MX-5 Miata

Make
Mazda
Segment
Compact

In 2020, automotive designer, Kasim Tlibekov, designed a beautiful Miata Speedster, and now it's going to be brought to life by a company called Xenex Motorsports.

According to Xenex's website, it commissioned Tlibekov a year later to develop a speedster concept based around the first-generation NA Mazda MX-5 Miata. The result of this partnership is the MX-Speedster, which is not the car you see here. Xenex is still flaunting the original renderings, but the website promises that final production photos are coming soon.

Xenex has already built test mules, three of which have been dedicated to on-track testing. This is no poser's car but rather an extreme roadster for aficionados.

Xenex claims it takes the NA Miata's inherent performance and fun to the next level by removing 250 pounds. That's an excellent starting point, and Xenex also offers an optional track-ready suspension setup, competition-spec Wilwood brakes, and 17-inch alloys with grippy tires.

The fun doesn't stop there. Xenex teamed up with Fastforward Superchargers (FS) to provide an affordable bespoke high-performance supercharger kit. FS has been providing these kits for years and claims the setup packs just 20 lbs back into the car. In return, the power of the 1.6-liter four-cylinder is boosted to 160 horsepower at the wheels while the output of the later 1.8-liter models is upped to 190 whp. The result is a car that has nearly 170 hp per ton.

If you're looking for the ultimate expression of this concept, or you want to take the fight to the owners of a Ferrari Monza SP2, Xenex also builds the MX Speedster RS.

The RS ditches the four-cylinder engine and fills that cavity with an LS V8. According to Xenex, it produces 350+ hp at 6,800 rpm.

Xenex hasn't published pricing yet, but alluding to sourcing affordable parts leads us to believe that it wants to come out swinging with a possible competitor to Ariel, Caterham, and even the Polaris Slingshot.

It's not the only game in town, however. Earlier this year, CarBuzz covered the magnificent Gorgona Cars NM Concept, which is part NA, part ND, and buckets of Sunburst Yellow paint. The NM Concept is made in Italy and retails for roughly $70,000 at the current exchange rate.