2020 has been a tough year. An automotive journalist doesn’t need to say it to you, as much as you don’t need to hear it from one. Good news and encouragement are rarities these days, and we must search them out with everything we have. Along with its 100th anniversary, Mazda wants to celebrate people dedicated to encouragement and selflessness by giving away a 100th Anniversary Special Edition (100th ASE) Miata to 50 deserving heroes. 

Nominate a local hero to win

To be eligible for the Mazda Heroes Contest, you must be a resident of the U.S. Eligible submissions require a one-minute video nominating someone and explaining why your nominee is deserving of the “hero” title. Mazda wants to hear about how this person has selflessly encouraged and supported members of their community during this lonely and tumultuous time. The video must be uploaded to YouTube without music, or it will have to be disqualified. Once the video is submitted, the applicant must also go to the contest site and fill out the official application.

A Mazda Miata is the ultimate “thank you”

The limited-edition Mazda Miata is paying homage to the marque’s first passenger car, the Mazda R360. Like the fanciest versions of the R630 microcar, the 100th ASE Mazda Miata is offered in Snowflake White Pearl with a deep cherry-red Nappa-leather interior, as long as you forgo the Targa version, according to Hagerty. 

Not only is the color combo limited, so is the exclusive badging on the 100th ASE Mazda Miata. And, they throw that badge everywhere – the seats, wheels, floor mats, key fob, and both sides of the car. The new Miata is positively dripping with centennial flex. 

Here in the U.S., availability for non-heroes is to be determined. Other than the new badging and color differences, the 100th ASE Mazda Miata will be to the same spec as a standard Miata MX-5, except for a newly tuned suspension.

What exactly are our heroes getting?

The Miata has and will always be, pound-for-pound, one of the best and most fun cars anyone could ever hope to own. The cliche “smiles-per-mile” is perfectly applicable here. Even though the special edition is mostly a base Mazda Miata MX-5 with unique trim, it should still make anyone more than excited to own, especially for free. I’d argue that the Mazda Miata is maybe the best car to get for free, period. 

Miatas are now and have always been simple, no-flash sportscars that, paired with a little bit of driving ability, can offer an incredible experience. The 2021 model is given plenty of power by its 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The standard model is still equipped with a six-speed manual transmission that snaps through the gear like whipcracks. The handling is similarly tight, sharp, and precise. Miatas are simply perfect sports cars. 

The only way to make a Mazda Miata better is to make it free

Think about it. A Mazda Miata is not practical at all; it can only hold two people and a backpack but still cost real-car money. And, although they aren’t ugly, they aren’t the prettiest car of all time either. But, what they lack in style and practicality, they more than make up for in pure driving joy and charm. 

So, make sure to submit your hero nominations by 11:59 pm ET on October 25. This giveaway is such an incredible way to not only brighten someone’s day but brighten someone’s years and years to come with the snappy, smile-inducing superpowers of a Miata.