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This GT racing version of the MX-5 is the lightest and fastest version of the roadster ever made

This GT racing version of the Mazda MX-5 is the lightest and most powerful version of the iconic roadster ever built.

The Mazda MX-5 GT will race in the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship 2011. It has been built as “an engineering challenge to get the weight as low as possible using Mazda’s gram strategy as the inspiration”.

Mazda says every last detail of the car has been examined to see where weight can be saved, before matching the power to the weight. It weighs just 850kg and is equipped with a 2.0-litre Mazda engine tuned to produce 275bhp. The engine is mated to a six-speed sequential paddle-shift gearbox.

See the official pics of the Mazda MX-5 GT

The build of the car took 400 hours. Lightweight features include polycarbonate windows and carbonfibre doors, while the shell was also dipped in acid to shed another 15kg in weight.

Other upgrades include race seats, a fire extinguisher and competition alloys and steering wheel, while the rear axle, suspensions, running gear and drivetrain have all been tuned for racing.

The MX-5 GT, complete with a bespoke Spirited Green metallic paintjob, will compete in the Britcar championship for the first time at Silverstone this weekend.

See all the latest Mazda MX-5 reviews, news and video

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