider, horse, one body" philosophy.

Under the hood was the same engine as before,...