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"Here's an uncomfortable truth: I'd rather spend a day driving a properly sorted Mazda MX-5 Miata of any generation on a winding road than I would nearly any other vehicle, regardless of power, price or prestige."
This Japanese phrase, JINBA ITTAI, has been a guiding principle in Mazda's development of the Miata/MX-5. Roughly translated, it is
"rider and horse as one."
About the Mazdaspeed Miata
In 1989, the rear wheel drive Miata (a.k.a. MX-5) resurrected the British concept of small ragtop sports cars, and coupled it with Japanese reliability. Then in 1999, the 2nd generation Miata hit the streets, with a little more muscular body shaping.
Then in 2004 and 2005, MAZDASPEED, the in-house performance tuning division of Mazda, produced this high-performance edition of the car for these final two years of the 2nd generation. The MAZDASPEED Miata was given a turbocharger, intercooler, stiffer springs, gas-charged Bilstein shocks, a slightly lower stance, stouter stabilizer bars, 6-speed stick, unique Racing Hart alloy 17" rims, among other things, with interior upgrades as well.
The only wording on the car is "Mazdaspeed" and "MX-5," the names "Miata" and "Mazda" appearing nowhere but the paperwork. The Mazda emblem is present. There were even fewer 'Speed Miatas built than planned. Mazda produced 4000 for the '04 model year, but a factory fire in December 2004 ended production of the '05 model year early. Only 1428 '05's were produced.
The 'Speed Miata is fairly quick (0-60 in 6.2), but certainly not the fastest car on the road. What it does best is handling, taking the tight turns flat, and without a whimper from the tires...unless of course you want to induce some whimper with some throttle enabled oversteer. Autoweek says "At 48.4 mph through the slalom, the Mazdaspeed Miata ranks second only to the Dodge Viper SRT-10, at 49 mph, among all the cars we've tested" (8/30/04). Additionally, the car is easy to modify for even more capability.
The best ways to sum up this car? It's a comfortable, super-reliable, street legal go-kart, with guts. So much fun to drive. Open air. The epitomy of "Zoom-zoom!"
Then in 2004 and 2005, MAZDASPEED, the in-house performance tuning division of Mazda, produced this high-performance edition of the car for these final two years of the 2nd generation. The MAZDASPEED Miata was given a turbocharger, intercooler, stiffer springs, gas-charged Bilstein shocks, a slightly lower stance, stouter stabilizer bars, 6-speed stick, unique Racing Hart alloy 17" rims, among other things, with interior upgrades as well.
The only wording on the car is "Mazdaspeed" and "MX-5," the names "Miata" and "Mazda" appearing nowhere but the paperwork. The Mazda emblem is present. There were even fewer 'Speed Miatas built than planned. Mazda produced 4000 for the '04 model year, but a factory fire in December 2004 ended production of the '05 model year early. Only 1428 '05's were produced.
The 'Speed Miata is fairly quick (0-60 in 6.2), but certainly not the fastest car on the road. What it does best is handling, taking the tight turns flat, and without a whimper from the tires...unless of course you want to induce some whimper with some throttle enabled oversteer. Autoweek says "At 48.4 mph through the slalom, the Mazdaspeed Miata ranks second only to the Dodge Viper SRT-10, at 49 mph, among all the cars we've tested" (8/30/04). Additionally, the car is easy to modify for even more capability.
The best ways to sum up this car? It's a comfortable, super-reliable, street legal go-kart, with guts. So much fun to drive. Open air. The epitomy of "Zoom-zoom!"
And to understand "Zoom-zoom," check out this great little video.
"Personal" Data
2005 Mazda Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata
Black Mica (cloth interior and vinyl top)
Came off the assembly line on Oct. 26, 2004
Production #917 out of 1428 for model year 2005
Sold to original owner on April 15, 2006, in Denton, Texas
Sold to me by original owner April 1, 2008, 6998 miles, nearly mint.
Quotes
Jeremy Clarkson, of Top Gear, on Miatas generally
"The fact is that if you want a sports car, the MX-5 (aka Miata) is perfect. Nothing on the road will give you a better value. Nothing will give you so much fun. The only reason I'm giving it five stars is because I can't give it 14."
"Here's an uncomfortable truth: I'd rather spend a day driving a properly sorted Mazda MX-5 Miata of any generation on a winding road than I would nearly any other vehicle, regardless of power, price or prestige."
Barry Winfield, Car and Driver, April 2004
"On a purely subjective level, the Mazdaspeed car feels wholly transformed, capable of top-gear traffic slaloms at just a jab of the pedal."
"While friendly to drive, the MazdaSpeed Miata is still mean on the road. It is friendly because it is easy to operate from the first shift. Yes, the throws are short but the gearbox isnt stiff and neither is the clutch. Its just a very agreeable car to drive. When on the road, however, the handling is mean. What do I "mean" by that? Well, it handles like a charm. The lowered, sport-tuned suspension and rack-and-pinion steering system connected with the leather-wrapped steering wheel to make for accurate and precise steering and handling. It cornered fiercely, yet somehow beautifully when pushed a little. Whats more, when executing tight turns of any shape or form there was minimal body roll. The suspension is comfortably stiff, making for a sporty ride. Bottom line, its awesome."
...and since I'm a lanky 6'4", I have to include this quote:
Aaron Gold, on About.com
"You don't sit in a Miata; you wear it. I'm 5'6" and weigh 150 lbs (OK, OK... 160) and this car makes me feel like Shaquile O'Neil. It's comfortable for me; I just never saw how anyone bigger could fit inside. So I asked my friend Joe, who tops 6' and 300 lbs, to take a test-squeeze. Joe not only fit in the car, but he had plenty of room to drive comfortably. How does Mazda do that? Magic seats, I guess."
"On a purely subjective level, the Mazdaspeed car feels wholly transformed, capable of top-gear traffic slaloms at just a jab of the pedal."
Autoweek, August 30, 2004
"At 48.4 mph through the slalom, the Mazdaspeed Miata ranks second only to the Dodge Viper SRT-10, at 49 mph, among all the cars we've tested."
Edmunds.com
"The standard Miata is a sporty yet affordable roadster. Aided by a turbocharger and an array of chassis upgrades, the Mazdaspeed version is a full-blown sports car that still fits the budget of an enthusiast with a day job."
"While friendly to drive, the MazdaSpeed Miata is still mean on the road. It is friendly because it is easy to operate from the first shift. Yes, the throws are short but the gearbox isnt stiff and neither is the clutch. Its just a very agreeable car to drive. When on the road, however, the handling is mean. What do I "mean" by that? Well, it handles like a charm. The lowered, sport-tuned suspension and rack-and-pinion steering system connected with the leather-wrapped steering wheel to make for accurate and precise steering and handling. It cornered fiercely, yet somehow beautifully when pushed a little. Whats more, when executing tight turns of any shape or form there was minimal body roll. The suspension is comfortably stiff, making for a sporty ride. Bottom line, its awesome."
Philip Reed, Edmunds.com, March 2004
"The result is a real pocket rocket, a car that retains its vaunted English sports car feel while keeping pace with the raging horsepower war that's being waged these days. The new Miata weighs in with 33% more torque (166 lb-ft) and 25 percent more hp than the standard model. Combine this lusty engine with a curb weight of 2,529 pounds and you have more power than you really need (this owner objects to that last line - what does "more power than you really need" even mean?). Still, this car isn't about getting from Point A to Point B in the fastest time — it's all about the journey.
"We can't think of another car that provides such a great sense of fun with the way it handles. A Mini Cooper comes to mind, of course, but the Miata is even lower (lowered by 7 millimeters as compared with the regular Miata) and the steering is quicker, giving the driver a greater sense of being centered and at one with the driving experience.
...and since I'm a lanky 6'4", I have to include this quote:
Aaron Gold, on About.com
"You don't sit in a Miata; you wear it. I'm 5'6" and weigh 150 lbs (OK, OK... 160) and this car makes me feel like Shaquile O'Neil. It's comfortable for me; I just never saw how anyone bigger could fit inside. So I asked my friend Joe, who tops 6' and 300 lbs, to take a test-squeeze. Joe not only fit in the car, but he had plenty of room to drive comfortably. How does Mazda do that? Magic seats, I guess."
LINKS TO COOL PLACES
- MazdaUSA Feature/Spec Sheet for 2005 Mazdaspeed Miata
- Car and Driver Complete Report
- MAZDA-SPEED.COM (possibly the best car forum on the net)
- MIATA.NET (general Miata forum)
- CLUBROADSTER.NET (all Miata forum, tuners, younger crowd)
- MAZDAROADSTER.NET (all miata forum, tuners, younger crowd)
- Tire Size Calculator
- FLYIN' MIATA (really great aftermarket performance folks)
- MOSS MOTORS (loads of Miata stuff)
- GO MIATA (loads of Miata stuff)
- RAVEN WING PERFORMANCE (lots of Miata stuff)
- RACING BEAT INC. (Mazda performance etc.)
- THOMPSON AUTOMOTIVE (a few good Miata items)
- Montgomery Mazda ONLINEMAZDAPARTS.COM - Charlotte NC
- Rosenthal Mazda FISNISHLINE PERFORMANCE - Arlington VA
- salvage: PROJECT G (Miata parts - and products)
- salvage: 2ND CHANCE ROADSTER
- salvage: PARTS GROUP (Miata & RX8)
- salvage: SPORT IMPORTS (Corvette and Miata)
- salvage: PLANET MIATA (Miata)
- salvage: MAZMART (Mazda - prices can be high)
- Middle Georgia SCCA
- REDLINE OIL
- JEGS HIGH PERFORMANCE
- SiliconeIntakes.com
One more Mazda video, I can't resist adding: Zoom Zoom, the Japanese version!
Blog Archive
LINKS: Dragon & Cherohala regional information
"rider and horse as one."
- Darryl
- I'm a Christian, and I work with a non-denominational church. We're not part of "organized religion." We're an independent group of folks who believe in the God of the scriptures, and that to serve Him best is to serve Him, not a church hierarchy. If you'd like to know more, just ask.
I enjoy traveling when I have opportunity, and I've had more than I ever thought I'd have. I've been in 44 states, 4 Canadian provinces, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, 19 European countries (GB E F NL D CZ SK AUS CH FL I GR SRB H PL RO MD UA BG), 4 small European principalities (MC AND RSM VAT), and 5 countries of the Asian continent: Turkey, Japan, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), and Laos. I lived for 5 years in the Czech Republic, and speak the language, though pretty badly. :)
2 comments:
Hey man, nice blog. Was wondering if I could get some advice. '99 w/ 60k mi for $6k or '04 MSM with 40k mi for $13k...
Thanks, lol!
Michael
Sorry I kinda forgot about this blog for a while. Don't know if you're still shopping, but....
If you like working on cars and need to spend less money, you might go with the non-MSM between two cars like that. Either of those mileage numbers should leave you years of fun remaining if they were decently cared for. You can turbo the non-MSM yourself and be just as quick. The MSM does have other improvements though, suspension, some engine components, styling cues, etc. If you can easily afford the MSM, I'd go that way. Well, I DID go that way. :) :)
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