Father of the Miata, Tsutomo "Tom" Matano, has sadly died aged 77
Published on Sep 24, 2025 at 4:21 AM (UTC+4)
by Callum Tokody
Last updated on Sep 23, 2025 at 4:44 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Tom Matano, the Miata designer behind the Mazda Miata, has died at the age of 77.
Born in Tokyo in 1948, he built a career that spanned several continents and reshaped modern car design.
He is remembered as the central figure behind Mazda’s most successful sports car.
The Mazda Miata remains the model most associated with his name, and his death has prompted a reassessment of his role in shaping the company’s legacy.
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The birth of the Mazda Miata
After earning an engineering degree from Seikei University, Tom Matano moved to the United States in 1970.
He studied design and went on to work at General Motors, Holden in Australia, and BMW in Germany.
In the mid-1980s, he joined Mazda’s new US design division, where plans began for a small, affordable roadster.
Matano assembled a team that included Mark Jordan, Masao Yagi, and Wu-Huang Chin.
Together, they created what became the Mazda Miata.
Drawing inspiration from classic British sports cars, they focused on low weight, balance, and everyday reliability.
The Mazda Miata debuted in 1989 and was an immediate success.
It went on to become the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car, with Matano recognized as the Miata designer most responsible for its identity.
A lasting Mazda legacy
Tom Matano’s influence extended beyond the roadster.
As a Miata designer and later an executive at Mazda North America, he also contributed to the RX-7 and helped guide the brand’s broader design philosophy.
The success of the Mazda Miata encouraged other manufacturers to revive compact roadsters during the 1990s.
Its blend of affordability and dependability distinguished it from earlier European models and allowed it to reach a global audience.
Matano was often described by colleagues as a leader who worked by bringing together the right talent for the right projects.
His death marks the loss of a major figure in automotive history, but the Mazda Miata continues to carry his Mazda legacy forward.
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Callum Tokody is a content writer at Supercar Blondie, where he covers the latest in the automotive world with a focus on design and performance. Callum has a background in automotive journalism and has contributed to a range of publications in Australia and the UK. Outside of work, he’s a design enthusiast with a soft spot for anything with a V8 and a good story.
