Plain ND Miata Packs Crazy 526-HP LS3 Under the Hood
Someone put a C6 Corvette heartbeat in this little roadster and we can only imagine how insane the pulls are.
The ND Mazda Miata is a great driver’s car. Light, agile, and cheap, it’s the perfect companion for a spirited drive along a winding country road. But on the straightaways, it can be a bit… lacking. Sure, the car is only 2,200 pounds, and for 2019, it even got a bump up to 181 horsepower. But let’s be honest: As good as it is, a stock Miata isn’t going to take your breath away.
That’s why we’re thrilled to see that Palisade, Colorado-based Flyin’ Miata has gotten around to stuffing a Chevy pushrod V8 under the hood of an ND. According to The Drive, This white 2016 “Habu V8” Miata is now wrapped around a C6-sourced 6.2-liter LS3 V8. Power – all 525 horses of it – is now sent to the rear wheels via a Tremec T56 six-speed manual, and a GM-sourced differential.
A lot of car in a little package.
Additional modifications include 17-inch Advanti Storm with Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R tires, beefier-than-stock Wilwood brake calipers, Fox Racing coilovers, bigger anti-roll bars, and extra chassis bracing to keep the little ragtop from corkscrewing itself.
Thankfully, Flyin’ Miata kept the exterior mods to a minimum; all that really sets the car apart externally are a pair of center-mounted exhausts and a more aggressive rear splitter. This thing is a real sleeper – until you fire up the engine, that is. They even built an electronics kit to ensure that the GM powertrain plays nice with the Mazda gauges and infotainment system.
While Flyin’ Miata now sells the Habu V8 kits to any ND buyer eager to turn their car into the modern reincarnation of a Sunbeam Tiger. But this car has an important distinction: It’s the first Habu V8 ND ever built. While that’s cool, to own it will cost you. It’s being offered on Bring A Trailer and bidding is dangerously close to $60k at the time of writing. So, yes, that’s new C7 money for a Miata. But if we had the cash, the sleeper car cool and insane power-to-weight ratio of the Miata might give the little roadster a slight edge over the ‘Vette. Either way, we’re hoping that the next owner is brave enough to pit one against a C7 on the dragstrip. And post it online for all the world to see, of course.
Photos: Bring A Trailer
Join the LS1Tech forums now!
