S ADDEDThe new Miata's are Blah right?????
WRONG, well at least if it is an MSR Miata.
I had the privilge of driving not 1 but 2 07 MSR Miata's this weekend. about the only diffrence between the two was, one was on worn out Hoosiers, and the other was on brand new Kuhmo's.
I had three total test drives in the two car's. On Saturday, I drove one car twice. Both times for just a tick over 63.3 seconds(talk about consistency), and on the next day, I got to drive the Kuhmo's clad car for just over 57.4 seconds (approximately .2 seconds behind the cars owner, whom I am usually several seconds behind).
These cars where both born as Sport model Miata's equipped with AC. Once purchased they where transformed from Ho-Hum to WOO-HOO thanks to the Mazda Speed "trunk Kit" MSR package add on's. Which include but is not limited to: Kosi 17" wheels, Torsen LSD, sway-bars, up-rated springs, Koni Yellow Shocks, strut tower bar, Under chassis cross bracing, rear wing, and several other piece's.
Going from my NA Miata to the NC Miata was a big change. First off was how much more room the car had. I felt like I had to reach over a mile to release the emergency brake, the shifter felt noticeably further away, in total the car felt much "bigger" than my car does, I never got fully used to the difference insize. The tightness of my NA feels like a cockpit, the roomy-ness of the NC feels more like a Lazy-boy in your living room. In m first run, I noticed the pedals where closer, and I was forced to right foot brake that run, due to not having my right foot positioned correctly. On the 2 subsequent runs, I corrected that problem.
On to the good part, . . Brakes: Never having had ABS on any of my autoX cars, all I can say is WOW. I am used to locking the tires up sliding, releasing the brakes, trying to regain traction and maintain my desired direction of travel. The MSR's ABS system only activated once on my, but it was firm and predictable. The ABS engaged with very rapid pulses, and only activated, right at the point I expected the brakes to lock up. All the while I was able to negotiate an off camber off-set with out even thinking of having to threshold brake or modulate pressure. Just stab and steer. It was great, very confidence inspiring.
Power: I am not used to having any power, so getting into a car with probably double the power was very nice, and fun too! Not much more to say, other than fairly linear power delivery. A decent amount of torque, not enough to cause a problem, but enough for most of the slower corners, not quite as much as I would have liked in a few spots, but hey, we can't have it all. As far as horsepower goes, the car pulled all the way to red line. I never noticed any dramatic dead spots in power delivery. But I am used to a car with probably 90 WHP, so take it for what it is worth.
Handling: There is only one word to describe how these cars handle. . . UN ****ING BELIEVABLE, Period. This is by far the most forgiving car I have ever driven at the limit (and the most fun). The car will allow you to do things any mortal vehicle would punish you for. I was able to use the most stupidest amount of throttle, brakes and wheel with this car, and it would just do it. It has a tick of off throttle over steer, but I am used to that, just feed some throttle back in and the car settles down and goes back to doing what you want. I made several big mistakes, that if I would have been in my car would have resulted in a spin. Not the MSR, it simply complied with my ham fisted order with glee. I could use copious amounts of steering input, while heavy on the gas or brakes without any negative repercussions, I was able to brake hard with out having the wheel unwound all the way, and it never tried to step out. These cars never did anything I didn't expect them, or want them to do. Ohh, and having power steering was nice too. Over all the car was just plain fun to drive. It never felt like I had to work to get the car to do what I wanted. I asked for it to turn, it turned. I asked for it to brake, it broke. I asked for it to rotate, it rotated. Just a blast to drive in every way.
It has been a long time since I have gotten out of a car completely impressed. I have always found a few flaws to nit pick. Not this time, other than the pain from my smile being so wide. I was having serious thoughts of buying one. If any of you ever get a chance to drive an MSR Miata, TAKE IT! Even if it is on street tires. The MSR is one of the funnest cars to drive at the limit I have ever drove.
You can't just go out and buy one though. You have to buy either an SV or Sport Miata, then call up Mazda Speed, get a free membership, then order the kit, and install it yourself or pay some one else to do the work for you. But the extra work required to transform a car that has often been referred to as painfully unpredictable at anything above 7/10th's is payed off in spayeds with the level of confidence inspiring grip the new best is bestowed with, and the shear level of joy the car is to drive.
There has been a bit of controversy over this car and the legality of the MSR kits legality for racing classification. I now understand why.
ZOOM MOTHER****ING ZOOM
Modified by cracker at 10:46 PM 6/9/2008
Modified by cracker at 11:09 AM 6/11/2008
TEST DRIVE REPORT: 2 07 MSR Miata's
Re: TEST DRIVE REPORT: 2 07 MSR Miata's (cracker)
Lol.. Mazda reliability? Broke is the past tense of break. Braked is what I guess you were looking for, but broke sounds great for a Mazda too (and not surprising!)cracker wrote: I asked for it to brake, it broke.
Other than picking on your grammar, great write up! Sounds like a lot of fun (especially on someone else's dime!), and sounds like you had a great time!
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JustinStrife
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scissors4hands
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Re: (JustinStrife)
JustinStrife wrote:I just can't get over how ugly the NC's are. As great as they might be, I'd either rock an NA, or NB turbo. The new ones are BLEH when it comes to styling. No matter how much fun they might be to drive.
i would go with the NA if i had a choice, but thats awesome that you got too paul walker someone elses car FTW!
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VMPhil
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Re: TEST DRIVE REPORT: 2 07 MSR Miata's (4WOFURY)
i think its a play on words. The Brake Broke.4WOFURY wrote:
Lol.. Mazda reliability? Broke is the past tense of break. Braked is what I guess you were looking for, but broke sounds great for a Mazda too (and not surprising!)
Other than picking on your grammar, great write up! Sounds like a lot of fun (especially on someone else's dime!), and sounds like you had a great time!
Re: (Mr1der)
No Pics?
Re: (Dittoz7)
Event pics from the first 2 heats.http://www.gotcone.com/pgaller...cross
06 G Stock Nationals Champ at the wheel. This is the Hoosier clad car I drove. The other car looks identical to this car.Here is a "Real ///M3"
And here is a 240 to keep Nissans involved
06 G Stock Nationals Champ at the wheel. This is the Hoosier clad car I drove. The other car looks identical to this car.Here is a "Real ///M3"
And here is a 240 to keep Nissans involved
Re: (d!ck)
Close, went from one set of Kosie's to another. Not sure which tires he had on what rims, and I think he had a set of Kuhmo's as well.
Re: (Jesda)
I heard they had to raise it at the last miniute to meet minimum headlight or bumper levels, or something stupid like that.
One of the guys I race with, it's the same guy that basically rebuilt my car after it got hit by an uninsured motorist (gotta love retired car nuts with too much time on their hands and three tool boxes full of tools) has a sky redline. I keep asking him to let me drive it, and he keeps saying something about $3000.00 worth of hoosier A6's, I dunno. But that thing has some serious brakes from the factory.
One of the guys I race with, it's the same guy that basically rebuilt my car after it got hit by an uninsured motorist (gotta love retired car nuts with too much time on their hands and three tool boxes full of tools) has a sky redline. I keep asking him to let me drive it, and he keeps saying something about $3000.00 worth of hoosier A6's, I dunno. But that thing has some serious brakes from the factory.
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ishkabibble
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JustinStrife
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Re: (d!ck)
Sky > Solstice.d!ck wrote:the solstice looks better imho.
Mallot(or is it Mallet) Sky > All roadsters
Re: (JustinStrife)
That must have been awesome to drive!
Love the air under the front right tire in the second picture.
Love the air under the front right tire in the second picture.
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JustinStrife
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Re: (cracker)
And the sky looks less gay so it's a trade-off.cracker wrote:The Solstice weighs less than the sky. And you can get the Z0K package for the Solstice.
It WAS!
Modified by cracker at 9:52 PM 6/11/2008
Re: (JustinStrife)
The Solstice always reminded me of older Porches. But the Sky looks more aggressive. I could take or leave the styling of either.
But the great thing about how a car looks on the outside, is you can't see it when you are driving it.
But the great thing about how a car looks on the outside, is you can't see it when you are driving it.
Re: (cracker)
cracker wrote:Any one notice anything diffrent on the Miata from one pic to the next???
RPF 1's?d!ck wrote:went from the gunmetal enkeis to the stock msm wheels?
Re: (cracker)
Dittoz7 wrote:
RPF 1's?
The Kosie Kt1 (I think they are KT1's)are the "Stock" MSR wheels IIRC.cracker wrote:Close, went from one set of Kosie's to another. Not sure which tires he had on what rims, and I think he had a set of Kuhmo's as well.
Re: (cracker)
I found one of me driving the car. Inside front tire lift! WOOT WOOT!!!!