The Mazda MX-5 is one of our favourite affordable sports cars, but compared with the current crop of high-performance cars, it is beginning to feel a little outgunned. With that in mind, Northampton-based BBR has developed a turbo kit boosting power to 285bhp - slightly more than the Ford Focus ST. Mark Tisshaw takes the BBR-tuned MX-5 and the Ford Focus ST to Cadwell Park to see if the Mazda's extra grunt can overhaul the brawny Ford.
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DBtechnician
Well who would have thought
that a breathed on and fettled roadster could scurry away from an off the shelf ford.
What a revelation Autocar.
Peter Cavellini
Well to be honest......!
Not really a surprise was it?
Turismo
It wasnt an off the shelf
It wasnt an off the shelf Focus ST though it was a 275bhp tuned Mountune model.
But was still obvious result as the power to weight difference was huge.
Probably fairer to use the BBR 249 version.
gonif
Another excuse for a beano
And the shorts are a bit suspect, too.
MikeSpencer
@gonif: True, it looked a tough one...
BTW, for non-Brits 'beano' means jolly or fun time. Agree about the shorts too, probably only Chris Harris could pull that look off. Steve Sutcliffe often wears them too. What next, Speedos?
Citytiger
Fairly obvious a rwd roadster
Fairly obvious a rwd roadster would be better at putting the power down than a fwd hatchback.
Cobnapint
Wrong website
Is anybody on here actually bothered what the performance differences are between these two completely different types of modified vehicle?
Surely this piece should be on the Max Power website, not Autocar.
Turismo
Is there anything to say
Is there anything to say Autocar should not be about used tuned vehicles and their performance? It would be a stronger market allocation combined with existing content.
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