This 280 km/h Mazda MX-5 caught our eye and we had to share. It’s no secret that, here at Double Apex, we are Mazda MX-5 fans. In fact, we have our very own MX-5 track car. You can read more about Project MX-5 by clicking here.
Thanks to our affinity for the little roadster from Japan, readers, fans, friends and family regularly send us MX-5 (or Miata, if you’re reading this in the US) content. Most of the posts we’ve seen before, but the story of this car bypassed us completely when it made headlines a short while back. It may not be completely new, but a 280 km/h Mazda MX-5 is still worth sharing with you.
No Circuit Racer
Most MX-5 project/racecars are built with the intention of competing in circuit racing or autocross events. The rear-wheel-drive roadster is also a favourite among the drifting crowd as a starter car to learn to slide. Sam Okamoto, however, had completely other ideas. Okamoto had salt fever; he wanted to run at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats just outside of Utah, the Mecca of high speed since 1935.
Unusually, Okamoto chose a roofless car, which isn’t aerodynamic ie bad for top speed runs. Added to that, the choice of powerplant was also uncommon. Under the bonnet of the first-generation (NA series) MX-5 he slotted in a 13B twin-port rotary engine similar to that found in an RX-7. There is no massive super- or turbocharger in place either just a twin-choke Weber carburettor. The car reportedly makes just over 160 kW.
A Long Wait
Okamoto’s crew at F5 Spirits Racing Team built the car in 2014 but had to wait two years to compete as speed week on the salt pan was rained out for consecutive years. The car eventually made its debut in 2016. This year the car topped 280 km/h improving on runs completed in 2016 and 2017. Check out the video below for the highlights.
Okamato: “This result was due to everyone coming together. Thank you so much to all those who have supported us. We’ve found all the areas that we need to work and I want to work to solve all those issues and come out next year to try and record a speed over 200 mph (322 km/h).”
Surely this must be the world’s fastest MX-5? If you know of one that is faster, with a Mazda engine then please let us know, we’d like to do a story on it or drive it…
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