If you have $75,000 or so to spend on a drop-top, you could always buy a BMW M4. Or a Mercedes-AMG C63. But although those are fantastic cars, they’re also a little predictable. If you’re interested in something that isn’t so obvious, the folks at Flyin’ Miata will gladly turn the ND Mazda MX-5 into something truly wicked for you. Specifically, they’ll stuff a 430-hp LS3 V-8 under the hood then tweak it until it drives like a “fully integrated car and not just a big engine rammed into a little car.”
But what if your budget is a good bit less than $75,000, and you still have your eye on a faster Miata? That’s where the new BBR turbo package comes in. Instead of shoehorning a massive V-8 into the engine bay, it relies on forced induction to make more power. Flyin’ Miata dropped by our office to show off one of these new cars. Here are five things you need to know about it.
It gets a significant boost in power
With the BBR turbocharger, Flyin’ Miata says the ND makes right around 208 hp at the wheels, which is probably close to 245 hp at the crank. That’s not quite the 430 hp the V-8 offers, but remember, a stock Miata only makes 155 hp and can still hit 60 mph in 6.0 seconds. Cranking it up to 245 hp or so should knock at least a second off the car’s 0–60 time. Not bad. Not bad at all.
There’s only a small weight gain
A large part of what makes the Miata so enjoyable to drive is its low weight. If you start messing with that, it could ruin the car. Thankfully, that’s not the case here. Flyin’ Miata says all of the new parts only add about 40 pounds. For comparison, the LS3 in the V-8 conversion adds about 250 pounds.
Flyin’ Miata has handling upgrades, too
As much as we love the ND Miata, we aren’t completely sold on the stock suspension. It’s softer than we’d like, causing the car to squat over its outside rear wheel in corners. The car Flyin’ Miata brought by promises to fix that with a new set of Koni shocks. It also had a Wilwood brake kit, which Flyin’ Miata says saves 18 pounds of unsprung weight, and bronze 17×8 6UL wheels, which fit wider performance tires. The tuning company offers suspension kits starting from $1,029.
But it’s still mostly stock
You can do a lot more with your car if you want, but we appreciate how much of the MX-5 Flyin’ Miata kept stock. Even with the extra power from the turbo, we’re told the stock clutch and transmission are able to handle it. The team also kept the stock exhaust, which means that outside of the optional bronze wheels, most people aren’t going to notice you’ve done any work to your Miata. The company is currently going for CARB certification with this very car. If approved in California, the BBR turbo kit will be 50-state legal.
It’s surprisingly affordable
The car Flyin’ Miata brought by carried a sticker price of $40,500. That’s not cheap, but remember that the Miata RF in Grand Touring trim starts at $33,495. So adding a turbocharger, an upgraded suspension, a brake kit, and new wheels will run you less than $10,000. And that includes Flyin’ Miata’s labor. If you went with an entry-level Miata Sport and did the work yourself, your out-of-pocket cost would be even less.
To us, that’s a solid deal.
The post 5 Reasons Why We Want Flyin’ Miata’s Turbocharged Mazda Miata RF appeared first on Motor Trend.
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