Watch Mazda's MX-5 GT Concept climb the hill at Goodwood

Zach Bowman — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Convertible, Performance, Videos, Mazda, UK, Celebrities

Mazda brought the company's ever-sexy MX-5 Miata GT Concept to this past weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed for a little sprint up the hill. With 205 horsepower on tap thanks to new cams and a revised throttle body, the concept is exactly what Miata buyers have been clamoring for all these years: more power. Mazda handed the keys over to Jade Pavely, an endurance driver with the company for the run, and the driver had no trouble keeping the convertible right side up and between the hay bales on her way toward the finish line.

We could certainly think of less entertaining ways to get around the course. Mazda didn't mention how long it takes the machine to get from start to finish, but we doubt the company was out to set any records. Chances are this little exercise had more to do with putting eyeballs on that blaze-orange paint and testing the waters for a possible production version. Check out the brief video below to have a look.

Continue reading Watch Mazda's MX-5 GT Concept climb the hill at Goodwood

Watch Mazda's MX-5 GT Concept climb the hill at Goodwood originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultra lightweight Mazda MX-5 GT unveiled for British enduro racing

Chris Shunk — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Mazda

Mazda MX-5 GT - Click above for high-res image gallery

Mazda has been trumpeting its "gram strategy" to cut weight on all of its products, and the best example of how this philosophy works is in the new MX-5 GT race car. The roadster, which will compete in the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship this year, weighs just 1,874 pounds while packing nearly twice the punch of the standard MX-5.

The heavily modified MX-5 engine produces 275 horsepower - enough juice to propel the light-weight roadster to 60 miles per hour in a scant three seconds flat. The race-ready Mazda can also crest 160 mph while looking damn fine with its new Spirited Green paint job.

In order to cut several hundred pounds off the base MX-5, the Jota Sport racing team removed interior components, revised other interior fittings and dipped the car's shell in acid. The doors, like many interior components, are made of carbon fiber and the windows are made of polycarbonate. The racing team also lowered the engine height, adjusted the suspension and added a six-speed paddle shift transmission to aid with handling.

The Mazda MX-5 GT race car sees its first action on Saturday at a three-hour endurance race at Silverstone. See the lightweight MX-5 for yourself in the gallery below. Trust us, you're going to want one.

Gallery: Mazda MX-5 Race Car

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Ultra lightweight Mazda MX-5 GT unveiled for British enduro racing

Ultra lightweight Mazda MX-5 GT unveiled for British enduro racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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