The Mazda Miata is one of the most enjoyable sports cars to drive.
It has won numerous awards such as the ‘Car of the Year’ from Wheels Magazine in 1989, 2005, and 2016, and it has made Car and Driver’s annual ‘10 Best’ list 17 times.
Most people who have just bought their first Miata or are looking to start their upgrade project are usually more interested in the more affordable bolt-on products available from the aftermarket.
So, what really works for this vehicle?
How To Improve The Miata’s Tires
The performance potential of a good set of tires can make a substantial difference to the vehicle. Companies such as Falken and Kumho produce some amazing tires at extremely competitive prices. However, it is important to select tires that are suitable for your local road conditions and weather conditions.
When shopping for new Miata wheels and tires, there are important factors to consider, such as their weight, offset, and size.
Improving The Air Flow Makes A Substantial Difference
Regarding the Miata’s air intake, finding additional power increases for the car is difficult, but not impossible. Auto manufacturers go to extensive lengths to subdue the sound of an open-intake you know can be increasingly loud. Elaborate intake tubes, sound suppression ducts, filter housing boxes, and small diameter inlet openings are incorporated into the design to silence the noise. These designs can result in power and throttle response being sacrificed to keep things to a reasonable level.
If you want to increase your vehicle’s airflow, then several brands make decent air intakes for the Miata, such as Racing Beat, K & N, Jackson Racing, or IL Motorsport.
The Miata’s Handling Has The Potential To Be Spectacular
The Miata has some utterly amazing handling, especially when the car’s handling components can be improved. The sway bar set should be upgraded if you are serious about improving the vehicle’s handling. Shrinking the body roll of your Miata allows for increased traction and improved weight transfer. Sway bars are usually designed as a front and rear matched set by the manufacturer for each specific application. It is recommended that you purchase a matched set of sway bars unless you are familiar with suspension set-up.
Also, coilovers enable maximum flexibility in adjusting the height of the car, while also allowing for a more controlled ride. V-MAXX offers a range of premium coilover kits with sporty and comfortable spring and damping characteristics for both daily and sporty use.
Another recommended component is a strut bar, which connects to the top of either the front or rear strut towers, making it so the chassis won’t flex as much during cornering. There are some great options available such as a Tanabe Sustec Front Tower Bar, a Whiteline Front Tower Brace, the Cusco Front Bar, and a Megan Racing Rear Upper Strut Tower Bar.
Installing an aluminum flywheel helps the Miata race through the gearbox with ease. This is a mechanical device that stores rotational energy produced by the engine.
Performance flywheels are lighter versions of the stock components. They radically reduce the moment of inertia that is necessary to rotate the flywheel, enabling the engine to efficiently utilize the available power. Having one installed helps your Miata regain power that was being consumed by the heavier flywheel.
A performance flywheel also makes your vehicle more fun to drive. Your engine’s RPM will increase and decrease faster than before, your Miata’s gear selection will improve, and a performance flywheel will help it shift its speed.
For those who want their vehicle to experience some power gains, an exhaust header upgrade on all Miatas made in the 1990s and 2000s is highly recommended. Over the years, Racing Beat has maximized the power output of the Miata’s headers. Typically, power gains begin in the 3000 RPM range, climbing up the 6500-7000 limit.
Turbochargers Can Boost The Miata’s Horsepower
Turbochargers can be expensive and normally require a trained mechanic to install them, but they can certainly boost the Miata’s horsepower. Both 1.6 and 1.8 engines for the Mazda MX-5 Miata are suitable for a turbocharger, but new wheels, tires, and handling upgrades are necessary alongside a turbocharger boost if you want more power.
A turbocharger needs to be spooled by exhaust gases before it compresses the air, but a supercharger, which is run off the serpentine belt, will constantly draw on the engine’s power to spin the scrolls.
Supercharger kits can be purchased from Kraftwerks USA, Goodwin Racing, or Fastforward Superchargers.
But be warned – a supercharger will hurt the Miata’s fuel economy more, as with a turbo, so if you want your vehicle’s fuel economy to remain the same, think very carefully about it.