Vehicle Description
Rare 2-year-only turbocharged Mazdaspeed Miata. Fantastic color
combination of Velocity Red over black leather. 6-speed manual
transmission. 17-inch wheels with recent tires. The fastest factory
Miata that still embodies all that's awesome about Mazda's sports
car.The Mazda Miata has always represented driving fun distilled
down to its purest form. Light weight, a manual gearbox, and an
eager chassis all add up to a car that's built for one thing only:
to put a smile on your face. In fact the only thing that could make
the Miata better is more power, which Mazdaspeed thoughtfully added
in 2004 in the form of a turbocharger on the 1.8-liter DOHC engine.
The Mazdaspeed Miata was only built for two years due to a factory
fire, and the factory never produced another turbocharged Miata,
making this something of a collector's item. Of course, dressing it
in brilliant Velocity Red paint doesn't hurt, and it's a lovely
shade with a bit of metallic in it, so it glows in the
sunlight?it's not just plain old red. The familiar Miata shape is
largely unchanged, sticking to the pure form-follows-function ethos
that defined the car since the beginning. There's a slightly bigger
air intake up front and a small wing on the trunk lid, but beyond
that, the Mazdaspeed is a little stealthy, if a red sports car can
be such a thing. It's in beautiful condition throughout, with
Mazda's typically excellent panel fit and a deep shine to the
paint. Obviously kept as a hobby car from the beginning, it shows
extremely well.The interior is no different, offering bolstered
black leather bucket seats designed to hold you in place during
spirited driving. There's minimal wear, consisting of some wrinkles
on the driver's seat bolsters that are commensurate with the car's
age and mileage. The rest is standard Miata equipment, with big,
legible dials, a fat leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a snug
cockpit that is surprisingly spacious once you get situated. Of
course, the top-of-the-line Miata also gets a full complement of
options, including A/C, power windows and locks, and a
great-sounding Bose AM/FM/CD stereo system that might be a little
redundant in a car that sounds like this. The stubby shifter
connects to a 6-speed manual transmission that's a joy to row
through the gears?just a light flick of the wrist grabs the next
gear. Overhead there's an easy-to-manage convertible top that stows
under a fitted boot for a clean look. And there's even decent cargo
storage in the trunk, which is perfect for two people on a weekend
getaway. There's also a full-sized spare with jack assembly
underneath, along with the battery in the right rear corner to help
weight distribution.The engine is what makes this particular Miata
special. A variant of the standard 1.8-liter DOHC inline-4, it is
outfitted with a turbocharger to huff it up to an impressive 178
horsepower and 166 lb-ft. of torque, enough to make the
featherweight Miata downright fast. It's not at all peaky or fussy,
and the boost comes on smoothly so the Miata is never caught
putting a tire wrong. It offers typical Mazda reliability and
should continue to run for many years with only routine
maintenance. It starts easily, idles nicely, and generally works
like you expect a modern motor to work, but if you lean on it and
get into the boost, it becomes an altogether different animal. Grab
the right gear in the 6-speed manual and you'll find that it takes
some pretty substantial machinery to get away from this little
roadster, especially on a twisty road. The engine is identified by
its red crinkle finish cam cover, and you'll note that the engine
bay is sparkling clean thanks to two decades of enthusiast
ownership. The undercarriage is just as clean with no evidence that
this car has ever been used in inclement weather and certainly
never in the salt and slush. Beautiful 17-inch alloy wheels fill
the fenderwells and carry recent 205/40/17 Michelin performance
radials.Documentation includes the original manuals and books in
the factory pouch, as well as the original window sticker.If you
love to drive, the Miata should be on your short list. Still
outrageously fun, the Mazdaspeed Miata turns up the performance
without any downside, a rare feat when starting with an already
great car. Add in the superb maintenance, bulletproof reliability,
and overall ease of ownership, and this cool little roadster will
quickly become a favorite. Call today!Harwood Motors always
recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any
vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
