This turbocharged Mazda MX-5 will do 155mph

Remember when you were working your way up through Career Mode on Gran Turismo in a lowly car? You’d strip weight out of your Mazda MX-5, maybe upgrade the tyres, and then when every millisecond of performance had been wrung from its pixels, plump for the turbo kit and obliterate the other entry-level Sunday racers. That pesky Suzuki Wagon R was toast.

Welcome to the real-life version. Here we have MX-5 tuning specialists BBR’s latest effort: the Stage 1 turbo kit for the current ‘ND’ generation MX-5 2.0-litre. And we’ll not tease you any longer: it delivers 248bhp, 236lb ft, and will ping the dinky MX-5 to 60mph in five seconds flat. And it still revs too: that maximum power figure is delivered at 7,150 rpm.

The 0-60 sprint ends 2.3 seconds quicker than the standard 158bhp MX-5, and there’s a similarly dramatic effect on the top speed. No longer will you run into the buffers at 133mph. This is an autobahn-ready, 234nhp per tonne MX-5, good for a limited 155mph. 

Reading this Stateside? We’ve good news for you too. Flyin’ Miata, the 'Murican outfit (in)famous for their V8 MX-5 conversions, will be the official US distributor of BBR’s Stage 1 kit, which includes the twin-scroll turbo itself, a new exhaust manifold and downpipe, a re-worked ECU and all-new intercooler set-up, plus fresh sensors, induction equipment and reinforced plumbing. 

It’ll cost £4,995 if you want it fitting for you, or £4,395 if you fancy plumbing in BBR’s kit yourself. We don’t know the US prices, nor how much that works out in Gran Turismo credits.

Cautious about butchering your twee little roadster in the name of F-type-baiting? BBR says the conversions is fully reversible, has 12 or 36-month warranty packages, and doesn’t push your emissions or engine idle revs to MoT-failure territory. 

Certainly, it’s a little less drastic than wedging a 518bhp V8 behind those cutesy headlights, and more satisfying than living vicariously through a PlayStation, but each to their own, don’t you think?

Remember when you were working your way up through Career Mode on Gran Turismo in a lowly car? You’d strip weight out of your Mazda MX-5, maybe upgrade the tyres, and then when every millisecond of performance had been wrung from its pixels, plump for the turbo kit and obliterate the other entry-level Sunday racers. That pesky Suzuki Wagon R was toast.

Welcome to the real-life version. Here we have MX-5 tuning specialist BBR’s latest effort: the Stage 1 turbo kit for the current ‘ND’ generation MX-5 2.0-litre.

And we’ll not tease you any longer: it delivers 248bhp, 236lb ft, and will ping the dinky MX-5 to 60mph in five seconds flat. And it still revs too: that maximum power figure is delivered at 7,150rpm.

The 0-60 sprint is 2.3 seconds quicker than in the standard 158bhp MX-5, and there’s a similarly dramatic effect on the top speed. No longer will you run into the buffers at 133mph. This is an autobahn-ready, 234bhp-per-tonne MX-5, good for a limited 155mph. Probably want the roof up for that, though.

Reading this Stateside? We’ve good news for you, too. Flyin’ Miata, the American outfit (in)famous for its V8 MX-5 conversions, will be the official US distributor of BBR’s Stage 1 kit, which includes the twin-scroll turbo itself, a new exhaust manifold and downpipe, a re-worked ECU and all-new intercooler set-up, plus fresh sensors, induction equipment and reinforced plumbing. 

It’ll cost £4,995 if you want it fitting for you, or £4,395 if you fancy plumbing in BBR’s kit yourself. Either way, you can have a 155mph roadster for comfortably under £30k. We don’t know the US prices, though, nor how much that works out in Gran Turismo credits.

Cautious about butchering your twee little roadster in the name of F-Type-baiting? BBR says the conversion is fully reversible, has 12 or 36-month warranty packages, and doesn’t push your emissions or engine idle revs to MoT-failure territory. 

Certainly, it’s a little less drastic than wedging a 518bhp V8 behind those cutesy headlights, while more satisfying than living vicariously through a PlayStation. A good balance, though?