Fully agree with Martin regards perfprmance,i have had a N.D 1,and now have a N.D 2,everything about the two cars is as different as chalk and cheese,the engine is what it always should of had,performance wise light years apart,not just the B.H.P difference,the response acceleration is a total different world to the N.D !,there is i think no need for lot more power,the car in general is very different,even the handling and ride all slightly different,and the new gearbox in comparison feels like it is hewn from solid rock,the N.D 2 i think is now the ultimate M.X 5.
Simon
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Just to clarify my previous post I should have added I’m more than happy with my ND1 2.0. Performance and handling is all that I need and want. Personally I’m not looking for any changes to it. My point is that there are plenty of people willing to pay big money to BBR and other companies to upgrade there cars. As an example the BBR 220 conversion changes one camshaft for another, one manifold for another, etc. etc. Big money and lots of perfectly serviceable parts discarded. The cost of substituting these parts on the initial build would be minimal. I appreciate certification involves a lot of expense which would need to be passed on. Mazda have done performance models in the past, surely the iconic MX-5 is as deserving as any for this treatment.
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Post 23
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Hi Team
I think from a manufacturers point of view,cars that are sold in the showroom have to be happy medium,if they were hotted up to towards there limits there would automatically be lots more warrantry claims etc and it could also very much limit sales,so surely the compromise is reliability first with gen all round useabilty and obv certain level of comfort has to be there as well.
I have a ND2 2 litre which i am more than happy with,and it is certainly a very different car in all aspects compared to the ND1,nearly a totally different car certainly engine and gearbox wise.
Hope you all have nice day Simon
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I’ve always looked upon the world beating 5 as “The 2 seater Peoples Car”.
And look what people have done over the decades to innocent little Bugs minding their own business!
Joking apart, the 5 in my view is a great out the box tool if you want to leave it alone, but a fantastic platform for even handed modification if that floats your boat.
I must have a point when you look at the huge global Mx5/Miata/ Roadster after market business. I guess Mazda cocked a hat for fun with rare machines like the Mk2.5 Mazdaspeed turbos.
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But…no.
30K of which some of which is a Euro political Green Fine ( shall we maybe not go there?) then horrid (any ) new car deprecation sees in real terms 6 or 7k off it in year one and about, say, 10k plus off within 3 years or a bit more. There is simply no right or wrong answer, just differing viewpoints.
I’d have a late Nd2 in a trice, but it’d need to be used well, Club provenanced, and rot proofed to correct way.
Oh it’s like that is it. Us ND1 owners have feelings you know. 
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Haha!
Not at all Roadie.
There’s another reason why Mazda won’t invest in a true performance model and that’s because with the major markets around the world moving towards hybrid and battery power, the return on investment for a high performance ICE car will be minimal or nothing. Now, if they were to get produce a high performance electric or even hybrid MX5 that would probably attract a lot of interest. Who knows, maybe they are already working on one. In the meantime though, they should stop with the ‘anything but special’ special editions which are nothing more than over-priced parts bin models and merely show a lack of imagination.
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The problem with an electric mx-5 would be where to put the batteries without increasing the size and weight excessively, hybrid is a cul de sac as far as future propulsion is concerned.
True but plenty of small EVs now on the market that have probably considered this although admittedly, not in the context of a performance sportscar. But it would be nice to think there’s some bright folk within Mazda that could find a solution. I would describe hybrids more as a transition rather than a cul de sac but they’ll be around for quite a while yet. There’s no way ICE’s and petrol stations will just disappear in 2030. In fact, it will be several decades before there is a full transition to electric and I personally doubt that will ever be achieved anyway. Regardless, it would make sense for Mazda to produce a hybrid MX5 as a transitional step.
I agree that the internal combustion engine will be with us a lot longer than governments are currently planning for. I will not be buying an electric car until the real world range is increased significantly, it would not suit my lifestyle. Generally, the smaller the electric car the shorter the range. As far as hybrids go, in my mind it is a retrograde step to cart around the increased weight of an engine, battery and electric motor. Perhaps Hydrogen will be our salvation?
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I am with PHILC1 on this.
I am sure that some of these “Very Clever” boffins could build an electric car that actually self charges as it goes along.
But again, where is the profit in that for the economies?
Hydrogen is the best of the lot.(That I have read about).
Technology already exists and has done for some time.
Quite why they don’t go down this route is a mystery to me.
Infrastructure no matter which route they take is the key.
Likewise, the Oil “States” can and do dictate what the future will hold.
Effective hydrogen infrastructure (transport/storage/refrigeration/handling) will require investment at eye watering levels, that’s the main brake on expansion at the moment.
Electric is relatively easy to provision in comparison even if it has other compromises.
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Was “Eye watering levels a little Pun”? 
Agreed as said, infrastructure is the key. 
Speaking of an electric 5 did you all see the build ZeroEV are documenting on YouTube that I previously shared:
Will be interesting to see what performance/weight they achieve
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I believe they kept the battery small to help keep the weight low. About 1100kg I think, could be wrong. 51/49 weight distribution, top speed a bit over 80 and 0-60 of about 9 secs?. Range of about 100miles on a charge from memory but their videos will confirm all of those stats. Personally I’m rather impressed with the design and packaging and can see a market for the conversion in the future.
What about an EV ND? How popular do we think that might be?
1.5 - Yes
16" wheels - Yes
Grey (dull or otherwise) - No
Burgundy upholstery - Yes
Grey roof - Yes
We’re not all the same !
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Pop over to this thread where we are chatting stats, etc. regarding the ZeroEV car 
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1.5 - No
16" wheels - Yes
Grey - Yes
Burgundy upholstery - No
Grey roof - No
Yes to the wheels because they are RAYS, probably a no if they weren’t.
Before my current ND RF in Machine Grey I would have said no to grey but grey has grow on me, plus after seeing @CL14DUK’s new ND RF in Polymetal Grey it looks rather nice.
I am a stickler for black interiors and rooves.
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