Designer Tom Matano, the Father of the Mazda Miata, Has Died
It's hard to imagine an automotive universe without the man who penned the Miata and FD RX-7.
There are a handful of cars that transcend mere transportation, vehicles so vital to enthusiasts and automotive culture that one word suffices to bring them to mind. Corvette. Mustang. Viper. Miata. These names seem as if they'll live on forever.
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Unfortunately, even as the people behind these icons often ascend to a pantheon of their own, they can't and don't live forever. So it is with a heavy heart we report the death of one of the core architects of the Mazda Miata mystique, Tom Matano, the "Father of the Miata." After Bob Hall birthed the idea for the Miata, designer Tsutomu "Tom" Matano was among those who led the charge to take it from dream to reality in the late 1980s. It wasn't without risk; the small, two-seat sports car market had basically faded to nil after the British cars of the 1960s and ’70s disappeared. Yet somehow, the Miata's plucky good looks—courtesy of Matano—and fun-to-drive spirit turned it into one of the most popular sports cars ever built.
Matano's career began at General Motors Australia in the mid-1970s, where his pen was put to use at Holden Design on the Torana sedan. He then moved to Europe and worked for BMW and Volvo in the late ’70s before being tapped by Mazda to serve as chief designer for the Japanese company's North American operations. It was at Mazda where Matano rose to prominence as the designer of a little sports car with a convertible top—one of the first projects he worked on at the company. The car resurrected the very idea of the sports car, and we—to say nothing of consumers—were won over from the start: We put the Miata on the cover of our July 1989 issue with a coverline of “WARNING! This Car May Be Addictive.” We said at the time that it was “a serious for-real sports car that churns up all sorts of wonderful memories of late, great roadsters.”
While the Miata is easily Matano's best-known work, he also worked on the FD-generation RX-7. The third iteration of the rotary-powered sports car desperately needed an update, and Matano and Taiwanese artist Wu-Huang Chin bestowed the FD RX-7 with sultry, purposeful styling that still looks modern today, more than three decades after its debut. Subsequently, Matano was named the chief designer at Mazda Motor Corp. in 1999, and starting in 2002, he served as executive director at the School of Industrial Design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He worked as the VP of design at Next Autoworks from 2008 until 2011.
As news of Matano's passing spread, Miata, RX-7, and general enthusiasts, as well as those in the automotive industry, have shared stories and remembrances. The organizers of the Miata Reunion, one of the largest Miata enthusiast events, posted: “We are heartbroken to share the passing of Tom Matano, the beloved father of the Miata and an inspiration to our entire community. His vision gave us more than a car—it gave us friendships, memories, and a family that spans the world.”
Former Mazda and current Mitsubishi spokesperson Jeremy Barnes is himself a passionate Miata owner. “Tom was always a joy to spend time with,” Barnes said. “I’m very lucky to have known him personally, I spent many events and dinners with him, and had a little more personal insight into what mattered to him than just his public persona. A great man, gone too soon.”
Robert Davis, retired senior vice president of special assignments for Mazda North American Operations, said, "Tom's skill as a designer was only outshined by his kindness. A true auto enthusiast and gentleman."
IMSA president John Doonan, who worked previously as Mazda's director of motorsports, told MotorTrend: “There are times over the course of history when the word 'legend' has been used loosely. However, in the case of Tom Matano, it is the most fitting word for me. I remember so fondly the enthusiasm and happiness Tom showed every single time he shared the story of how the Mazda MX-5 Miata roadster came to be. He talked about the the global competition that the Mazda design studios undertook that resulted in Tom's and the Mazda North America team’s submission being chosen to be the car that would come to market. I could listen to him tell that story over and over for days and days. Besides his clear passion and positive spirit, Tom also carried a calm confidence that inspired me to keep pushing boundaries and to 'never stop challenging' when it came to Mazda’s motorsports programs. As the millions of Mazda MX-5 Miata owners enjoy the driving experience that makes that car, the legend who is Tom Matano is written all over it. From this day forward, every time I see one on the road it will remind me of all my conversations with Tom and how contagious his love for driving, especially in a Miata, was.”
Matano was 76 years old.
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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