This weekend Mazda is showing off a manlier Miata. The Japanese company will use Britain’s famed Goodwood Festival of Speed to debut the MX-5 GT Concept.
Mazda asked Jota Sport to borrow bits from the MX-5 GT4 race car to create this road-legal road-carver. While the GT4 race car puts out a whopping 310 hp from its 2.0-liter engine, the road going GT Concept has to settle for 205 hp from the same capacity. That doesn’t sound so bad considering it is still 38 more ponies than the most powerful MX-5 sold in the U.S.
The 23% jump in power is only the tip of the GT Concept iceberg. The suspension has been upgraded for improved handling and can be adjusted for different track conditions. A sport-tuned exhaust system was added (with the tailpipe relocated to the center for a little flair.) Aerodynamics are improved by a carbon fiber front splitter, rear diffuser and tiny trunk spoiler. The car is capped off with extra sticky 18-inch Falken FK 452 tires.
Inside there are Recaro sport seats, more carbon fiber bits, and body-colored roll hoops behind the seats.
The only part of this car that doesn’t seem race-ready is the retractable hard top. It adds about 76 lbs to this svelte rocket.
Does this have you drooling for a Miata yet? Well then it is time to tell Mazda.
The company has said that the MX-5 GT Concept was built to test customer reaction. But since Mazda made sure the car would be road-legal, we can stay hopeful that this one will hit production soon. Of course there are still a few real hurdles. For example, how much will all this street racing magnificence cost? Also Jota Sport is the U.K. arm of Mazda’s racing program. So how likely are they going to switch the steering wheel to the other side?
tony c December 13, 2012
build it and I will purchase one!