Photo: NHTSA via Road & Track
In production since 2015 for the 2016 model year, the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 is as perfect as a no-nonsense sports car can be. Offered in soft-top and RF guise, the world’s best-selling two-seat convertible sports car is about to get better for 2019.
Filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on February 27th, 2018, the document you can see for yourself in the first three photographs of the gallery reveals the extent of the betterness. More to the point, prepare yourself for 181 horsepower from the 2.0-liter SkyActiv-G.
Converted to the metric system, that’d be 184 PS and 135 kW, respectively. In all likelihood, Mazda made changes to the free-breathing inline-four powerplant to meet the Euro 6c standards in Europe. And in addition to making sure it complies to the latest legislation, the engineers couldn’t help themselves to give it more suck-squeeze-bang-blow. A lot more, that is.
Improving from 155 to 181 horsepower, as highlighted by Road & Track, is “the biggest jump for any version of the naturally-aspirated SkyActiv-G.” An increase of 17 percent is, whichever way you look at it, hard to get one’s head around. Don’t forget, however, that Mazda knows how to do engines.
While there are rumors about the SkyActiv-X going under the hood of the MX-5, the Hiroshima-based automaker confirmed time and again that the SkyActiv-G will soldier on in the great-handling roadster. The source of these rumors is the output of the 2.0-liter SkyActiv-X, which is 180+ horsepower.
Even with the 1.5-liter SkyActiv-G, the MX-5 has a sense of urgency to it thanks to the slow-car-fast trait imbued with the car’s DNA. Can you imagine how 181 ponies feel like in the MX-5, sent to the rear wheels by a stick shift?
For those who wan’t more get-up-and-go from the MX-5 without going turbo, BBR is much obliged to take the 2.0-liter engine to more than 200 HP. Called BBR Super 200, the British tuner’s upgrade consists of an ECU re-flash, billet steel intake and exhaust camshafts, upgraded springs and retainers, cold air intake, and a stainless steel exhaust manifold.
Converted to the metric system, that’d be 184 PS and 135 kW, respectively. In all likelihood, Mazda made changes to the free-breathing inline-four powerplant to meet the Euro 6c standards in Europe. And in addition to making sure it complies to the latest legislation, the engineers couldn’t help themselves to give it more suck-squeeze-bang-blow. A lot more, that is.
Improving from 155 to 181 horsepower, as highlighted by Road & Track, is “the biggest jump for any version of the naturally-aspirated SkyActiv-G.” An increase of 17 percent is, whichever way you look at it, hard to get one’s head around. Don’t forget, however, that Mazda knows how to do engines.
While there are rumors about the SkyActiv-X going under the hood of the MX-5, the Hiroshima-based automaker confirmed time and again that the SkyActiv-G will soldier on in the great-handling roadster. The source of these rumors is the output of the 2.0-liter SkyActiv-X, which is 180+ horsepower.
Even with the 1.5-liter SkyActiv-G, the MX-5 has a sense of urgency to it thanks to the slow-car-fast trait imbued with the car’s DNA. Can you imagine how 181 ponies feel like in the MX-5, sent to the rear wheels by a stick shift?
For those who wan’t more get-up-and-go from the MX-5 without going turbo, BBR is much obliged to take the 2.0-liter engine to more than 200 HP. Called BBR Super 200, the British tuner’s upgrade consists of an ECU re-flash, billet steel intake and exhaust camshafts, upgraded springs and retainers, cold air intake, and a stainless steel exhaust manifold.
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