Flyin Miata
Flyin' Miata, in its valiant quest to
turn Mazda's roadsters into small, Japanese Corvettes, has finally finished its
first V8-powered ND Miata. The company has been slowly teasing us with images
and videos for months, but it wasn't until this week that the car finally made
it to the streets.
As soon as the current ND generation
Miata was released, Flyin' Miata started the work to shoehorn a GM LS3 under
the hood. The company has a history of building brutish, V8-powered Miatas. It
sells everything from minor parts to full V8 conversion kits. For those with
the cash that prefer to avoid the hassle, Flyin' Miata will sell you a
complete, turn-key car. The price hasn't been finalized, but customers should
expect to pay about US$ 50,000 plus the cost of the MX-5.
The new car has a worked-over LS3 that
sends 525 horsepower to the rear wheels through a Tremec T56 transmission.
Flyin' Miata says the rear differential comes from a V8 Camaro. Other new bits
include exhaust, suspension, brakes, and a roll cage.
Flyin' Miata tells us that the
V8-swapped ND will weigh 2,592 lbs, a little more than 200 lbs more than the
porkiest stock Miata. Despite twice as many cylinders and more than three times
the displacement of the stock four banger, the LS3 V8 is a relatively small and
lightweight engine. The finished car has a 53:47 front to rear weight
distribution. Final touches are being finished, but
cars and kits should be available soon.
