2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata

Mazda has offered Miata Special Editions since 1991, so serving up another one this year shouldn't be big news. However, the new Mazdaspeed version is really special. Unique color, trim, and equipment levels have formed the basis of previous SEs, but this one packs what buyers have asked for the most: more power, in the form of the Miata's first-ever turbocharged engine.

The 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine (with VVT removed) has been enhanced for the stresses of forced induction. Mazdaspeed's engineers have included an air-to-air intercooler, which allows a cooler, more dense intake charge. This translates to additional wallop. There's also a larger-core radiator as well as a host of other detail changes.Power jumps from the standard Miata's 142 horses to 178, along with an increase in torque from 125 to 166 pound-feet. The six-speed manual transmission, clutch, pressure plate, driveshaft, and Bosch torque- sensing limited-slip differential all have been matched to the newfound power level. Yes, it's faster: try a quarter-mile run of 14.59 at 93.78--about a 1.3-second improvement over a naturally aspirated Miata.

Mazdaspeed, known for its balanced approach to vehicle dynamics, upgraded the rest of the car, too, including exclusively tuned Bilstein dampers, larger front and rear anti-roll bars, shorter, stiffer springs (for a 7.0-millimeter-lower ride height), and a front strut tower brace for increased rigidity. Racing Hart aluminum alloy wheels are wrapped with Toyo Proxes R28 205/40R17 80W high-performance rubber and are two pounds lighter than the standard Miata 16-inch wheels. It all translates to a 67.7-mph run through our slalom course, significantly faster than any previous Miata.

Visual clues to this more muscular MX-5's identity include badging, smoked headlamps, a unique front spoiler, and a rear-decklid spoiler. Exterior color choices are Velocity Red Mica or Titanium Gray Metallic. The only factory option upgrades the standard black vinyl top to cloth and the black cloth/red insert seats to black leather with red stitching. Either comes with a black-leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift knob, and handbrake, all with red stitching. And there are Mazdaspeed logos everywhere: on the silver-faced gauges, foot pedals, scuff plates, floormats, body-colored rearview-mirror cap--even the exhaust tip.

Mazdaspeed plans to import about 4000 of these amped-up Miatas, and every Special Edition has been a sellout. We have no doubt this more powerful variant will be the same.