To celebrate the 2005 introduction of the new generation Roadster, Mazda created this 3rd Generation Limited model. First unveiled at the 2005 New York motor show, the car featured quite a few unique parts as well as many optional extras from the shop options catalogue as standard equipment. There were 3500 available worldwide with specifications changing a little depending on the market.
For the home market in Japan the car was based on the 6-speed 2.0 RS grade. There were no performance differences from a standard RS model as mechanically the car is unchanged underneath. The car was available in three colours; Marble White, Galaxy Grey Mica, and Velocity Red Mica. Velocity Red was an exclusive paint colour not available on other models. It was also a mica paint so had a mineral flake which gave great reflections in sunlight, it really stood out from the more common True Red. Velocity Red would not appear again until the introduction of the Miyako model a couple of years later. To further distinguish the car from the regular model, a chrome styling pack was fitted as standard. This included chrome door handle covers, chrome foglight bezels, chrome front grille, chrome windscreen surround, chrome headlight inner trim, and a clear lens 3rd brakelight. The wheels also received some attention; they're a 17" design finished in a unique shade of silver intended to sparkle like a Japanese sword. Inside you'll find the 6CD BOSE stereo, climate control air conditioning, crimson red leather heated seats with matching door panel trim pieces, silver dash trim panel, and a numbered badge just in front of the gearstick. The USA model was available with black leather and also had clear lens headlights instead of the orange lens for the indicator. For the UK the 3rd Generation Limited was marketed as the Launch Edition and was based on the 2.0 Sport trim with 6-speed gearbox and Bilstein suspension. The specification was broadly the same as in Japan and the interior badge specified the build number out of the 300 allocated to the UK.
For the home market in Japan the car was based on the 6-speed 2.0 RS grade. There were no performance differences from a standard RS model as mechanically the car is unchanged underneath. The car was available in three colours; Marble White, Galaxy Grey Mica, and Velocity Red Mica. Velocity Red was an exclusive paint colour not available on other models. It was also a mica paint so had a mineral flake which gave great reflections in sunlight, it really stood out from the more common True Red. Velocity Red would not appear again until the introduction of the Miyako model a couple of years later. To further distinguish the car from the regular model, a chrome styling pack was fitted as standard. This included chrome door handle covers, chrome foglight bezels, chrome front grille, chrome windscreen surround, chrome headlight inner trim, and a clear lens 3rd brakelight. The wheels also received some attention; they're a 17" design finished in a unique shade of silver intended to sparkle like a Japanese sword. Inside you'll find the 6CD BOSE stereo, climate control air conditioning, crimson red leather heated seats with matching door panel trim pieces, silver dash trim panel, and a numbered badge just in front of the gearstick. The USA model was available with black leather and also had clear lens headlights instead of the orange lens for the indicator. For the UK the 3rd Generation Limited was marketed as the Launch Edition and was based on the 2.0 Sport trim with 6-speed gearbox and Bilstein suspension. The specification was broadly the same as in Japan and the interior badge specified the build number out of the 300 allocated to the UK.
Here's a look at the original Japanese brochure:
