2016 Miata Engine Makes Less Power

[carock]

Mazda does not want to build the Miata into a high power car because they are afraid the insurance rates would kill sales in the long term. They want to stay in the small, light, modest performance niche.

 

[ccap41]

The new one may be less powerful but they still increased the power to weight ratio. I beieve it lost something like 230lbs.

I wish more cars would lose weight.

 

[badtlc]

Those longing for a coupe, that isn't a small request. The miata is the only car in the world that i know of that is designed to be EXACTLY a 50/50 weight ratio. You can supposedly balance the middle of the car on some type of pointed edge and it would be perfectly balanced. Mazda refuses to sacrifice the perfect weight distribution. To do that with a hard top requires a lot of re-engineering.

 

[hattaresguy]

Why not just look to the aftermarket? Miata's have a massive aftermarket, getting another 50-100 hp out of one shouldn't be terrible challenging.

Or just buy an Alfa Romeo 4C Spider!

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
Those longing for a coupe, that isn't a small request. The miata is the only car in the world that i know of that is designed to be EXACTLY a 50/50 weight ratio. You can supposedly balance the middle of the car on some type of pointed edge and it would be perfectly balanced. Mazda refuses to sacrifice the perfect weight distribution. To do that with a hard top requires a lot of re-engineering.

According to Honda.com S2000 soft-top has a "perfect 50/50 weight balance". The later CR(Club Racer) model with removable aluminum hard-top in place of soft-top and some equipments removed to save weight didn't have that perfect 50/50 weight balance.

http://www.honda.com/newsandviews/article.aspx?id=4713-en

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I also wish they made a Miata coupe, like an actual permanent hard top.

The LS engine option is better on a Miata versus the SBF for balance purposes. An aluminum block LS engine weighs less than the 1.6 or 1.8 that was in the NA and NB MX-5s.

I think the final weight though of the complete LS conversion, did add 50-80lbs depending on what accessories you wanted, AC, PS, etc.
I've never seen a V8 conversion car at our autocross's, but a few turbo's and one very fast S/C one. It has enough power, but still has the throttle response for racing around the cones. That car was usually in the hunt for FTD, even against the modded STI's.
I still had a blast in a 1990 116hp Miata, on its 10 year old original tires. It was still easy to adjust the balance of the car with the throttle and did everything it should.