2014 Mazda 25th Anniversary Mazda MX-5 | new car sales price

Mazda's top-down two-door marks 25 years and 16,000 local sales. 

As anniversary presents go, this is one of better options ... but the buyer may just want to let the partner share it.

The 25th anniversary limited-edition of Mazda's modern-day classic MX-5 sports car has arrived in Australia but the brand isn't expecting it to gather dust in showrooms.

Just 40 of the 1000 built for sale worldwide are coming to Australia, asking an extra $1100 over the normal retail price but staying below $50,000 before on-roads.

Unveiled at the New York motor show earlier this year, the roadster sold out within hours of release in the US and Japan. Australian MX-5 buyers have been a little more conservative.

Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver says 13 of the allocated 40 cars have been reserved for customers and he expects the rest to sell quickly.

The arrival of an all-new MX-5 - it's officially being revealed in September - isn't expected to put potential customers off buying the anniversary edition, he says.

'This is a limited-edition car, unique styling, lightweight components, Bilstein shock absorbers, Soul Red paint - a few of those things put together makes it unique so, for collectors and enthusiasts, we think there will be demand for it," he says.

The red paint is a first for the MX-5. Anniversary models are badged and numbered and also will be distinguished by black paint on the windscreen pillars, door mirrors and retractable roof.

Off-white leather seat trim, red-stitched black leather-wrapped sports steering wheel and manual gearshifter are among the limited-edition features. There is also a 'his-and-hers" commemorative watch set.

The Mazda two-door - inspired by the 1960s Lotus Elan and launched in 1989 - reinvigorated the affordable sports car market and has sold more than 940,000 examples globally and 16,000 in Australia, gaining a Guinness World Record as the most popular two-seater open-top sports car.

Current MX-5 program manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto and his predecessor Takao Kijima echoed tributes paid to the enthusiastic fan base from first-generation MX-5 program manager Toshihiko Hirai.

Hirai says that before the initial series MX-5, lightweight sports cars were nearly extinct. "Although the project was officially approved, both human resources and budget were extremely limited. However, the developers, who believed that true car lovers would love the MX-5, made every effort to get it on the market and managed to accomplish this feat."