Road Test
Follow-Up Test: 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata MS-R
The Best-Handling Miata You'll Never Buy
You're looking at the rarest Miata ever sold, the 2007 Mazda MX-5 with the MS-R option. The number of MX-5s delivered with the MS-R option is small enough to count on one hand — even by someone on medical leave from a sawmill.
This also happens to be the best-handling MX-5 Miata ever offered by Mazda North America. And that's saying a lot.
So why is the 2007 Mazda MX-5 MS-R so scarce? First, it is expensive. The MS-R option costs a whopping $7,600 because it's essentially a kit of specialty parts installed before delivery by Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development, Mazda North America's factory outlet for high-performance accessories. What's more, the MS-R package can only be paired with the MX-5 SV, a base model with a five-speed manual transmission, roll-up windows and no air-conditioning.
It also might be pricey because this track-optimized package could be purchased only by someone with demonstrated intent to compete in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Showroom Stock "B" (SSB) road racing class or C-stock autocross. (Track days didn't count; you had to race it.)
Yet the biggest reason why the 2007 Mazda MX-5 MS-R will remain rare is because the MS-R option is dead for 2008. Well, sort of.
Warning: History Content Ahead
Showroom Stock is an SCCA road-racing category originally intended for standard unmodified cars available to the general public. When the first-generation MX-5 Miata raced in this category, no modifications were permitted except the fitment of a safety roll cage and stickier DOT-approved tires. Cars even had to run factory wheel alignment settings.
The 1995 Dodge Neon ACR (American Club Racing) represented the "jump the shark" moment for showroom stock racing, as it came into being with race-specific suspension tuning, reinforced front hubs, bespoke four-wheel disc brakes, a special 5th-gear ratio, special final-drive ratio and a deactivated speed limiter, plus camber and wheel alignment specifications incompatible with street use.
The Neon ACR was a factory-tuned racecar let loose in a category intended for unmodified street cars. After the Neon ACR began to dominate showroom stock, a host of cars were introduced with so-called "trunk kits" — special packages of aftermarket racing hardware intended to equalize the performance.
Such trunk kits had fallen out of favor when the 2007 Pontiac Solstice was introduced to SCCA competition, so GM Performance Division created a track-optimized combination of parts that only a racer would love (or buy) and gave it an option code called Z0K. It worked. The Pontiac Solstice Z0K cleaned up and took the 2006 SCCA national championship, while the brand-new second-generation Mazda MX-5 got creamed. So Mazda decided to do something about it.
1g Miata Concept Is Born
After the 2006 championships were history, Mazda approached the SCCA about creating a similar package to even things up, and the MS-R concept was born. Mazdaspeed's skunkworks in Irvine, California, was given the task of tuning the suspension and making the MS-R competitive.
Mechanically, the 2007 MX-5 Miata MS-R package is a collection of track-optimized chassis parts known internally as the "1g" Miata. One lateral g of cornering grip isn't necessarily what it takes to win races, but it sure sounds cool.
The 1g Miata's most visible difference from the street version comes courtesy of shorter, stiffer springs that reduce the ride height by 1.2 inches. Shorter, revised bump stops for the dampers give the lowered suspension room to breathe. Koni dampers with more aggressive damping designed for track use help keep everything in control.
Much thicker stabilizer bars provide a massive increase in roll stiffness, about 500 percent in front and 700 percent out back. (Yes, you read that right.)
In order to handle that extra roll stiffness, extensive chassis bracing had to be added to the underside of the car to keep the unibody from twisting. Viewed from underneath, the MS-R reminds us of a box-girder bridge.
Bits and Pieces
Tires, of course, have consistently proved to be the easiest path to increased performance, so the MS-R rolls on 17-by-7.5-inch forged rims wrapped in 215/45R17 Yokohama Advan Neova tires.
Though these tires are only a fraction wider and shorter in profile than the SV MX-5's standard rubber, the Yokohamas are much stickier. In comparison, the Pontiac Solstice sports wider 245 rubber, but it also weighs 380 pounds more than the MX-5 MS-R's 2,480 pounds.
A host of other performance options available in more elaborately trimmed MX-5 models are thrown into the MS-R package, including a limited-slip differential, rear trunk-lid spoiler and front shock tower brace.
Despite the extensive chassis rework, the MX-5's engine and five-speed transmission remain untouched. They had to. SCCA suspension rules may have been liberalized over the years, but engine regulations have held firm. No modifications can be made in this area, so the MX-5 MS-R carries your basic 166-horsepower 2.0-liter inline-4.
1G, or not 1G
On the track, the MS-R package proves its worth straight away. Did we hit 1g? Yes, 1.0g exactly — but only a counterclockwise run on the skid pad. On our clockwise run, we managed 0.97g, which adds up for a two-way average of 0.98g. Compare that to the 0.85g we recorded in a 2007 MX-5 and you can see the difference the MS-R package makes.
But the best part is the way the newly equipped MX-5 feels, as the MS-R proves absolutely controllable as you dance it back and forth across the limit of cornering adhesion on the racetrack.
The MS-R is more of a handful through the slalom, but that's not to say it is slow. The fortified Miata's 72.0-mph run absolutely destroys the stock MX-5's 66.5-mph result. So what's the problem, you might ask?
With so much more roll stiffness than damping, the MS-R releases stored roll energy explosively in the tight transitions of our slalom. The car is fast around the cones if you can keep up with it, but even a skilled test pilot has to stay on his toes. The slalom is a much more frantic maneuver than the sweepers of the typical racetrack, so we doubt this is a problem in competition.
The MS-R isn't fast in a straight line, but that's not surprising since there are no engine modifications. Our MS-R ran to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and finished the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 90.3 mph, only a tenth or two faster than the stock MX-5.
Stopping distances improve from 117 to 110 feet, an unexpected result that can only be attributed to the stickier summer-performance Yokohama Advans. We're not complaining.
Another unexpected result we're not griping about is the general tolerability of the day-to-day street ride. We'd have expected a track-focused package such as this to ride like a mattress with a coin slot, but the MS-R is actually quite a bit more livable than a lot of brand-name aftermarket setups out there.
The Saga Continues
After working out the MS-R package over the winter, Mazda presented the details of the MS-R package to the SCCA and it was approved for competition in late winter of 2007.
Two cars were soon built and delivered and two races were soon won. Then, in mid-July, the SCCA changed its mind and the MS-R was declared ineligible, effective immediately. Mazda and the two racer customers were perplexed, to say the least. Then the Pontiac Solstice Z0K — of which, only slightly more than a dozen examples had been built — swept the SSB championship again in 2007, largely uncontested.
The reason for the 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata MS-R's existence instantly evaporated. As a result, it no longer appears on the order sheet for 2008.
So why are we telling you all of this, especially as it appears the MS-R is truly dead? Well, you can still buy the parts from Mazdaspeed and retrofit any 2007 SV — if you plan to autocross, that is, as the car is still eligible for this.
And in another twist, for 2008 the SCCA has decided to re-allow the bulk of the MS-R parts back into showroom stock competition. The extensive bracing isn't invited back, but with a full roll cage in the car, it's not vital. Instead of calling it an option, the MS-R parts will be allowed back in as an approved modification known as a "Performance Package." Pricing and full details are expected before March 1, 2008.
Not for Racers Only, Please
We really like the 2007 Mazda MX-5 with the MS-R package — the tight, aggressive way it hunkers close to the pavement and the alert, responsive way it handles. We think with a small tweak here or there, the MS-R could be a big hit on the street. Maybe tone it down to 0.95g or something.
And if Mazda should get serious about a full production version that is factory-installed, we're sure the $7,600 option cost would tumble to less than $1,500.
Let the people at Mazdaspeed know that this is the kind of MX-5 you're looking for. Write your congressman. Call your cable company. You know the drill.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
This also happens to be the best-handling MX-5 Miata ever offered by Mazda North America. And that's saying a lot.
So why is the 2007 Mazda MX-5 MS-R so scarce? First, it is expensive. The MS-R option costs a whopping $7,600 because it's essentially a kit of specialty parts installed before delivery by Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development, Mazda North America's factory outlet for high-performance accessories. What's more, the MS-R package can only be paired with the MX-5 SV, a base model with a five-speed manual transmission, roll-up windows and no air-conditioning.
It also might be pricey because this track-optimized package could be purchased only by someone with demonstrated intent to compete in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Showroom Stock "B" (SSB) road racing class or C-stock autocross. (Track days didn't count; you had to race it.)
Yet the biggest reason why the 2007 Mazda MX-5 MS-R will remain rare is because the MS-R option is dead for 2008. Well, sort of.
Warning: History Content Ahead
Showroom Stock is an SCCA road-racing category originally intended for standard unmodified cars available to the general public. When the first-generation MX-5 Miata raced in this category, no modifications were permitted except the fitment of a safety roll cage and stickier DOT-approved tires. Cars even had to run factory wheel alignment settings.
The 1995 Dodge Neon ACR (American Club Racing) represented the "jump the shark" moment for showroom stock racing, as it came into being with race-specific suspension tuning, reinforced front hubs, bespoke four-wheel disc brakes, a special 5th-gear ratio, special final-drive ratio and a deactivated speed limiter, plus camber and wheel alignment specifications incompatible with street use.
The Neon ACR was a factory-tuned racecar let loose in a category intended for unmodified street cars. After the Neon ACR began to dominate showroom stock, a host of cars were introduced with so-called "trunk kits" — special packages of aftermarket racing hardware intended to equalize the performance.
Such trunk kits had fallen out of favor when the 2007 Pontiac Solstice was introduced to SCCA competition, so GM Performance Division created a track-optimized combination of parts that only a racer would love (or buy) and gave it an option code called Z0K. It worked. The Pontiac Solstice Z0K cleaned up and took the 2006 SCCA national championship, while the brand-new second-generation Mazda MX-5 got creamed. So Mazda decided to do something about it.
1g Miata Concept Is Born
After the 2006 championships were history, Mazda approached the SCCA about creating a similar package to even things up, and the MS-R concept was born. Mazdaspeed's skunkworks in Irvine, California, was given the task of tuning the suspension and making the MS-R competitive.
Mechanically, the 2007 MX-5 Miata MS-R package is a collection of track-optimized chassis parts known internally as the "1g" Miata. One lateral g of cornering grip isn't necessarily what it takes to win races, but it sure sounds cool.
The 1g Miata's most visible difference from the street version comes courtesy of shorter, stiffer springs that reduce the ride height by 1.2 inches. Shorter, revised bump stops for the dampers give the lowered suspension room to breathe. Koni dampers with more aggressive damping designed for track use help keep everything in control.
Much thicker stabilizer bars provide a massive increase in roll stiffness, about 500 percent in front and 700 percent out back. (Yes, you read that right.)
In order to handle that extra roll stiffness, extensive chassis bracing had to be added to the underside of the car to keep the unibody from twisting. Viewed from underneath, the MS-R reminds us of a box-girder bridge.
Bits and Pieces
Tires, of course, have consistently proved to be the easiest path to increased performance, so the MS-R rolls on 17-by-7.5-inch forged rims wrapped in 215/45R17 Yokohama Advan Neova tires.
Though these tires are only a fraction wider and shorter in profile than the SV MX-5's standard rubber, the Yokohamas are much stickier. In comparison, the Pontiac Solstice sports wider 245 rubber, but it also weighs 380 pounds more than the MX-5 MS-R's 2,480 pounds.
A host of other performance options available in more elaborately trimmed MX-5 models are thrown into the MS-R package, including a limited-slip differential, rear trunk-lid spoiler and front shock tower brace.
Despite the extensive chassis rework, the MX-5's engine and five-speed transmission remain untouched. They had to. SCCA suspension rules may have been liberalized over the years, but engine regulations have held firm. No modifications can be made in this area, so the MX-5 MS-R carries your basic 166-horsepower 2.0-liter inline-4.
1G, or not 1G
On the track, the MS-R package proves its worth straight away. Did we hit 1g? Yes, 1.0g exactly — but only a counterclockwise run on the skid pad. On our clockwise run, we managed 0.97g, which adds up for a two-way average of 0.98g. Compare that to the 0.85g we recorded in a 2007 MX-5 and you can see the difference the MS-R package makes.
But the best part is the way the newly equipped MX-5 feels, as the MS-R proves absolutely controllable as you dance it back and forth across the limit of cornering adhesion on the racetrack.
The MS-R is more of a handful through the slalom, but that's not to say it is slow. The fortified Miata's 72.0-mph run absolutely destroys the stock MX-5's 66.5-mph result. So what's the problem, you might ask?
With so much more roll stiffness than damping, the MS-R releases stored roll energy explosively in the tight transitions of our slalom. The car is fast around the cones if you can keep up with it, but even a skilled test pilot has to stay on his toes. The slalom is a much more frantic maneuver than the sweepers of the typical racetrack, so we doubt this is a problem in competition.
The MS-R isn't fast in a straight line, but that's not surprising since there are no engine modifications. Our MS-R ran to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and finished the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 90.3 mph, only a tenth or two faster than the stock MX-5.
Stopping distances improve from 117 to 110 feet, an unexpected result that can only be attributed to the stickier summer-performance Yokohama Advans. We're not complaining.
Another unexpected result we're not griping about is the general tolerability of the day-to-day street ride. We'd have expected a track-focused package such as this to ride like a mattress with a coin slot, but the MS-R is actually quite a bit more livable than a lot of brand-name aftermarket setups out there.
The Saga Continues
After working out the MS-R package over the winter, Mazda presented the details of the MS-R package to the SCCA and it was approved for competition in late winter of 2007.
Two cars were soon built and delivered and two races were soon won. Then, in mid-July, the SCCA changed its mind and the MS-R was declared ineligible, effective immediately. Mazda and the two racer customers were perplexed, to say the least. Then the Pontiac Solstice Z0K — of which, only slightly more than a dozen examples had been built — swept the SSB championship again in 2007, largely uncontested.
The reason for the 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata MS-R's existence instantly evaporated. As a result, it no longer appears on the order sheet for 2008.
So why are we telling you all of this, especially as it appears the MS-R is truly dead? Well, you can still buy the parts from Mazdaspeed and retrofit any 2007 SV — if you plan to autocross, that is, as the car is still eligible for this.
And in another twist, for 2008 the SCCA has decided to re-allow the bulk of the MS-R parts back into showroom stock competition. The extensive bracing isn't invited back, but with a full roll cage in the car, it's not vital. Instead of calling it an option, the MS-R parts will be allowed back in as an approved modification known as a "Performance Package." Pricing and full details are expected before March 1, 2008.
Not for Racers Only, Please
We really like the 2007 Mazda MX-5 with the MS-R package — the tight, aggressive way it hunkers close to the pavement and the alert, responsive way it handles. We think with a small tweak here or there, the MS-R could be a big hit on the street. Maybe tone it down to 0.95g or something.
And if Mazda should get serious about a full production version that is factory-installed, we're sure the $7,600 option cost would tumble to less than $1,500.
Let the people at Mazdaspeed know that this is the kind of MX-5 you're looking for. Write your congressman. Call your cable company. You know the drill.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Add A Comment »
joegoeke says:
05:44 PM, 10/28/2009
Awesome article. If only we could get more like this that actually talk about the important parts of what comes on a car and the story behind it, especially when looking at SCCA racing and solo guidelines. I hope we see more like this!