What is a Roadster Turbo anyway?

 

The Mazda MX5 has won multiple awards the most coveted being the best selling convertible two seater sports car in the world with over one million units produced. The Roadster Turbo represents an extremely small percentage of that total especially in Japan where only 300 of the planned 350 units total were sold. So what makes a Roadster Turbo different from a regular Mazda Roadster ?
 
All Roadster Turbos came with the following features that a standard Mazda Roadster did not:

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Mechanicl Features

IHI single-scroll turbocharger
Denso air-to-air intercooler
Larger Oil Cooler
Modified combustion chambers, reshaped pistons
6-speed manual overdrive transmission with short throw shifter and gear shot-peened shaft and gears
Stronger pressure plate & disc for clutch 
Bosch torque sensing limited slip rear differential
Optimized steering rack stroke (reduced from 60.5mm to 53.2mm)
Suspension was dropped 7mm in ride height through the use of red painted, shorter springs with higher spring rates
Gas filled Bilstein® shock absorbers with revised valving (painted silver)
Larger front and rear stabilizer bars (painted red)
Front suspension tower brace (painted silver)
Larger radiator with increased core volume  (increased from 6.0 l to 6.2 l)
Antilock Brake System silver painted brake calipers
Toyo Proxes R28 205/40R17 80W rated tires
Lightweight oil dipstick

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Exterior Features (click for pics)

• Red wrinkle finish on the engine valve cover

• 17 inch Racing Hart aluminum alloy wheels

• Smoked headlamps

• Front under spoiler with recessed fog lamps

• Rear diffuser

• Rear deck spoiler

• Exhaust tip with MAZDASPEED logo

• Roadster Turbo emblems above side turn signals

• Side turn signals running lights??

 

Interior Features (click for pics)

• Black cloth-trimmed upholstery with red centre inserts, red door inserts

• Leather wrapped 3-spoke steering wheel, shift knob and parking brake handle with red stitching

• Optional Beige leather interior included a wood style steering wheel, hand brake handle and shift knob

• Centre panel and shift plate bezel with unique curlfit finish

• White instrument panel meter gauges with a 6500 RPM Redline tachometer

• Body coloured rear view mirror covers with Roadster logo

• Alloy foot pedals and driver's alloy foot rest 

• Stainless steel scuff plates with Roadster logo

• Carpeted floor mats with Roadster log

 

Options:

Black leather-trimmed upholstery with red stitching (deleted red door inserts)

Beige leather-trimmed upholstery with wood trim accents

Air Conditioning and Cruise Control were factory options

 

There were other lesser known options listed below:

Black soft tonneau cockpit cover

Door edge guards

Chrome-plated fuel door

Windshield sun shield

Cargo net

Anti theft perimeter alarm

Some Dealer installed accessories were also available

 

 

Colours Available were:

• Grace Green Mica

• Pure White

• Sunlight Silver

• Velocity Red Mica 

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