The Mazda MX-5 Miata might be the perfect car, but sometimes you want a bit more power. Forced induction is one way to create it, and a new drag racing video shows how these different upgrades can affect the third-generation Miata’s straight-line performance.
The video sees a supercharged Miata face off against one with a turbocharger and another with independent throttle bodies. A stock Miata is also racing, serving more as the control and not truly competing with its tuned counterparts. Its naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine makes 160 horsepower and 138 pound-feet (188 Newton-meters) of torque, which doesn’t feel like much today.
The Mazda roadster with the Stage 1 supercharger cranks out 248 hp and 213 lb-ft (289 Nm) of twist. The roadster with the most power is the turbocharged one, with 262 hp and 225 lb-ft (306 Nm) of torque on tap. The other tuned Miata has a larger 2.5-liter engine with upgraded camshafts and independent throttle bodies. It makes 240 hp and 210 lb-ft (285 Nm) of torque. BRR tuned all three, and the cars feature an assortment of suspension and brake upgrades.
The supercharged Miata completed the quarter-mile race in the quickest time. It finished in 13.7 seconds. The turbocharged roadster finished next with a 14.5-second time. The Miata with the independent throttle bodies was third at 14.9 seconds. The stock car took 16.2 seconds.
The rolling races paint a different performance story, with the turbocharged variant finishing first in both runs. The supercharged car came in second, and the stock model came in last.
Mazda offered the third-generation Miata NC from 2005 to 2015. The automaker recently updated the fourth-generation ND in Japan, giving the roadster new lights, a limited-slip differential, and a new infotainment screen, and it shouldn’t be leaving Mazda’s lineup anytime soon as the company promised it will “never die.” But it’ll probably be electric.