By: Emily Brower

  It is almost impossible to imagine 6’4 senior Elliott Kren hopping into his tiny 1990 Mazda Miata (NA), yet he somehow pulls it off. 

      First introduced in 1989, the Miata made a name for itself as a lightweight two-passenger sports car which went on to earn praise for its simple and modern design. The first generation Miata (known as the NA) was crowned Automobile of the Year in 1990 by “Automobile’s Magazine” accompanied by many other recognitions from the car community. Nowadays, the Miata holds a special place in sports car history as the best-selling two-seat convertible of all time.

      As far as how Kren got this ride, he said “My dad bought it from my brother when he was 16 and then my brother went to college and bought a Jeep and so when I turned 16, I was able to get it.” 

      When asked what his favorite aspect of the Miata is, Kren said “I would say its size because it’s easy to park and it gets good gas mileage, so it’s easy to maneuver around town.”

      Sharing quirks and specialties of his Miata, Kren points out “it has pop-up headlights,” a feature included by many manufacturers in the ‘80s and ‘90s for the purpose of satisfying U.S. headlight height regulations. These unique headlights last appeared on a mass-produced vehicle in 2004 with the conclusion of the Lotus Espirit and C5 Corvette as pop-up headlights increased in manufacturing expense and difficulty. Along with innovations in projector beam and LED headlights, the charming pop-up is hard to come by these days. Kren adds, “It’s a manual car…and it’s a convertible, so I guess those are the three unique things about it.”

      Lastly, Kren was asked what music he prefers to bump, to which he responded “I would say Bladee, that’s what I like playing in the car.”

      So, if you ever see a white Miata in Springfield, just know it is a fellow Senator, Elliott Kren blasting Bladee.