Tag Archives: mx-5
2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata Gets More Power, Now Has 181 HP
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of the most popular sports car in the history of automotive. It is so successful that there have been clamors for a much-needed update. Thankfully, Mazda heard all those appeals and decided that 2019 is the time for the MX-5 Miata to get additional power and a higher red line.
Yes, the rumors are true. The MX-5 Miata is getting a significant bump in power. It now has 181 horsepower. That’s 26 horses more than the previous generation’s engine. This little details was courtesy of Japan’s Car Watch, which recently had an opportunity to give the test mule a try.
According to the report, the 2019 Miata will be powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce 181 horsepower at 7,000 rpm. That’s an increase of 26 horsepower from the current output of just 155 horsepower at 6,000 rpm. The Miata’s predecessor has an output also of 148 pound-feet of torque, but the 2019 version would have a bump to 151 pound-feet of torque.
There are significant changes in the powertrain, which accounts for the increase in power output. Specifically, Mazda added new pistons that are 27 grams lighter and new connecting rods that weigh 41 grams less than the ones fitted in the current generation.
The car’s redline increasing is due to the automaker’s installation of larger diameter throttle body, larger exhaust valves, and wider exhaust piping. The redline went up to 7,500 rpm from 6,800 rpm. Predictably, these updates would improve thermal efficiency and would lower emissions.
Moving inside the car, the Miata gets a telescoping steering wheel for the first time ever. The wheel has 1.2 inches adjustment and has a tilt function that will allow the wheel to move by as much as 1.7 inches.
Aesthetically speaking, the Miata will get a caramel brown top, full-tan leather interior, and bright finishes for the wheels.
2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata To Get 181 Ponies
The Mazda MX-5 Miata has never been known to produce as much power as its contemporaries. The current model of the Miata only has 155 horsepower, which is much less than the power produced by the previous generation of the car. That will soon change, however, as reports said Mazda is giving the 2019 MX-5 Miata a bump of 26 horsepower to see the current production to 181 ponies.
This became evident in the VIN notice sent by Mazda to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that listed the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata as having a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce 181 horsepower. That is 26 more horsepower than the current generation has now. It is also the most every from a production model Miata.
What the NHTSA document failed to specify is if the 2.0-liter engine is only an evolution of same Skyactiv-G unit currently found in the Miata. The brand is about to come out with a “high-tech, gas-fed supercharged, compression-ignition-capable” Skyactiv-X engine sometime in the next year or so. This will be used on the next-generation Mazda 3 compact. It is estimated to have an output of 181 horsepower, the same one listed for the 2019 Miata.
For the next models, we’re expecting the Skyactiv-G to position itself as a cheaper alternative to the Skyactiv-X. It could be an entry-level option and still receive developments and updates from Mazda. The automaker confirmed nothing short of that. With that being said, it’s not entirely impossible for the Skyactiv-G to still be the engine we’ll see on the 2019 Miata, considering that it is highly capable of the additional 26 horsepower needed for this new Miata.
Once upgraded, the G would have better intake and exhaust plumbing while the engine internals will rise by a few hundred revolutions per minute. The Skyactiv-G engine has a 13:1 compression ratio and uses premium gasoline.
Tearing Down a Mazda MX-5 Miata Engine in a Timelapse Video
The engine truly works wonders in a car. After all, it is the heart of a vehicle. Despite its complex function, do you know how easy it is to dismantle it into pieces? The video above shows the teardown of a Mazda MX-5 Miata engine in a timelapse presentation.
A video released by the YouTube channel “How a Car Works” demonstrates how the Miata engine was disassembled down to the valves, crankshaft, cylinders, timing gears, rods and other major components. Looking at it, it appears that tearing down an engine is fairly easy, given the right tools and working space.
The video was made to promote the channel. As implied by its name, it features video courses explaining how a car works. So far, it has other videos showing the MX-5 Miata’s subframe and the operation of same car’s steering system. It looks like they either have a fondness for the MX-5 Miata or they are sponsored by a Mazda dealer. It is also likely that they are supported by the Mazda company itself.
Going back to the power unit, the visible markings state that it is a DOHC 16-valve engine. According to Motor Authority, it might have come from UK-spec right-hand drive MX-5.
The base model of the MX-5 Miata is powered by a 1.8-liter engine in the US. It is likely that the video shows the smaller 1.6-liter UK version of it. The output of the inline-four engine is estimated to be somewhere between 90 and 130 hp.
Based on Mazda’s UK website, the MX-5 Miata roadster has a starting price of £18,795. It embodies the KODO design, which combines sportiness with stylish appeal.
For two consecutive years, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has won the “Whatcar? Car of the Year” award under the “Best Convertible” category. The giver of the award is considered to be Britain’s top monthly car review magazine.
Top 3 Features of the Long Road Racing “Ultimate MX-5”
Long Road Racing, which has been reputed for its amazing work on some tuner packs, released one for 2017 Mazda MX-5 called the Ultimate MX-5. If you have a 2016 or 2017 MX-5, but felt that it has not lived up to expectations, you may want to look at what Long Road Racing is offering.
1. Exterior
According to TopSpeed, LRR did not give much focus on upgrading the exterior details of the MX-5, though it offers a lot of wheel and tire combinations. In particular, it’s suggesting customers to get the 17-inch Ray’s forged wheels which are wrapped in BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 Ultra high-performance tires.
MX-5 owners would be hard-pressed to look for tuners that offer exterior upgrades for the sports car. The MX-5 already looks good enough as an entry-level performance car, and tuners should focus on giving it more power than upgrading its aesthetics.
2. Interior
LRR’s focus is to make the MX-5 feel more like a race car in the interior. This means stripping it off of all the comforts associated with a luxurious car, and fitting it with race-spec elements, safety equipment, and all-around weight shedding. Some of the race car-spec elements are a roll cage with NASCAR-style bars on both sides of the car, a centralized command center (which means removing the AC system) for power, fire bottle, and pump overrides.
There would also be head net constraints, Lifeline Zero 2000 fire system, seat mounting plates, foot well floor panel, a dead pedal, and a steering wheel with no air bags.
3. Drivetrain
This is where LRR truly went all out. The MX-5 is fitted with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, and LRR wants to boost its 155-horsepower output through a Setrab engine oil cooler, a race-proven water radiator, gold heat reflection materials, and motor-mounted positive location limiters.
Other upgrades are new limited-slip differentials, differential and transmission oil coolers, and pumps for upgrades.
Pricing
LRR did not release a price tag for the tuning package because it would depend on what the clients want done on their MX-5. Customers can customize their package based on their desired enhancements.
Mazda MX-5 Debuts with a Hard-Top
Everyone who’s been waiting for Mazda’s idea of a hard-top convertible can rest their cases. The company just lifted the curtains off its new Mazda MX-5 “Retractable Fastback,” named in honor of its new roofing system.
This is the fourth generation Mazda MX-5 with a 911 Targa-style top, which would lift at the push of a button. The roof folds automatically into the rear at a speed of up to 6mph. And you don’t even have to worry that the folded up roof will take up some boot space at the rear. This is not the case with the MX-5 RF. It basically offers the same space as the soft-top MX-5.
But that’s not the only thing you should look out for the Mazda MX-5 RF. It also has a unique rear roof and retractable back window that offers a new open-air feeling.
The new model will feature either of the two engines namely the SKYACTIV-G 1.5 or SKYACTIV-G 2.0 gasoline engine, depending on the market. The model coming to US shores will have the SKYACTIV-G 2.0.
The convertible would also come packed with a six-speed automatic transmission. There’s no word yet on how much this would weigh, but it is estimated to be somewhere over the standard car’s 1,075 kilograms figure.
The Mazda MX-5 RF is being offered also in the new Machine Grey paint. It uses three coats but requires further details, which we don’t have at the moment since Mazda has yet to release full specifications for the MX-5 RF.
This new hard-top Mazda will make its world debut at the 2016 New York Auto Show, which will be open to the public from March 25 to April 3. Mazda is also expected to launch the Mazda CX-9, and feature current available models such as the Mazda 6, Mazda 3, Mazda CX-5, Mazda CX-3 and Mazda MX-5.