One day each year, a swarm of Miatas takes over the lawn of the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, MA. New or old, concours car or beater, bone stock or modified, drifter or race car, all Miatas are welcome to join in the fun and go on display.
Organized by the Mass Miata Club, this is one of the largest Miata gatherings in the Boston area, and a regular part of the Larz Anderson lawn event calendar. I remember displaying my first Miata here a number of years ago. But today I had the wrong car, and parked with the other non-Miata riff raff.
Older and newer, stock and modified Miatas parked side by side. 
“You will arrive at the gates of Valhalla, shiny and chrome…”
This is one way to carry a full size spare on a Miata! Despite the rarity of the Mazdaspeed MX-5, there were quite a few here, almost a significant percentage of the 5428 of these cars that made it to North America.
This looks nothing like a Miata, especially with the supercharged heart of a Cadillac CTS-V sticking up through the “hood.” This is an Exocet – not a French anti-ship missle, a kit car made by Flyin’ Miata. This particular car is technically based on an NB, though you wouldn’t know from looking at it.
Race cars attracted interest as well. This one has been to quite a few different tracks, judging from the stickers. How many can you identify?
I don’t have much experience with the NC, and had never seen under the hood of one before. I had no idea the engine sat so far back, with nearly all of it behind the front axles. It’s practically mid-engine!
The new ND Miata was on display as well. Though I had a sneak preview of it thanks to Jalopnik, this was the first opportunity most local enthusiasts have had to see it in person. I’m not the biggest fan of the looks, but I have to admit it’s growing on me. I can’t wait to get a drive in one myself.
Mainly, though, this was an opportunity for Miata fans of all kinds to gather and share our mutual love for this fabulous car, whatever form it takes. These fans take all forms, from the racers, to the elderly couple who enjoys taking relaxing scenic cruises, to the teenager I overheard saying that he wants his first car to be a final year NA – 1997, older than he was – to a current BRZ driver who has owned three NAs, recently reviewed a Mazdaspeed MX-5 for some web site, and still can’t get enough of these cars. It’s probably only a matter of time before yet another one joins my fleet again.
