BBR's New Turbo Conversion Will Give Your 1.5-Litre ND MX-5 210bhp
Our one criticism of the 1.5-litre, ND-generation Mazda MX-5 is that it’s a bit gutless, but expert tuner BBR has done something rather dramatic about that.
The smaller engine of the two on offer from the factory normally puts out a feeble 129bhp, but BBR has launched a new turbocharger kit that boosts peak power to 210bhp. That’s 50bhp more than the 2.0-litre car, and it still revs to 7750rpm.
Power to weight, taking a rough guess of 1065kg for the kerb weight, is a very handy 197bhp per tonne; enough to make your 1.5 MX-5 very brisk. We can imagine this thing feels incredibly alive.
Torque takes a serious leg-up, too. From so little it’s not really worth mentioning, forced induction takes the figure to a handsome 197lb ft. The torque curve reaches its zenith at 4150rpm, with over 150lb ft on tap between 3000rpm and just under 7000rpm.
The £5994 kit uses a specific turbocharger developed for this project. It’s a twin-scroll snail attached to a BBR-designed twin-scroll manifold. There’s a front-mounted intercooler, too. Extra gains, bro.
In terms of software there’s a Stage 1 setup with upgraded ECU programming to cover the new fuelling, ignition and boost calculations. Boost is set at a “conservative” 7psi and is “well within the limits of both the BBR turbocharger and the SkyActiv-G engine,” says BBR, adding that “considerably more power is available.” Well, that sounds interesting.
Buyers can choose a DIY build kit for £5274, or take the drive-in, drive-out installation service from BBR itself for the higher price we listed above. Those prices include VAT, but not the price of any warranty extension package. Up to three years is on offer.
Elsewhere in the kit you get a stainless exhaust, BBR engine bay parts made to look like Mazda’s own, a dump valve, a K&N Typhoon induction kit, stainless oil and water lines, and – gasp! – a BBR heat shield made out of carbonfibre.
We really, really like the sound of this conversion. Hopefully we’ll be able to have a go…
Comments
TURBOCHARGE EVERYTHING!
Some tuner needs to make a rotary conversion for the ND. Expensive, but why not?
AGREEED MAN BRAAPS ftw
mad mike did..
If wankels are available to buy via crate engines, definitely, although when emissions come into the equation it’s different
I believe that you need to think more realistically on this.
now, Mazda IS using rotary engines, but only as a range extender.
a car, being powered by a brap dorito alone, has awful fuel economy and is not reliable at all. Let’s not talk about apex seals, either…
Rotaries are obnoxiously unreliable. Even if you’re mega rich, owning a car you have to get fixed all the time is annoying. It’s just not a good engine (for a number of other reasons, too). The biggest fanboys of Rotary engines have never owned one
5-6 grand for a turbo kit? bruh
b r u h
That moment when a 1.5-litre Miata has more power than a Toyobaru
strap a 5 grand turbo kit on it too and then look again c:
Somehow i like these aftermarket forced induction solutions for small displacement engines more, than it actually would roll out from the factory.
It seems more qualitative for me if that makes sense.
Maybe it’s because of the materials being used, for example an intercooler made all out of alluminium instead of using plastic in the in and outlet.
LOL 1.5l chugs Coca Cola in 2.0l MURICA
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