MX-5 Miata

Make
Mazda
Segment
Compact

The Mazda Miata has always been mocked by gearheads for being "a bit girly." Sure the car handled well, but Corvette owners would still laugh at you as they rumbled off with their V8s. Back in 2004, Mazda decided to do something about it and give the Miata some much-needed power. The result was the Mazdaspeed MX-5. The Speed MX-5 was powered by the BP-4W engine from the normal Miata, now with an IHIRHF5 VJ35 turbocharger installed from the factory. It is still to this day the only Miata to be built with a turbocharger from the factory.

The turbo gave the car 178 horsepower, 36 more horses than the standard car, and drastically increased performance. The Speed Miata could hit 60 mph in 6.7 seconds which was 1.4 seconds faster than the standard car. The car was upgraded in more than just the engine bay as well. The Speed Miata featured Bilstein shocks, as well as shortened and stiffened springs and bigger anti-roll bars. The car was nicely optioned from the factory with a six-speed manual transmission as the only option. If you are going to buy one, you better not be picky about colors. In 2004 in the US market only two colors were on offer: Velocity Red Mica and Titanium Gray Metallic.

In 2005, Lava Orange Mica and Black Mica also became available, pushing the paint options to a stunning four. The Mazdaspeed MX-5 was only built for two years and a mere 5,428 were produced. Only 1,428 were built in 2005 due to a fire at the factory. Nice examples of the Speed MX-5 can still be found for under $10,000. This car was the only Miata to ever come with a turbo, and production was limited because of the aforementioned fire at the manufacturing facility. This car easily has the makings of a future collectible and can be driven around as a weekend toy. You may be better off investing in stock, but stock won't make you grin like a Miata can!