Driving The Mazda Mx-5 Race Machine Reminded Me Of Dreams That Long Faded

As the Fast as well as Furious’s exclusively Asian hero, I lead hold to admit: I had fantasies playing Han Lue; subsequently all, who wouldn’t wishing to lock lips alongside Gal Gadot spell driving a sportscar. Yes sir, I’ve ever wanted to larn downwards Han agency if I were twenty twelvemonth younger, twenty pounds lighter, as well as well, twenty 1000000 pesos richer. Sad to say, that dream has faded, as well as I was pretty content to motility on alongside my life.

I was cook to choose my gut, my high cholesterol, as well as the fact that the exclusively thing I’d hold upward locking lips alongside inwards my soft-riding SUV would hold upward alongside my dog. That is, until Mazda sprung a surprise. No, they didn’t mail Gal Gadot over (though that would lead hold been extremely cool), but they did mail over the side yesteryear side best thing: a Miata Spec Series racer. Yup, for a fleeting 2nd (well, to a greater extent than or less a calendar week actually), I’d genuinely larn to drive as well as alive alongside what’s essentially a race automobile alongside a plate number.

For the uninitiated, the Miata Spec Series is a turnkey race automobile that takes the MX-5—the novel 184-horsepower one—and slaps on racing bits from Cusco (coilovers, front end as well as raise sway bars, ability brace), Mazdaspeed (strut tower brace), Concept One (17-inch wheels), as well as Nitto (215/45 R 17 NT555 G2 tires). It equally good gets some overnice Sparco materials similar the steering wheel, one-piece seats, as well as four-point security harnesses. And of course, prerequisite rails security paraphernalia similar a six-point twine cage as well as driver’s footplate. In short, this isn’t your uncle’s MX-5.

See, your uncle (like myself), values comfort over everything else. Despite our wishing to larn a sportscar, we’ll postulate infinite for our thighs, fanny packs (or murses), as well as our laughable sense of humor. The run-of-the-mill MX-5 tin exercise that. Despite sitting thence depression to the dry reason as well as having a cabin equally tight equally a…errr…umm… (never mind), nosotros tin fit. Unless you’re extremely tall or fat (or both), you’ll hold upward able to David Blaine yourself into the Jinba-Ittai cabin. With the Miata Spec Series automobile though, the presence of the twine cage requires a flake to a greater extent than flexibility. Now, I abide by that the best agency to sideslip inwards would hold upward to sit down on the twine cage, allow choke of all your inhibitions, as well as drib into the Sparco racing buckets butt cheeks first. It’s non beautiful to sentry nor is it poised, but at to the lowest degree you lot don’t bonk your caput on the twine cage. Suffice to say, your i as well as exclusively rider volition lead hold to choke through the same thing thence ameliorate tell her to skip the skirts, as well as stick to stretchable yoga pants.

Once yesteryear the twine cage though, things fare better. With Mazda Philippines working closely alongside their Japanese motorsport counterparts, the twine cage doesn’t rob whatever visibility or interior space—both of which are already inwards express supply. Now, different other race cars alongside a lay out plate, the Miata Spec Series isn’t inhospitable. As a affair of fact, it keeps most of the stock MX-5’s comfort trimmings intact making it fifty-fifty to a greater extent than “stock” than a especial edition Porsche or Ferrari. The AC is even thence there, thence is the 7-inch Mazda Connect infotainment concealment (and corresponding rotary knob), as well as heck, fifty-fifty the DVD slot betwixt the seats. Even the roof goes upward as well as downwards similar before, though some grace is needed to motility to a greater extent than or less the twine cage as well as heavily bolstered seats. As a affair of fact, the exclusively trim back pieces binned are those that got inwards the agency of the twine cage, seats, as well as harnesses.

And speaking nigh the harness, this is single-handedly the Miata Spec Series’s exclusively hurting inwards the ass—literally. Remember when I said that you lot postulate to drib into the sport seats butt first? Well, imagine what happens when donkey meets Sparco metallic buckle? It’s non pretty, as well as I’m certain your girl won’t similar it either. After a while, I abide by that the best agency to avoid all this donkey poking would hold upward to carefully layout the four-point harness each fourth dimension you lot larn out. That way, you lot tin avoid the entire metallic buckle debacle, spell equally good beingness able to tell where each of the 4 points are. Regardless, an extra few minutes is needed to larn yourself sorted in. Oh, as well as because the harness doesn’t retract, recall to unopen the door earlier you lot tighten everything up; else you’ll abide by yourself inwards the unfortunate province of affairs of having to undo everything, as well as and thence unopen the door.

Now, for all of the Miata Spec Series’s peculiarities, this isn’t a poser car; it’s a race automobile that you lot tin drive to as well as from the racetrack. Its straight inspiration is the MX-5 Global Cup Car, as well as remember, that i isn’t fifty-fifty route legal. With that, at that topographic point were some gives as well as takes inwards damage of comfort as well as convenience inwards the advert of safety. That’s why, it’s even thence surprising how this MX-5 remains hospitable equally a daily driver. Discounting the acrobatic deed to larn yesteryear the twine cage, it behaves only similar a route car—and I hateful it inwards the best agency possible—it doesn’t choke at depression revs, the air conditioning’s cool, as well as Sara Geronimo sounds only fine on the radio.

Flicking the engine kill switch to “on” as well as pushing the “engine start” clitoris breathes life into the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G. For the one-make series, the engine as well as gearbox are left stock, thence the same adjectives apply: extremely tractable, a willing revver, as well as of course, the best gearbox from the household of Jujiro Matsuda. However, the conclusion to install a custom exhaust organisation unlocks a flake to a greater extent than anger here. At start-up, there’s a overnice bark earlier settling to a nice, rhythmic brrrrr. At partial throttle, a wonderful low-pitched audio fills the cabin, spell at total throttle, it becomes a symphony of audio that brings a mental picture of Michael Fassbender saying, “perfection” to mind.

And perfection is what the Miata Spec Series feels similar fifty-fifty when it’s only trundling to a greater extent than or less EDSA. It’s going to gain attention—lots of it, peradventure because of its racy pigment chore or its loud exhaust banknote or peradventure because the driver looks similar Han’s retired stunt double—or may hold upward fifty-fifty all three. Floor the gas though as well as your human face upward volition calorie-free up, guaranteed. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 caveat though: if you lot innovation to daily this P 2.5-million race car, ever recall to re-adjust those Cusco coilovers. Leaving them inwards a setting suitable for the Clark International Speedway results inwards a razor-sharp treatment at the expense of an unsettled ride, as well as that tin leave of absence you lot alongside a sore tailbone.

Quirks aside, it fulfills its role of beingness a race automobile that you lot tin drive to as well as from the track. This appeals to people who wishing to larn their feet moisture inwards circuit racing, but peradventure aren’t convinced yet of buying a purpose-built race car. This makes the MX-5 Miata Spec Series an interesting security internet for budding racers because Mazda volition throw inwards all the stock parts thence you lot tin convert it dorsum to tempest shape at whatever time. Now, at that topographic point volition hold upward those who’re crazy plenty to daily drive it, as well as for those, I tin tell that it’s surprisingly usable despite the twine cage as well as harness. On a to a greater extent than personal banknote though, I experience wound yesteryear having tried the MX-5 Miata Spec Series. Just when I idea I lay my dreams of playing Han Lue agency yesteryear me, Mazda offers me this. Now, I only can’t milkshake off the urge to play natural language hockey spell driving fast.