RE: BBR Stage 2 Mazda MX-5 2.0: Spotted

[DaveMcC1967]

Monsieur Du Lard's mate here 😀. And no I'm not the seller. Why have both? Because I couldn't use the caterham daily. Because my wife wouldn't passenger with me to the South of France in the Caterham. And just because I fancied the turbo MX5 to run alongside the Caterham.

They're very different to drive...

Dave

[NickC4555]

My BBR MX-5 is based on a special edition Kuro, but it's a bit more special now. With a 2.5l engine with forged components and pretty much everything else uprated from the stage 2 specification, including rising rate fuel delivery and a dual friction clutch, it produces 375bhp and 355 ft/lb torque at around 4300rpm. I've worked my way through stages 1, 2 and now 3 in 2 different cars with BBR, it's been a lot of fun along the way to finish up with this one.

[WhatHappenedThere]

NickC4555 said:

My BBR MX-5 is based on a special edition Kuro, but it's a bit more special now. With a 2.5l engine with forged components and pretty much everything else uprated from the stage 2 specification, including rising rate fuel delivery and a dual friction clutch, it produces 375bhp and 355 ft/lb torque at around 4300rpm. I've worked my way through stages 1, 2 and now 3 in 2 different cars with BBR, it's been a lot of fun along the way to finish up with this one.

Retaining the stock look ???

[NickC4555]

WhatHappenedThere said:

Retaining the stock look ???

The stock look of a Kuro, yes. Externally the only differences are the exhaust pipes, wheels/tyres and suspension lowered.

[leonardfell]

"Fantastic car, too expensive"
"Been on sale for a long time "

I'm no expert so what is it realistically worth?

[NickC4555]

redroadster said:

Why not just buy a Merc slk 350 or a 55 ? Blow this away .

It depends how much you like driving. You can get an MX-5 up to similar performance to a 55 (I've got one), but even a standard BBR stage 2 is a lot more fun to be behind the wheel of.

[kin quick]

NickC4555 said:

My BBR MX-5 is based on a special edition Kuro, but it's a bit more special now. With a 2.5l engine with forged components and pretty much everything else uprated from the stage 2 specification, including rising rate fuel delivery and a dual friction clutch, it produces 375bhp and 355 ft/lb torque at around 4300rpm. I've worked my way through stages 1, 2 and now 3 in 2 different cars with BBR, it's been a lot of fun along the way to finish up with this one.

I bet that's awesome fun!!

I've got a 300bhp BBR Supercharged NC1 and that's pretty quick

[herebebeasties]

humphra said:

The Exige is by all accounts a great car, but on the roads will it be as usable and rewarding?

In a word, yes. They're a bit rawer, which is either good or bad depending on the situation, but they are more communicative and immersive at the same speed, despite the limits being higher.

My old 120hp S2 K-series Elise was similar in terms of power-to-weight to a 2.0 NC MX-5 and although it had lovely flow, the most frustrating thing about it was a lack of oomph to overtake on windy A-roads / fast B-roads. My SC Elise with 220-odd hp and 900ish kg is very exploitable. Yes, you can get to license losing speeds rapidly if you so wish, but it's not an on/off switch.

If the seller finds this 300hp MX-5 similarly usable then an Exige will doubtless suit him very well, only with likely more linear power delivery and perhaps better driveability and more of that all important "feel". It's clearly a more special place to sit, too.

[TheJimi]

Monsieur Du Lard said:

I have a mate who has a 300bhp BBR MX5 and a Caterham with a 220bhp K Series in it. The bear few similarities and to make such a comparison is frankly daft. The MX5 is quick. but not Caterham quick, and totally lacks the agility.

In other news, bears have been found to st in woods...

[WhatHappenedThere]

When I originally mentioned usable or usability, it was with regards to using it as a daily driver: waterproof, luggage space, shopping, easy to get in and out of wearing a suit etc

As opposed to the usable horsepower

An Exige simply doesn’t offer that usability vs an MX5

[fido]

A few questions to fellow owners (or BBR if they read this). Thought I'd piggy-back off the old thread that originally sparked my interest ...

1. Can the Koni suspension be height-adjusted? I'd like to raise it a bit as it's catching a few road humps - we're talking a 1/4-1/3 of an inch - as i don't want to ruin the handling. 2. ECU maps - how do you toggle through the different engine maps? I think mine is stuck on Max Power complete with pops 'n' burbles!

[DaveMcC1967]

Hi Fido

I got fed up catching the underside with the BBR koni setup - though to be fair I live down a crappy private lane. Height isn't adjustable. Initially I swapped the BBR springs for Eibachs bit that actually made it worse! I then swapped for Meister R CRD coilovers which are height adjustable. I've actually set them to the standard ride height, and they're great. Should have done this to start with....

I can't remember how to switch maps but they're not really different power maps - one is for 98 Ron, one for 95 Ron and one is a valet mode which I believe limits the revs. Pops and bangs in all!

Dave