turbo charged miata, yum!
http://www.adm02.com/msMiata/Static/press_release.html
james
MAZDASPEED Miata SEMA Press Release
For Release: November 4, 2003
MAZDA UNVEILS NEW MAZDASPEED MX-5 MIATA AT SEMA
- Worlds Best-Selling Sports Car Offered in Turbocharged MAZDASPEED
Edition -
LAS VEGAS - To the delight of car enthusiasts across North America,
MAZDASPEED MX-5 Miata blazes onto the strip in sin city today. The
worlds best-selling sports car, according to the Guinness Book of World
Records, will show off its new MAZDASPEED badge for the first time at
the 2003 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas.
MAZDASPEED is the name given to the best of the best Mazda vehicles,
said Robert Davis, senior vice president of marketing and product
development for Mazda North American Operations. With MAZDASPEED MX-5
Miata, we took a renowned sports car and further enhanced its
performance with carefully selected modifications, all the while
remaining true to Miatas famed spirit.
Fitted with a turbocharger and air-to-air intercooler, the 1.8-liter,
four-cylinder engine now makes 178 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 166 lb-ft
of torque at 4500 rpm, 25 and 33 percent more respectively than the
normally aspirated Miata. That, combined with a short-throw, six-speed
gearbox and MAZDASPEED sport-tuned and lowered suspension, makes for an
amazingly quick and agile car.
To handle the extra power from the turbocharging system, the engine
block is modified to accommodate the oil line for the turbo, the cooling
system receives an increased radiator core volume, the six-speed manual
transmission, clutch and pressure plate, driveshaft and differential all
have been optimized, and a Denso
tube-fin air-to-air intercooler added.
The already-able Miata chassis gets dropped 7mm in ride height through
the use of shorter springs with increased spring rates, MAZDASPEED-tuned
Bilstein dampers, larger front and rear stabilizer bars and a front
strut tower brace. Mazda engineers meticulously tuned the suspension to
get the most out of the turbocharged powerplant, deftly handling the
brute power sent through the Bosch torque-sensing limited slip
differential to the 17-inch Racing Hart aluminum alloy wheels shod with
Toyo Proxes R28 205/40R17 80W high-performance tires. All four corners
receive silver-painted brake calipers and ABS.
The exterior, colored in either Velocity Red Mica or Titanium Gray
Metallic and subtly tattooed with MAZDASPEED and MX-5 badging, sports
smoked headlamps and a unique front under-spoiler with recessed fog
lamps. From the back, a rear under-spoiler, rear deck spoiler and large
exhaust tip with MAZDASPEED logo is the last image most other cars on
the road will see.
When raised, a black vinyl soft top covers black cloth seats with red
centers, red door inserts, and a black leather-wrapped steering wheel,
shift knob and handbrake with red stitching. Silver instrument panel
gauges showcase the MAZDASPEED logo as do the foot pedals, scuff plates,
floor mats and body-colored rear view mirror cap. Standard audio is a
225-watt six-speaker Bose. sound system with
six-disc CD changer and speed-sensing automatic volume control. A black
cloth soft top with black leather bucket seats and red stitching are
optional with the Grand Touring Packagethe only factory option available.
As with all MAZDASPEED vehicles, special attention to detail permeates
throughout, including a red wrinkle finish with turbo logo on the valve
cover and an anodized aluminum oil cap with MAZDASPEED logo.
MAZDASPEED MX-5 Miata is set to go on sale in select North American
markets in spring 2004.
Mazda North American Operations is responsible for the sales and
marketing, customer parts and service support of Mazda vehicles in the
United States. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., MNAO has more than 700
dealerships nationwide.
Visit www.mazdaspeedusa.com <http://www.mazdaspeedusa.com/> for more
information about MAZDASPEED.
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