Mazda Miata's have achieved legendary status among the car enthusiast community and for good reason. They are a fun and sporty lightweight rear-wheel-drive sports car that is attainable to almost anyone, especially on the used car market.
Similar to the Ford Mustang, MX-5 Miata owners want to customize their cars to fit their style. One such customization is increasing engine performance and power.
Even in its most potent factory form, the Mazda Miata's acceleration numbers are considered quick at best. Because the Miata was never built with ultimate performance in mind, many owners are turning to the aftermarket to wake up Mr. Hyde under the hood.
LS1 Corvette Engine Swap
The LS1 Corvette engine swap is one of the most popular engine swaps for not only Mazda Miata's but also most enthusiast cars in general. The reason for this is because Chevy's LS series motor is a pushrod V8 that is lightweight, makes tons of power, and is relatively affordable.
YouTube Channel Speed Academy reviewed a track-prepped LS Swapped Miata back in 2019 and the results were pretty spectacular.
By taking an LS1 motor from a 2000 Chevrolet Camaro SS (this engine was also in Corvette of the same era), this little Miata is making over 400 wheel horsepower! It also includes coilovers, sway bars, racing seats, and a big brake kit.
Because the LS1 motor is an all-aluminum motor, this Miata is basically the same weight as before the swap at around 2,600 lbs. That means a huge improvement in the power to weight ratio. Part of the Miata experience is the balanced chassis, so an LS motor swap could be the best way to go without adding a lot of weight.
Honda K-Series Swap
If you're not into American Muscle V8s, a K-Series Honda engine is another great option for a Miata. The Honda S2000s are becoming rarer and expensive. By adding a K-Series engine, you are essentially turning the Miata into an S2000, possibly saving you some money and giving you something unique.
The Miata in Speed Academy's Youtube video features a K-Series engine from an Acura TSX that have been tuned to make over 223 wheel horsepower and 187 lb-ft of torque. This is a full-track build with a completely gutted interior. At 2060 lbs, this is a real featherweight.
While this is not even as close to the amount of power in an LS swap, it may be a smarter move for some. Not everyone wants that much power, and 220+ wheel horsepower is a significant increase over a base Miata. Not only that, but Honda's VTEC (variable valve timing) is quite the experience when you get the motor into higher RPMs.
Ford Coyote 5.0 L V8 Swap
Ford's Coyote 5.0L engine is starting to become the new LS motor in terms of engine swaps. It also makes a ton of power, is lightweight, and is affordable. You can buy a brand new crate motor Coyote from Ford, but most will purchase their Coyote's out of a wrecked Mustang or F-150.
This might not be the best swap for the Miata, but it's unique for sure. One issue that you can see right away is that the Coyote V8 is way too tall for the Miata engine bay. You might be able to fit if you put a regular intake plenum and not the Boss 302 intake like in the video. But if you want something unique and fun, this could be another option for you.
Toyota Supra 2JZ engine swap
Another popular engine swap in the racing world is the Toyota 2JZ from the Supra. This legendary 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-6 engine has been known to make over 1000-hp with not much modification. When you add it into the lower-weight Miata, it is a recipe for fun.
In the Youtube Video, Graeme Cook's MX5 Miata is at the Santa Pod Drag Strip putting down some serious numbers. With around 500-hp, the 2JZ swapped Miata did the 1/4 mile in 11.5 seconds at 126 mph.
Most rear-wheel drive cars with big power suffer traction issues and you can see it in the video that the Miata can't quite put the power down until third gear. There is not much you can do about that, but this is still a fun idea for a Miata swap.
Supercharged Miata
Since many enthusiasts don't have the budget for a full engine swap, a great alternative to add more power to the MX-5 Miata is through forced induction. In most cases, adding a supercharger is the cheaper form of forced induction as turbocharged requires a lot more modification.
One popular supercharging option is The Edelbrock EForce Supercharger from Flyin' Miata. In the video, The Smoking Tire's Matt Farah gives his honest feedback on Flyin's Miata's ND MX-5.
With over 200 Wheel horsepower, the supercharger gives an incredible increase in performance for the money.
Flyin' Miata no longer sells this kit (they sell a turbocharger kit now, which is available on their website here). However, you can still pick up the Edelbrock EForce Supercharger for the ND Miata if you look online.