Few cars have warmed the heart of enthusiasts like the Mazda Miata n Sure, there are other sports cars that are faster and sleeker, but few cars are as focused and provide as much enjoyment as Mazda's two-seater n There isn't any one particular aspect of this little roadster that makes the Miata experience so magical n Rather, it's a combination of "little things" that combine to make the Miata feel so connected to the road, so agile, and so entertaining to drive n Everything from the incredibly direct steering to the front-engine, rear-drive layout to the car's diminutive size conspires to make the experience of driving and owning a Miata very special indeed n Even the proportions add to the overall effect-its rear-drive chassis lends the Miata that classic long hood, short deck roadster shape that no econobox-derived front driver could ever muster n One only needs to look as far back as the ill-fated and gawky-looking Mercury Capri to see what we mean.
Few cars, especially for the price, have offered such pure focus towards driving enjoyment. Sure, there have been many great sports coupes and sedans over the years that have provided a wonderful driving experience, but the Miata, with its two seats, diminutive trunk, open top, and front-engine, rear-drive layout communicates the fact that this car is purely about driving. It's not for everybody-its near-complete lack of practicality prevents this -but then again, who buys a sports car to blend in?
Not surprisingly, a fervently enthusiastic owner base has grown steadily over the years, and similarly enthusiastic aftermarket support for the Miata has produced a myriad of performance and appearance accessories that allow owners to enhance their cars' capabilities and style. A visit to your local weekend autocross will undoubtedly reveal a disproportionately high number of Miatas, most of which are enhanced with some of the many aftermarket parts available for this car. This is one of those cars that, while blissful in stock form, is served very well by some well-planned enhancements.As the Miata takes to fettling so well, there is no shortage of aftermarket performance accessories for the determined Miata enthusiast.
A bit of history is in order. The Mazda Miata was introduced in 1989 to a drooling public. Its cheeky '60s-era, Lotus Elan-derived styling captured the hearts of enthusiasts everywhere, and brought with it a very welcome benefit-Japanese reliability. British roadster enthusiasts everywhere could heretofore only dream about such a combination. Sales were brisk; many readers undoubtedly remember the waiting lists and dealer markups that accompanied this car in the early 1990s.The inaugural edition of the Miata featured a 1.6-liter twin cam four-cylinder engine with 113 hp. It was no fireball, but like many of the best sports cars, the real magic lay in its handling. In any case, the car was a real bantamweight, so its relatively low horsepower engine nevertheless served it well. The 1994 model year brought a few changes, most notably a 1.8-liter, 130-hp engine to help offset the extra weight brought on by increased safety features and chassis bracing.
The second-generation Miata arrived for the 1999 model year (there was no 1998 model). This thoroughly revised model featured more aggressive styling, more power (140 hp), and further stiffening of the already very capable chassis. While the second generation car was much improved in many performance aspects, its basic size and architecture remained the same; many Miata parts fit both first and second generation models. The 2001 model year brings even more goodies to the second-generation car-a six-speed transmission, available 16-inch wheels, and 155 hp from the ever-green 1.8 liter.
Current Miata prices start in the low $20,000 range-not bad considering this is one of the most enjoyable cars to just get in and drive, period. However, there are even greater bargains to be had in the used market. Largely due to the growth and popularity of the SUV market, market demand for sports cars has declined sharply over the last few years. As enthusiasts, we of course lament this trend, but the upshot is that a good used Miata can be had for very little money. Furthermore, because of the Miata's bulletproof reliability, a well-maintained early model will continue to require little attention. We have seen excellent early '90s examples for just a few thousand dollars. Of course, low expenditure on the car itself means that performance-enhancing goodies like those on the following pages are that much more within reach!
Powertrain Up GradesThe Miata's DOHC, 16-valve four cylinder has remained more or less the same in architecture throughout the car's existence. This venerable engine has long been a staple in the Mazda lineup since the 1980's, powering the likes of numerous small Mazdas, from the 323 to the Protg to the MX-3. Initially, the Miata was equipped with a 1.6-liter variant of this motor, complete with a Lotus Elan-style valve cover that stylistically emphasized the twin camshafts spinning beneath. This engine produced 113 hp. The 1994 model year brought a slightly larger 1.8-liter version of the engine and produced 130 hp. The 1999 Miata squeezed 10 more horses from the ever-green motor. Despite the huge power increase from the original 1.6-liter, the current car's engine remains closely related to the original.
While the Miata's greatest strength has always been its communicative, blissful handling, many enthusiasts have long cried out for more power. The original creators of the Miata always stressed that power wasn't the point of the Miata, but what enthusiast in his or her right mind wouldn't ask for more? Fortunately, the aftermarket has only been too happy to oblige the keen enthusiast with everything from little enhancements to all-out forced induction systems.
Brake UpgradesAny real enthusiast knows you can't have tons of power with inade-quate brakes. Not only is this flat-out dangerous, but it also gives the car an unbalanced feel. The Miata is so much fun partly because it's so well balanced; it's essential that significant power upgrades are matched with similarly powerful stopping abilities, if only to maintain the Miata's delightfully balanced feel.
Fortunately, all Miatas came from the factory with decent four-wheel disc brakes, so there won't be any need for costly drum brake to rear disc conversions as there are on far too many sport compacts. Still, the stock brakes are small, largely because this is such a small, lightweight car. Serious power increases will necessitate increases in braking power, and a few aftermarket suppliers have fortunately stepped up with powerful braking systems that should be a match for even the most powerful Miata.
Suspension UpgradesThe Miata's magic largely lies in its wonderful chassis. Its front-engine, rear-drive layout ensures that the proper wheels are pushing the car along, and also endows the car with nearly perfect weight distribution. In addition, the Miata has always been torsionally stiff for a convertible, allowing the four-wheel double wishbone suspension to do its job properly. All these factors conspire to create one of the most enjoyable driving experiences to be had at any price.
As there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the Miata's chassis, suspension mods won't make for drastic improvements in handling the way they would on, say, a Chevrolet Cavalier. Nonetheless, power increases require similarly beefed-up chassis tuning. Even those who don't plan on significant power increases will likely find suspension upgrades to enhance the car's abilities even further, especially for those who like to indulge in a little weekend autocrossing. Even more importantly, many shocks available for the Miata feature adjustable damping, allowing the driver to fine-tune his or her Miata's already fine handling.
Appearance Upgradesgreat looking car like the Miata lends itself to appearance enhancements. Unlike some other cars, adding styling nhancements to a Miata is not akin to making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, since the Miata has always been a very attractive little roadster right out of the box. Nonetheless, carefully thought-out styling upgrades will enhance the look of your Miata and make it more your "own."Crucial to the Miata's great looks is the fact it was built from a dedicated front-engine, rear-drive platform, rather than a front-drive econobox chassis. The Miata looks and is rear-wheel drive as a proper roadster should be, with its long hood, short deck, and front wheels set far forward. A few manufacturers have tried building pretenders, such as the Mercury Capri and (in Europe) the Fiat Barchetta. Both of these cars were based on front-drive economy car chassis, and it showed. They both tried to ape the proportions of a true roadster, but the transverse front-engine layout in these two cars forced their hoodlines to be too high and their front overhangs to be too long.The point of all this is that the Miata is one great looking car, regardless of model year. The first generation, with its Elan-inspired styling, and the current model with its Jaguar D-type derived looks are both great looking cars. Numerous appearance upgrades exist for both.