When you're at the world’s most infamous racetrack, not everything is always going to go your way. The turbo on your sports car could explode, or the brake pedal ghosts on you, and just when you're ready to call it quits, a hero emerges - but not in the form of an overpriced and obnoxiously overpowering hypercar, but as a humble Mazda Miata.2024 Mazda MX-5 RF, front quarter view2024 Mazda MX-5 MiataEXPERT OPINION: The 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata is available with both the soft top convertible and folding roof variant in the RF version. There are 3 trims for the soft top and just 2 for the RF. Sport and Club trims are sport-focused while Grand Touring models add more tech to the package.Make MazdaStarting Price (MSRP) $28,985 - $37,010Trim Sport, RF Club, RF Grand Touring, Club, Grand TouringEngine/Motor 2-Liter Inline 4-CylinderHorsepower 184 HPTorque 151 LB-FTDrivetrain RWDTransmission 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic0-60 MPH 5.5 seconds The Miata Is The Little Roadster That Could YouTuber Misha Charoudin, with his 1.69 million subscribers in tow, knows this all too well. Having driven just about every car imaginable around the Green Hell, he started this particular track day with not one but two mechanical mishaps. One car blew its turbo, and the other decided to play a cruel trick by making the brake pedal disappear at the sketchiest section of the track.Just when it seemed like all was lost, and the day would end in disappointment, a little red Japanese sports car rolled onto the track. Now, we all know that a Miata is not the most powerful car out there, but it has the spirit. This one came equipped with an EBC big brake kit, T Flex Z suspension, and Zino semi-slicks - plus a cheeky remap bumping its tiny stock 1.5-liter SkyActive engine to a "hold onto your socks" 140 hp.Engine1.5L SkyActive-G Inline-4Power Output140 hp (with remap)Torque110 lb-ftTransmission6-speed manualBrakesEBC Big Brake KitSuspensionT Flex Z Coilovers, Whiteline StabilizerTiresZino Semi-Slicks0-60 mph8 seconds (estimated)Top Speed127 mph (stock)Curb Weight2,300 lbsNew-Mazda-Miata-Breaks-The-200-HP-BarrierRelatedNew Mazda Miata Finally Breaks The 200 HP BarrierMazda's new Spirit Racing Roadster 12R that bumps the Miata's power output up to an even 200 hp for the first time ever.This setup might not set Nürburgring lap records, but it delivers pure, unfiltered driving joy - especially on a day when everything else seems to go wrong!The Miata wasn't about brute force; it was about finesse, balance, and taking corners flat-out while laughing at the more powerful cars struggling to keep up."Miata brought the good vibes—you can't have everything, but you can have a Miata with fantastic handling."The lightweight roadster danced through the corners, proving that sometimes less is more. The car’s open roof allowed Misha to enjoy the full symphony of the Nürburgring, from the roar of a flat-six Porsche to the whistle of a turbocharged AMG. With its agile handling, the Miata made the lap feel effortless. The car wasn’t just quick - it was confidence-inspiring. As Misha put it, "You need to really mess things up to make a Miata disappoint." And with the track slowing the car down naturally into corners, it was almost like the Nürburgring itself was in on the good vibes.
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