Friday 14th February 2014

New turbo upgrades launched for MX-5

Like the idea of an MX-5 GB270 but don't have £30K? BBR has another way...

---

How does the prospect of a 305hp MX-5 for £13,000 sound? It's a tempting proposition surely. But it's now a reality using a little PH classifieds-based man maths and BBR's latest MX-5 turbo kit.

Suspension tweaks probably wise too

Following the success and reception of the GB270, BBR have launched two versions of its turbo kit for existing MX-5 owners that can be retrofitted at dealers or DIY installed. Both upgrades are available for all 1.8 and 2.0 NC MX-5s made since 2005.

Both Stage 1 and Stage 2 turbo packages mimic the GB270 with an OEM look to the conversion. The former includes a BBR Garrett GT turbo, a stainless steel manifold, new downpipe, intercooler, high-flow injectors and airbox plus the special Starchip EcuTek ECU seen on the 270. It makes 266hp at 7,350rpm and 225lb ft at 4,350rpm, enough for 0-60 in 5.1 seconds and 150mph all-out. Performance is fractionally behind the 270 because of running the standard MX-5 clutch. Fitted to the 1.8, the Stage 1 figures fall to 234hp and 208lb ft.

OEM look will be carried over to the new kits

So that's £4,995 from BBR, approved Mazda dealerships and specialists for a 'drive-in, drive-out' job, or £4,395 if you can do it yourself. With a 12-month warranty too.

But why make do with 260hp when you could have 300? Stage 2 takes the 2.0-litre MX-5 to 305hp and 254lb ft (264hp and 232lb ft in the 1.8) with an increase in boost from 7psi to 9 as well as a performance exhaust, another air filter change and Iridium spark plugs. The upgraded clutch from the GB270 is also part of the kit.

Stage 2 costs £6,695, or £5,795 for the DIY upgrade. All prices, very important to add, are without VAT. But even taking that into account, with '3.5' MX-5s under £9K for the 2.0, it could be at 300hp for under £17K. With a warranty.

 

[Hatchoo]

This looks truly excellent. I'm off to the classifieds to see how the costs stack up.

[v8chimmy]

Or you could spend your money on a TVR and have something that's just
as fast and also a future classic......that's just my take on it.

[lee_erm]

They can do the same , all be it with less power to a MK1, that's what my money would be put in to

[pti]

v8chimmy said:

Or you could spend your money on a TVR and have something that's just
as fast and also a future classic......that's just my take on it.

Think I'd rather take the MX5.

[Howroyd]

I bought a 'True Red' NC3.5 (2.0i Sport tech) '10 for ten grand late last year from Mazda down in Chichester - fab car to drive, great fun to hoon around the place without doing silly speeds. I have been toying for the past month with getting a Milltek stainless as they have a pretty decent deal on at the moment. But alas, these posts of forced induction conversions keep stopping me from doing it!! I am so utterly intrigued with the BBR conversion for the 'drop-off, pick-up' simplicity of the whole conversion affair. I am sure you could do it much more cheaply if you sourced the parts yourself, but I don't have the knowledge to be able to pull such a task off.

This would turn the MX5 into a real Cayman worrier on the backroads, but I think the trade off may be a less linear throttle, which may take away from the car's at the limit control.

Really interesting and god knows, I'll probably end up doing it... or not. I DON'T KNOW

[joe_90]

Howroyd said:

I bought a 'True Red' NC3.5 (2.0i Sport tech) '10 for ten grand late last year from Mazda down in Chichester - fab car to drive, great fun to hoon around the place without doing silly speeds. I have been toying for the past month with getting a Milltek stainless as they have a pretty decent deal on at the moment. But alas, these posts of forced induction conversions keep stopping me from doing it!! I am so utterly intrigued with the BBR conversion for the 'drop-off, pick-up' simplicity of the whole conversion affair. I am sure you could do it much more cheaply if you sourced the parts yourself, but I don't have the knowledge to be able to pull such a task off.

This would turn the MX5 into a real Cayman worrier on the backroads, but I think the trade off may be a less linear throttle, which may take away from the car's at the limit control.

Really interesting and god knows, I'll probably end up doing it... or not. I DON'T KNOW

How many times do you live?
Once?
Then get it done, do it yourself and post it up - It will not be that hard to do if you follow the instructions, I did a supercharger on a bmw before, and it was easy when we took it slow.

[300bhp/ton]

This is very cool, although £17k for a used MX-5 only worth £9k is actually quite a lot of money overall.

Also if you want performance, then seriously who in their right mind would spank £17k on a used MX-5 when you could have something like a TVR Griffith for less money.

[Herman Toothrot]

Being honest though the MX5 would absolutely spank a Griff round a track, my old 5 turbo just managed to out drag a Tuscan at Silverstone, owner looked rather angry as I inched past him. TVR's never made anywhere near the power they quote, a 4L Griff would probably struggle to make 220bhp.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Friday 14th February 14:08

[Noisy]

I know of another MX5 specialist currently developing a Turbo kit for the mk3, looks to be pretty similar but should cost a fair bit less.

[Dave Hedgehog]

300bhp/ton said:

This is very cool, although £17k for a used MX-5 only worth £9k is actually quite a lot of money overall.

Also if you want performance, then seriously who in their right mind would spank £17k on a used MX-5 when you could have something like a TVR Griffith for less money.

some one who does not want to spend 13 days of the year waiting on the side of the road for a tow truck for a start

[Riknos]

The 'sleeper' mx-5 FI routed intrigued me when I had my mk1 and mk3. But the costs didn't make sense. Back then there was the supercharger kit, but not turbo kit for the mx-5 (£7k including fitting and vat for the supercharger!) the costs didn't stack up. Cheaper to chop in the car and get an s2000, similar levels of straight line speed but you get better handling and grip out the box, for a lot less outlay, made more sense to me. S2000 feels a lot better built than the mx-5.

[Hatchoo]

v8chimmy said:

Or you could spend your money on a TVR and have something that's just as fast and also a future classic......that's just my take on it.

I didn't actually realise Chimaeras were that inexpensive, there are some great looking cars in the classifieds around £10k. I agree about the future classic status and if I was thinking of a weekend car the TVR would clearly win over the MX5, but I like the idea of this as a daily driver. I wouldn't run a 15 year old TVR 12 months a year on a 60 mile daily commute, it just wouldn't be fair on my wallet. I also like the understated quality of the MX5 as well.

[300bhp/ton]

Dave Hedgehog said:

some one who does not want to spend 13 days of the year waiting on the side of the road for a tow truck for a start

Considering the most complex thing on a Griff is the electric lights, it's unlikely.

[Tuvra]

I don't see a place for this? It comes up against some pretty respected opposition at £14-17k:

• BMW Z4M
• Mercedes SLK55
• Audi TTS
• Porsche Boxster S

And then theres the lightweight gang:

• TVR's
• Lotuses
• VX220's etc
• Caterhams

?

[conkerman]

I hope that pic was taken on a closed road.

[pti]

Tuvra said:

I don't see a place for this? It comes up against some pretty respected opposition at £14-17k:

• BMW Z4M
• Mercedes SLK55
• Audi TTS
• Porsche Boxster S

And then theres the lightweight gang:

• TVR's
• Lotuses
• VX220's etc
• Caterhams

?

It would be some laugh giving all that lot a shock in your little Mazda though, right!?

I really like it and would definitely consider if I had the funds.

[CTE]

It`s very tricky when comparing to TVR`s. If you want the car to be a blast and an occasion then the TVR will be the car, but it will also cost more to run and maintain. On the other hand the MX5 will be practically as quick, along with reliable and every day useable in a way the TVR is not, or at least not without regular maintenance...TVR`s are generally a lot more reliable than their reputation would suggest.
I have a lovely Lotus but it is not a convertible and it`s almost too good for a track car, although that`s the only place you can really use it`s performance. I keep on meandering betwen an MX5 or Tamora as a track/fun car, and the BBR conversion options look attractive. Mind you, by the time you`ve spent £13-17K on a modified MX5 from which you will never recover the modifications cost, you might aswell by an Elise, or the TVR (which is a sound investment) if that is what rocks your boat. After all that I have almost convinced myself what to do?..however having owned both an Elise and a MK3 MX5, the MX5 is a better all round road car, whereas the Elise is a better road/track car.

[300bhp/ton]

Hatchoo said:

I didn't actually realise Chimaeras were that inexpensive, there are some great looking cars in the classifieds around £10k. I agree about the future classic status and if I was thinking of a weekend car the TVR would clearly win over the MX5, but I like the idea of this as a daily driver. I wouldn't run a 15 year old TVR 12 months a year on a 60 mile daily commute, it just wouldn't be fair on my wallet. I also like the understated quality of the MX5 as well.

Surely driving a TVR 60 miles every day is petrolhead heaven?

[Herman Toothrot]

CTE said:

on a modified MX5 from which you will never recover the modifications cost, you might aswell by an Elise, or the TVR (which is a sound investment) if that is what rocks your boat.

One thing to remember de-modify when selling although a little hassle liberates an amazing amount of money back. I broke my heavily modified mk1 mx5 for parts and got over £8k back. Would have struggled to sell the whole car for half that.

If you have Elise & MX5 experience but think MX5 = better road car, Elise = better track car you really should give a mk3 MR2 a go, it's what I have ended up with after various MX5's / VX220 iIt's the perfect compromise. If I had a big enough garage / land I would have my current MR2 with Celica 190 engine for track and strip it to the bone and a turbo kitted on with all the toys e for the road :-)

[braddo]

Tuvra said:

I don't see a place for this? It comes up against some pretty respected opposition at £14-17k:

• BMW Z4M
• Mercedes SLK55
• Audi TTS
• Porsche Boxster S

And then theres the lightweight gang:

• TVR's
• Lotuses
• VX220's etc
• Caterhams

?

A car that does 0-60 in 5 secs flat, which is easy to use every day and has miniscule running costs even on track days. Makes sense to me.