I’m a huge fan of the MX-5, because it really does represent the best handling car for the money. Sure, it’s not particularly fast in a straight line, but the bonus is that you rarely need to hammer the binders for a corner. The MX-5 forgives a lot of mistakes, but it also teaches you wrong from right in a very controlled manner. I’ve owned two (a ’93 B Package and my current ’06 Sport), which breaks my own cardinal rule of “life’s too short to have the same ride twice”. As good as my ’06 is with suspension and exhaust mods, it’s no match for the MX-5 GT cooked up by Jota Sport. For starters, there’s the issue of weight: my car probably tips the scales at around 2,460 pounds, but Jota’s MX-5 GT weighs in at just 1,873 pounds. Shaving a few hundred pounds off an already light car is difficult, but shaving nearly 600 pounds borders on the impossible. Every area that could be lightened was, thanks to tricks like polycarbonate windows, a carbon fiber dashboard and an acid-dipped body. Kids, don’t try this at home.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
Next, Jota upped the power from 167 horsepower (the MX-5’s baseline) to somewhere around 275 horsepower. They don’t give details, but I’m guessing there’s a Cosworth blower under that hood, along with some very aggressive ECU tuning, a custom cold air intake and a hand-built exhaust. The combination of less weight and more power makes for a seriously quick Miata; how does a zero to sixty time of three seconds sound, or a top speed of 160 miles per hour? The company doesn’t give details on brake upgrades, but the stock car is good enough to pull the glasses off your face; this thing probably pulls your eyeballs out of their sockets.
Built up Duratec motors have a tendency to be fragile if the ECU re-mapping isn’t done properly, or if you get too aggressive with how much boost your pushing. Jota Sport knows how to build cars, so it should be interesting to see how this MX-5 does in the 2011 Britcar MSA Endurance Championship. The first race is this weekend, and I’ll be combing the internet for updates come Monday morning.
Source: Automobile, via RideLust
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
