Mazda MX-5 (ND) BBR turbo | Spotted
Pound-for-pound, and with everyday use in mind, this is probably as fun as cars will ever get
Nobody needs reminding by now, surely, of how appealing a BBR’d Mazda MX-5 is. Whether a customer sticks with natural aspiration or goes for forced induction, sets the car up for track or keeps a more road bias, goes the whole hog or just upgrades modestly, they’re going to make a great car even better. There aren’t many guarantees in modifying, given the subjectivity involved. But BBR making brilliant MX-5s is one of them.
Brilliance doesn’t come cheap though, and with new cars from Mazda more expensive than ever it becomes much harder to justify the additional outlay on tuning. And while new customers may not be the first in line for a handling kit or turbocharger or bigger brakes, pricier new cars means costlier secondhand ones as well, so those further down the line might be less inclined to do the work also. Ideally, of course, you want to buy a BBR’d MX-5 after somebody else has spent the money, because then you get all the good stuff for a chunk less cash. But that doesn’t happen often, because it’s dependent on that outlay happening in the first place. And then that person wanting to sell a fantastic little MX-5.
You get lucky on occasion, however, and here’s the car to prove it. This 2015 ND is for sale at a dealer that has one of those picture slides that mentions the amount spent on optional extras; usually it’s a few hundred quid on paint, maybe wheels and leather. Here it’s £11,200 of accessories, comprising all the good stuff from BBR: 250hp turbo upgrade, BBR exhaust, Wilwood brakes, lowering springs, Whiteline handling kit, even a redone steering wheel to permit additional legroom for taller drivers. All that stuff raved about when fitted to the current generation of MX-5 is here.
It’s going to make for a superb sports car then, with almost 100hp more than standard (and a whole load more torque) plus the chassis tweaks to really make the most of it. Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres all around are good to see also, apparently with more than 6mm of tread on each one (plus an MOT until next September). As a 2.0-litre Sport Nav model to begin with, a limited-slip diff is standard. Obviously it’s a manual example. The power to weight will now rival much more senior sports cars, albeit with the fun and frolics Mazda’s roadster knows so well.
Yet it’s barely been driven, so presents an amazing opportunity for the next owner. This 2015 car has covered just 11,000 miles in total (it’s not clear when the BBR work happened), meaning even if the parts were fitted nearly new they’ve been subjected to very little use. Certainly the MX-5 presents like the nearly new car that its mileage would suggest it is, both inside and out pretty much flawless.
Finally, while £18,995 makes this one of the more expensive early ND MX-5s, think what you’re getting for that money. That £11k of upgrades has been driven, at most, 11,000 miles. A comparable standard car (2015, 16,000 miles) is advertised at more than £14,000, so it doesn’t seem much more to pay for a vastly improved MX-5. Some may prefer Soul Red, or the more powerful facelifted car, but then we’re back to square one again and relying on someone to pay for the work, not use it much, then sell it on. A quarter of an hour in this one ought to demonstrate just how unlikely that’s going to be.
SPECIFICATION | MAZDA MX-5 SKYACTIV-G 2.0
Engine: 1,998cc, 4-cyl
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 160@6,000rpm (standard)
Torque (lb ft): 148@4,600rpm (standard)
0-62mph: 7.3sec (standard)
Top speed: 133mph (standard)
MPG: 40.9 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 161g/km
Year registered: 2015
Recorded mileage: 11,000
Price new: £23,295 (standard Sport Nav)
Yours for: £18,995
This looks pretty good value - I guess - given the upgrades…
And everyone should have some top down action in their life…!
I’ve recently taken a Boxster 25 into the fleet, what a great thing that is…
Good vibes to whoever buys this..!
That said, £18k is too much for 160 horses. An awful lot of these have very low mileages and a 2017 2.0, even Launch Editions, can be had for around £16k.
A good, low mile 2019 ND2 2.0 with 181hp can be found for 18-19k.
I saved a bit of money going for a sub 40k miler ND2 RF at just over 15k, in a far better colour.
The ND2 2.0s rev to 7500, just like the 1.5 but the ND2s are done at 6500. I do miss the turbo shove, however, a long drawn-out punt to the redline can be hard work.
On the bonus side, you can buy a 2016 sub 40k miles ND 1.5 for under £10k, which is a bargain. The only real things to look for are the drains and the door regulators.
Is there a good article somewhere on lowering options?
Of course, if you want a turbo MX5, there is always the 170hp 124 Abarth but it's heavier.
The poster who thought they sit too high may be right but in the flesh, these are tiny and low cars and hard enough to get into at standard height. The 1.5s get 16" wheels, the 2.0 sits on 17s. Being narrow, tyres are also pretty cheap, in a relative sense.
In any event, there is a massive aftermarket for NDs, even more so in the US. Pages on Facebook for owners who seem to have excessive budgets
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405129...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405129...
Is there a good article somewhere on lowering options?
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