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Mazda's Only Factory Turbo Miata/MX-5
Setting the record straight
(aka splitting hairs)
It has been said the Mazdaspeed Miata/Roadster Turbo/MX-5 SE was the only factory turbo produced exclusively by Mazda. Although technically that is true, they were not the only turbo Miatas/MX-5s sold by Mazda dealerships worldwide.
In 1991 the BBR Turbo version of the MX-5 (and the later Lemans version) could be ordered/purchased through dealerships in the United Kingdom. Mazda produced these vehicles by taking new MX-5s and contracting out the turbo conversions to a company called Brodie Britain Racing (BBR) prior to delivery.
In Switzerland buyers could order the MX-5 Kompressor model with a Bemani Supercharger. This sales operation was very similar to the BBR setup.
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The Australian market gets a special mention here as they had an altogether different turbo model. In 2002 the MX-5 SP (Special Performance) was a limited production model created exclusively for the Australian market.
This model was based on a standard 1.8 MX-5 NB2 model and was developed and assembled by Prodrive in its Melbourne workshop under direction of the Mazda Motorsport Division based in Sydney. Read the story of the SP here.
The Mazdaspeed Miata/Roadster Turbo/MX-5 SE models however, were the only MX-5s completely developed and produced by Mazda in the Hiroshima plant.
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