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Opportunities like this don’t come around twice. This 1997 Mazda MX‑5 Dakar, build number 199 of just 400 worldwide, is not only one of the rarest MX‑5s ever produced – it is also one of the most astonishingly preserved examples you will find anywhere.
With a genuine 12,900 miles, just two owners from new, and a fully documented service history, this Dakar is the definition of a collector‑grade car. It is, without exaggeration, one of the best examples of its kind in the country.
The MX‑5 has long been celebrated as Britain’s favourite sports car – praised for its balance, purity, and timeless driving feel. Mazda’s special editions added exclusivity and craftsmanship, and the Dakar stands among the most desirable of them all.
Only 400 were ever built. Very few survive in exceptional condition. Almost none survive like this.
Finished in the Dakar‑exclusive Twilight Blue, this car presents beautifully, with a depth and clarity that only low‑mileage, well‑cared‑for paint retains. The special edition enhancements include:
The interior is a time capsule – crisp, clean, and unmistakably premium.
This Dakar’s history is exceptional and unusually complete:
In other words, the service book is complete, and the maintenance didn’t stop when the stamps did — it simply continued with annual invoices instead. This gives the car a continuous, unbroken service record from new to today, something almost unheard of for a 1997 sports car.
This is provenance you can trust. Provenance you can prove. Provenance that sets this Dakar apart.
Everything about this car feels tight, fresh, and beautifully preserved. The paint, interior, mechanicals, and trim all reflect careful ownership and minimal use. It drives exactly as a low‑mileage Mk1 should: light, precise, eager, and utterly charming.
Most MX‑5s have been enjoyed enthusiastically, and rightly so. But that makes cars like this almost mythical. Low‑mileage, two‑owner, fully documented Dakars simply do not appear on the market.
This is the kind of car that stays in collections. The kind of car people regret not buying when they had the chance.
If you want a Mk1 MX‑5 that is both exceptional to drive and exceptional to own, this Dakar is the benchmark. A true unicorn: rare, beautiful, impeccably preserved, and historically significant.
Number 199/400. Twilight Blue. 12,900 miles. Two owners. Full, continuous service history. A collector’s dream – and one of the finest Dakars in the UK.
