I think I might have found the perfect car to offset the controversial slammed and cambered-up ND Roadster I spotlighted within my StanceNation Odaiba show coverage last month.
Garage Kagotani has worked hard to tighten up and perfect its new-gen Roadster demo car, and now balance across the online automotive universe can finally be restored.
But jokes aside, this is what Speedhunters stands for, and at times I end up featuring ‘challenging’ cars. Call it an exercise; you don’t have to like everything you see, but you have to try not to judge and take it all as being part of the car culture. So take a look at the car above – it’s been created for the sole purpose of seeing what a stock JDM ND is able to achieve in a time attack environment like the Rev Speed Super Battle.
This was the car’s first proper outing after a little testing, and it seemed to be doing rather well around Tsukuba Circuit. To get a better understanding of what the Saitama-based workshop has done with the Roadster, I hung around the Kagotani pit area for a little bit, and took a look at the various initial improvements that have been made.
With the Mazda built for serious track duty, the first order of business was to fit a set of coil-overs adjustable both in compression and rebound. Thicker anti-roll bars have also been added to help cure the usual roll that plagues every Mazda.
Kumho Ecsta V700 street tyres bring some more grip to the overall package, and they’re fitted up on lightweight, forged Yokohama Advan Racing RZ-DFs with a set of spacers to bump the offset.
Being a Japanese market car there’s only a 1.5-litre engine under the bonnet – a curious move by Mazda considering the rest of the world gets a 2.0L. That said, Garage Kagotani has attempted to make the best of it, fitting an AutoExe carbon air box to help improve the intake side…
While a one-off titanium exhaust system liberates a couple of extra horses while creating a much sportier soundtrack.
A small trunk spoiler is the only aero addition, and it’s there to alleviate potential lift caused by the rounded-off shape of the bodywork at the rear.
A deeply-cupped Sparco steering wheel joins a lightweight race bucket seat; the cockpit doing away with the passenger seat for a further drop in weight.
Its 1’07.070 lap time is pretty decent and was the fastest out of all the Roadsters present on the Rev Speed day. To give you an indication of what sort of result this equates to, back in the day a stock R34 Skyline GT-R would lap in the 1’05-second zone with Keiichi Tsuchiya at the wheel. So, not bad at all then, right?
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: speedhunters_dino
dino@speedhunters.com
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This car has fun written all over it... Mazda killed it with this one!
Oh hey Nissan, ehmm...
RadRadish they're gonna be sorry for not doing the idx. I guess they figure the convertible suv will still sell better.
I really like the look of the car. I mean it still look like a standard ND but packing some serious track attacking stuff.
Looks brilliant, so many things can be done with this new design ... but im still very much in love with my mk1
Nice car, but i think the Fiat version will be 1000% better with a proper engine package. If there will be an Abarth version, that will kick ass.
@open your eyes Optical its allredy the better MX5
@open your eyes Optical its allredy the better MX5
This is great. With a few simple DIY bolt on upgrades that anyone could tackle in their own garage and you have a nimble weekend warrior that wont break the bank and can still be a daily driver, with or without the passenger seat. Also with great factory styling
@open your eyes
haha sure! Just wait until those electrical problems start, as is happening on the new 500
This new MX-5 is going to be a hot tuner commodity in the coming years. Sorry, I just like to state the obvious.
I was not expecting that lap time...
RadRadish
Oh Nissan...
It's a baby F-type jag without British engineering issues.
And from the 1.5L...crazy
Tires have come a long way since the R34 came out.
90nissanS13@my350z you've obviously never owned a mazda.....trans....diff..... build quality ask fd owners about closing the doors from the inside and they freakout when you do it by the handle because you may end up pulling it off the door.
They could revitalize the 1600 Roadster in this fashion, it was a brilliant car. But, hey, we could use more crossovers.
Falling in love with this car more every day, it might even surpass the NA.
Need to see a drift build now, the online universe was never balanced anyway
Since you mention DoriDori, Tsuchiya's own "road going" GTV AE86 with the $40k TECART'S 1.8 engine (as well as Sakurai-TRD's previous tune with the 1.6) laps at the same pace as this Mx5
thank you Dino, thank you!
Well that's a pretty damn good lap time.
You should really take a close look at 949 Racing's ND Miata. It may not be JDM, but it is superbly track focused.
No but, I'd love to own an FD3. The same thing happens on 350z's, the plastic mechinism on the exterior handle disintegrates. Nissan was nice enough to program a "window-down" if you hold unlock on the remote.
I'm loving those tail lights more and more. The overall look and performance is great!
Damn! That should quiet some of the internet warriors...err haters...nothing but respect especially with the puny 1.5 4 banger in there...damn.
the car was very good
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