Mazda MX-5 by Ducks-Garden Japan Looks Like No Other Miata

There we were, looking for a body kit that would make the CX-5 into the hypothetical coolest SUV on the block when we found this thing. You know how Google gets these two cars mixed up. In any case, we really couldn't believe this had been an MX-5 at first.

A bit of online digging and we discovered it's actually very real and a bit of a one-off. However, if you decide not to have that Hawaii vacation and stay indoors, building something like this, it can be duplicated. The wife will ask for a divorce... but it can be done.

Underneath the skin, this used to be the NC version of the MX-5, built until 2015. We've seen lots of them, but only the roll cage and the tiny power dome gave it away.

The specific project is called the Nightingale, which is a little bird that sings at sunrise. It was unveiled in January 2017 at the Tokyo Auto Salon, and as far as we can tell, no other copies have been made. However, the kit is listed on their website for 1,045,000 yen or about $9,800 at today's exchange rate. The whole NC Miata is worth about as much unless you have a really special model.

To our eye, this kit looks like everything and nothing at the same time. The front end, for example, reminds us of smaller muscle cars from the 60s (first Camaro and Mustang), as well as the C2 Corvette. You can't even tell it was a Miata because they got rid of the factory fender flares.

Meanwhile, the rear is a dead ringer for a particular Ferrari. Can you tell us which one? It's the California, obviously, especially when this MX-5 is the folding metal roof version.