The MX-5’s Achilles heel, though, has always been a lack of power. So when the Mazdaspeed version (known as the MPS in Europe) came out in 2004, the collective interest of enthusiasts piqued.
The Miata’s 1.8-liter four-banger was fed 8.5 psi of boost through a single turbocharger, resulting in a 36-horsepower increase to 178 hp. Despite the added bulk of the new components, the sports car retained much of the elemental character that made the lightweight sports car special in the first place. Suffice to say, it was a lot of fun.
The Mazdaspeed sadly faded away in 2005 as the roadster’s second generation came to a close. However, a new version may be in the cards for the car’s fourth generation.
Mazda’s head of global public relations, Kudo Hidetoshi, recently told Motoring, “We will have this ND-series model for maybe ten years, which gives us plenty of time make many variants. And yes, a turbocharged or MPS variant is one of the options we will definitely consider.”
The ND MX-5 will be offered with two engines when it hits showrooms this year: a 130-hp, 1.5-liter four, and a more powerful 2.0-liter mill that makes 160 hp. The iconic Mazda epitomizes focused, responsive driving, so anything larger could seem foreign in the small two door.
“[Generally speaking] turbocharging is preferable, even to a V6 now,” Hidetoshi continued. “We can use a lighter engine with the same or more power, and achieve [the] emissions and fuel consumption we need.”
