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The Mazda MX-5 Thread
- Thread starter FiestaST
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FiestaST
Honorary Master
KiwiCarLife insert of the NC MX-5
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
This ‘lightweight’ 370bhp V6 MX-5 gets the same power-to-weight as a Ferrari F40
Weighing well under a tonne, Rocketeer’s new ‘Keiryo’ is a 3.0-litre terrier
Not a cheery greeting to our present Prime Minister, but rather the Japanese translation for lightweight: this is Rocketeer’s punchy new MX-5 ‘Keiryo’, and it promises to be a lively little so-and-so.
Chiefly because Rocketeer – a Hampshire based restomodder that’s been churning out V6 MX-5s for years now – has said the Keiryo is targeting 370bhp and a weight of just 850kg.
Which, says Rocketeer, gives it the same power-to-weight ratio as a Ferrari F40. You may have heard of that one. Also the same as a V10 Huracán and McLaren 620R. May have heard of those, too.
And you’ll definitely hear this one, chiefly because underneath every Rocketeer MX-5 lies a souped up version of Jaguar’s old 3.0-litre ‘AJ30’ V6. Side note: the AJ30 was spun off the Ford Duratec V6, which in turn was originally designed by Porsche and bestowed with Cosworth heads. Basically all the cool names in one aluminium block.
Weighing well under a tonne, Rocketeer’s new ‘Keiryo’ is a 3.0-litre terrier
Not a cheery greeting to our present Prime Minister, but rather the Japanese translation for lightweight: this is Rocketeer’s punchy new MX-5 ‘Keiryo’, and it promises to be a lively little so-and-so.
Chiefly because Rocketeer – a Hampshire based restomodder that’s been churning out V6 MX-5s for years now – has said the Keiryo is targeting 370bhp and a weight of just 850kg.
Which, says Rocketeer, gives it the same power-to-weight ratio as a Ferrari F40. You may have heard of that one. Also the same as a V10 Huracán and McLaren 620R. May have heard of those, too.
And you’ll definitely hear this one, chiefly because underneath every Rocketeer MX-5 lies a souped up version of Jaguar’s old 3.0-litre ‘AJ30’ V6. Side note: the AJ30 was spun off the Ford Duratec V6, which in turn was originally designed by Porsche and bestowed with Cosworth heads. Basically all the cool names in one aluminium block.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
3000 miles in my Mazda MX-5: a roadster for life, not just summer
I live in a London flat without a garage. Naturally, I've bought a manual-gearbox, soft-top sports car…
Having come to terms with the inevitable departure of my Fiat Panda 100HP, I figured it was about time to treat myself to something I'd always wanted: a proper lightweight, rear-driven sports car.
I’ll admit first that the car I really wanted was a Toyota GT86 – its connection to the ‘AE86’ Corolla really appeals, as does the variety of aftermarket bits – but I couldn’t make the numbers work on one of those. Older examples were either too expensive to buy with the cash I had or were modified in poor taste; later, low-mileage facelifts were few and far between and marred by eye-watering interest rates if financed through a Toyota dealer.
So my attention turned to the brand-new 2.0-litre Mazda MX-5 we had on the Autocar long-term fleet at the time. I knew I definitely couldn’t afford that car (and its flat-grey paint didn't appeal to me anyway), but my colleagues’ unending praises pricked my ears up.
I had always admired the Mk4 MX-5. I was 16 when I first laid eyes on one on my way to school, and it still looks as good today as it did in my daydreams while I should have been learning GCSE French. If anything, it has become better with time, with the increasing rarity of such compact cars making it stand out all the more.
Crucially, Mk4 MX-5s are more abundant than GT86s, so there are better deals to be found. Just as I started my search for a new car, my local Mazda showroom listed a 2021 example in my near-ideal spec: an updated ‘ND2’ with the overhauled 2.0-litre engine, Bilstein dampers and a rag-top roof. And, despite having covered only 15,000 miles, it was among the cheaper examples in the nation.
www.autocar.co.uk
I live in a London flat without a garage. Naturally, I've bought a manual-gearbox, soft-top sports car…
Having come to terms with the inevitable departure of my Fiat Panda 100HP, I figured it was about time to treat myself to something I'd always wanted: a proper lightweight, rear-driven sports car.
I’ll admit first that the car I really wanted was a Toyota GT86 – its connection to the ‘AE86’ Corolla really appeals, as does the variety of aftermarket bits – but I couldn’t make the numbers work on one of those. Older examples were either too expensive to buy with the cash I had or were modified in poor taste; later, low-mileage facelifts were few and far between and marred by eye-watering interest rates if financed through a Toyota dealer.
So my attention turned to the brand-new 2.0-litre Mazda MX-5 we had on the Autocar long-term fleet at the time. I knew I definitely couldn’t afford that car (and its flat-grey paint didn't appeal to me anyway), but my colleagues’ unending praises pricked my ears up.
I had always admired the Mk4 MX-5. I was 16 when I first laid eyes on one on my way to school, and it still looks as good today as it did in my daydreams while I should have been learning GCSE French. If anything, it has become better with time, with the increasing rarity of such compact cars making it stand out all the more.
Crucially, Mk4 MX-5s are more abundant than GT86s, so there are better deals to be found. Just as I started my search for a new car, my local Mazda showroom listed a 2021 example in my near-ideal spec: an updated ‘ND2’ with the overhauled 2.0-litre engine, Bilstein dampers and a rag-top roof. And, despite having covered only 15,000 miles, it was among the cheaper examples in the nation.
I've spent 3000 miles behind the wheel of my Mazda MX-5. Here's why you need one too | Autocar
I live in a London flat without a garage. Naturally, I've bought a manual-gearbox, soft-top sports car…
www.autocar.co.uk
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
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Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Mazda MX-5 Reimagined as V6-Powered Rocket
Rocketeer’s V6-powered Keiryo MX-5 is a lighter, more powerful version of the best-selling Japanese roadster.
Rocketeer Cars is known for fitting Mazda MX-5s with V6 engines. However, the UK tuner has now created its most extreme modified MX-5 yet. The Keiryo, meaning lightweight in Japanese, will be limited to only 10 units. The first example has already been built, with delivery scheduled for early 2026. A Touring model will also be available, which will retain many of the creature comforts the Keiryo lacks for weight-saving purposes.
Each Rocketeer model is built at the company’s engineering and production facility in Whitchurch, Hampshire and features a bespoke design, closely created with the commissioning client – from mechanical to cosmetic specs. The build can take up to one year.
Based on the first-generation MX-5 NA, the Keiryo replaces the Miata’s 1.6-litre four-pot with a Jaguar-derived 3.0-litre AJ30 V6 engine producing 275 kW. This is a significant power increase from the standard powertrain – the latter including the (B6ZE) 1.6-litre and a 1.8-litre (BP) engine in later models, which churned out between 85 kW and 99 kW. The reimagined Mazda MX-5 also adopts several weight-saving measures to bring down its mass to just 850 kg (wet) – the latter giving it a supercar-rivalling power-to-weight ratio of 329 kW/tonne. Rocketeer could potentially offer the Keiryo treatment to the second-generation MX-5 as well.
www.carmag.co.za
Rocketeer’s V6-powered Keiryo MX-5 is a lighter, more powerful version of the best-selling Japanese roadster.
Rocketeer Cars is known for fitting Mazda MX-5s with V6 engines. However, the UK tuner has now created its most extreme modified MX-5 yet. The Keiryo, meaning lightweight in Japanese, will be limited to only 10 units. The first example has already been built, with delivery scheduled for early 2026. A Touring model will also be available, which will retain many of the creature comforts the Keiryo lacks for weight-saving purposes.
Each Rocketeer model is built at the company’s engineering and production facility in Whitchurch, Hampshire and features a bespoke design, closely created with the commissioning client – from mechanical to cosmetic specs. The build can take up to one year.
Based on the first-generation MX-5 NA, the Keiryo replaces the Miata’s 1.6-litre four-pot with a Jaguar-derived 3.0-litre AJ30 V6 engine producing 275 kW. This is a significant power increase from the standard powertrain – the latter including the (B6ZE) 1.6-litre and a 1.8-litre (BP) engine in later models, which churned out between 85 kW and 99 kW. The reimagined Mazda MX-5 also adopts several weight-saving measures to bring down its mass to just 850 kg (wet) – the latter giving it a supercar-rivalling power-to-weight ratio of 329 kW/tonne. Rocketeer could potentially offer the Keiryo treatment to the second-generation MX-5 as well.
Mazda MX-5 Reimagined as V6-Powered Rocket
Rocketeer’s V6-powered Keiryo MX-5 is a lighter, more powerful version of the best-selling Japanese roadster...
www.carmag.co.za
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Alanis King review of the MX-5 35th Anniversary
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Shooting Cars review of the MX5 10th Anniversary
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FiestaST
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Honorary Master
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Perfection, improved? £170k MG B vs V6 MX-5 in restomod ruckus
UK specialists have taken the alluring MX-5 and MGB to the next level - time to pit them against each other
One howls and buzzes, and the other snorts and hammers.
In both cases, you make them sing their song by way of a deliciously mechanical manual gearbox.
These truly are two of the most exciting powertrains I've experienced in the past 12 months, and one started life in a Jaguar S-Type, the other in a Mazda 6 from a few generations back.
That probably says a lot about the dearth of interesting engines and three-pedal gearboxes in mainstream new cars, but let's not dwell on that.
Where the mainstream doesn't provide, niche operators step in to fill the void, which means there's no shortage of companies that do fun things with old cars.
In the very billionaire-friendly world of 2026, there is plenty of attention for million-pound Singer Porsches and Eagle E-Types, but you don't need to spend as much as that.
Representing the more democratic end of the professional restomod scene are Rocketeer and Frontline.
For the past few years, Rocketeer has specialised in V6 engine conversions for Mazda MX-5s.
Although the company now does a lot more than just put engines in cars, the swap kits and basic conversions are where it started and the DIY kits are still a big part of the business.
Rocketeer's 'turnkey' demonstrator keeps things sensible with a few supporting upgrades - MeisterR coilover suspension, an interior retrim, underbody strengthening and one or two other things.
A similar build would cost you around £44,000 plus a good donor car, which can be either a first-gen or second-gen MX-5.
www.autocar.co.uk
UK specialists have taken the alluring MX-5 and MGB to the next level - time to pit them against each other
One howls and buzzes, and the other snorts and hammers.
In both cases, you make them sing their song by way of a deliciously mechanical manual gearbox.
These truly are two of the most exciting powertrains I've experienced in the past 12 months, and one started life in a Jaguar S-Type, the other in a Mazda 6 from a few generations back.
That probably says a lot about the dearth of interesting engines and three-pedal gearboxes in mainstream new cars, but let's not dwell on that.
Where the mainstream doesn't provide, niche operators step in to fill the void, which means there's no shortage of companies that do fun things with old cars.
In the very billionaire-friendly world of 2026, there is plenty of attention for million-pound Singer Porsches and Eagle E-Types, but you don't need to spend as much as that.
Representing the more democratic end of the professional restomod scene are Rocketeer and Frontline.
For the past few years, Rocketeer has specialised in V6 engine conversions for Mazda MX-5s.
Although the company now does a lot more than just put engines in cars, the swap kits and basic conversions are where it started and the DIY kits are still a big part of the business.
Rocketeer's 'turnkey' demonstrator keeps things sensible with a few supporting upgrades - MeisterR coilover suspension, an interior retrim, underbody strengthening and one or two other things.
A similar build would cost you around £44,000 plus a good donor car, which can be either a first-gen or second-gen MX-5.
This restomod MG costs £170k! But is it good enough to beat a V6-powered Mk1 MX-5? | Autocar
UK specialists have taken the alluring MX-5 and MGB to the next level - time to pit them against each other
www.autocar.co.uk