In this year's British GT Championship the likes of the Aston Martin N24, Lotus Evora GT4 and Nissan 370Z will be watching a new competitor in the form of the fastest and most powerful Mazda MX-5. A race-ready variant of Mazda's acclaimed soft-top is a lightweight rocket. The MX-5 GT4 has a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder tuned to produce 309hp via steering wheel-mounted shift paddles controlling a six-speed sequential Hewland transmission that shifts its 1000kg body at a rapid speed.

Mazda claims it can sprint from 0-62 mph in just three seconds and can hit a top speed of 160 mph, making it the world's quickest MX-5. A combination of its outstanding handling, high fuel economy and lightweight frame will make it go easy on its tires, meaning less time in the pits and more time eating up the track. The British GT Championship is made up of nine rounds over seven weekends, with the first race to take place at Oulton Park in Cheshire from April 7-9. "We are looking forward to taking on the supercar brands this year and winning," said Jeremy Thomson, MD for Mazda UK.