Tom Matano: Remembering The Father of the Miata and FD RX-7
Tsutomu “Tom” Matano, the visionary designer behind the Mazda Miata and FD RX-7, passed away on September 20 at the age of 76. Known worldwide as “the Father of the Miata,” Matano left behind a legacy that redefined affordable sports cars and influenced generations of enthusiasts.
A Global Career in Automotive Design
Born in Japan, Matano graduated from Tokyo’s Seikei University in 1969 with an engineering degree before pursuing design studies at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. By 1974, he had joined General Motors, launching a career that would take him across continents.
Matano’s path led him to Holden in Australia, where he worked on touring car liveries and other projects, and later to BMW in Munich, where he contributed to the development of the iconic E36 3 Series. These experiences gave him a broad perspective that would later shape his approach at Mazda.
Defining Mazda’s Golden Era
In 1983, Tom Matano joined Mazda North America as Chief Designer. Over the next two decades, he played a pivotal role in some of the brand’s most celebrated vehicles. Working closely with journalist-turned-product-planner Bob Hall, Matano spearheaded the development of the NA Miata—a car that became the best-selling roadster of all time.
Matano’s design leadership extended beyond the Miata. He also helped shape the second-generation NB Miata and the FD RX-7, a car still hailed today as one of the most beautiful and advanced Japanese sports cars ever built. By the time he retired from Mazda in 2002, he had risen to oversee the company’s global design group.
A Teacher and Enthusiast Until the End
After leaving Mazda, Tom Matano became Executive Director of the School of Industrial Design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, mentoring the next generation of designers. Despite his professional accolades, he remained deeply connected to car culture, regularly attending enthusiast gatherings and Miata events worldwide.
Since news of his passing, social media has been flooded with tributes, stories, and photos from fans who remember not only his legendary designs but also his generosity, humor, and passion for connecting with fellow enthusiasts.
Tom Matano’s passing marks the loss of one of the automotive world’s most influential figures. Yet his creations and the joy they continue to inspire, will ensure his legacy lives on for decades to come.
“We must start over from the human. From the users’ real needs, above all, from offering them solutions in a ‘warm’ and in some ways ’empathetic’ way. I remember that, when I drew the lines of one of the Mazdas I worked on, the RX-7 FD, I was expressly thinking of an athletic but not muscular body, as if it needed to be washed gently. I achieved a result that inspired affection: the owners locked it in the garage with a smile on their faces. Here’s my point, design should never lose this intent.” -Tsutomu “Tom” Matano-
