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Mazda Will Never Make a Performance Version of the MX-5: Boo and Hiss!

With a bit of imagination, we can imagine how the new Mazda MX-5 would look as a turbocharged coupe that can humiliate the Toyota GT 86. However, that will never happen. What you see is what you get, says Miata Program Manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto.
2016 MAzda MX-5 1 photo
Photo: Mazda
On the sidelines of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Yamamoto talked to Top Gear magazine, adamant that there will not be a go-fast version of the roadster everyone is talking about.

"It's important not to get hung up on numbers. Not on power, or torque. No, what is more important is the feeling. The driving experience and feeling is more important than power. In my mind it just has to be fun to drive," Yamamoto-san discussed.

Making the MX-5 faster and more powerful would mean that many of the current components would have to be reinforced. Mazda has already gone over every major component with a fine-toothed comb to cut every possible gram. Reversing the process would only increase the price and go against the MX-5 philosophy.

Unlike the previous generation which had a 1.8-liter base engine, the newer model is lighter and makes due with a 1.5-liter. It's available in Japan and Europe, but America only gets a 2-liter with 155 hp. While that might seem like an improvement, hot hatches costing about the same average 250 horses of turbocharged power.

Yamamoto-san told the UK publication that he never considered a turbo engine for the Miata because naturally aspirated engines are "just nice, especially for this kind of car."

No surprises here! It looks like if you want a more powerful roadster, you're going to have to take care of it yourself with a trusty supercharger kit or a full engine swap. We've seen people stuff HEMI and Chevy V8s under there, so sooner or later, somebody is going to make the go-fast MX-5 that Mazda doesn't want.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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