Rocketeer V6 Mazda MX-5 Drag Races Supercharged Mazda MX-5

Alex Kersten from Car Throttle is the owner of the Mk. 1 with a 3.0-liter V6 engine, rated at close to 260 horsepower and 325 Nm. The carbon-fiber intake and red-painted heads truly stand out. If you were wondering, the Rocketeer V6 under the hood started life as the Jaguar AJ-V6, a derivate of the Ford Duratec V6 from the 1996 Taurus sedan.

Mat Watson, on the other hand, owns a second-generation Miata with the 1.8-liter engine codenamed BP. Before the mid-cycle refresh, this lil’ plant produced up to 140 horsepower and 161 Nm of torque when paired with either a five- or six-speed manual transmission. With the help of a blower, the carwow contender develops 196 ponies and 237 Nm.

That said, which of the two engines is the better choice for a quarter-mile drag race? It's the V6, which crosses the finish line first even though the four-cylinder engine had a better start off the line. If you really like numbers, Alex managed 13.2 seconds while Mat ran 13.8 seconds. The rolling start from 50 miles per hour in third gear is also a win for the V6, which stands proof that the bigger engine has better mid-range torque.

Last, but not least, the braking test is an utter failure for the V6 which locks the front wheels into a puff of smoke. The NA also happens to be lighter than the NC, let alone an MX-5 with a four-cylinder engine hanging over the front axle instead of a thumpin’ great V6.

MX-5 owners of both old and new models have a third option to spruce up their sports cars, and that’s BBR. The Brackley-based tuner is much obliged to change the internals of the engine or strap a turbocharger on, and in the case of the Stage 1 upgrade, £5,274 including VAT adds 87 horsepower and 83 pound-feet of torque to the 2.0-liter SkyActiv-G of the ND.