Want A Faster Version Of The New Mazda MX-5? Tough Luck

One of the most prolific arguments against all generations of MX-5 is the old ‘it needs more power’ chestnut. Miata proponents would counter that it’s not really the point of the car, but nevertheless, the urge for more power has persisted - as evidenced by the huge tuning scene for these cars.

It looks like Mazda’s ‘low power, high fun’ approach is here to stay, as MX-5 programme manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto has told Topgear.com that the 2.0-litre, 158bhp version is as pokey as the current version’s going to get. It’s either that, the lesser 129bhp 1.5-litre, or you ring up a tuner or two and see what can be done.

Yamamoto noted that a faster MX-5 would be more expensive and potentially need to be turbocharged, two things which go against the car’s intended ethos.

What do you think? If you owned one, would 158bhp be enough, or would you go down the tuning route?