There has never been a sports car made that has been so universally appealing, whether you’re a straw hat and box of tissues in the back kind of guy or track day racer. It’s no surprise Mazda have sold more than a million examples of the MX-5 - it is our answer to everything. Accordingly, the aftermarket is huge and awash with parts to tailor your car exactly how you want it.
The result of making a car that appeals to so many, is that it’s a little soft for those of us that want to ditch the flat cap for a helmet. While I don’t intend to track the MX-5 (famous last words), I do at least want it to feel and sound like a sports car on the road. So with a thorough service and a K&N panel filter fitted, it was time to get to work.
It turns out my car was fitted with the rare Mazdaspeed lowering springs from the factory, but they were naff in reality and still made the car feel more like a boat than a two-seater roadster. Having previously fitted BC Racing coilovers on my Clio 172 Cup and being thoroughly impressed, I opted for the BR series again. They are height and rebound adjustable, so offer a stack of adjustability for little over a grand.
Next up, noise. Which the car severely lacks as standard. Due to the 25th Anniversary Edition having the ‘appearance’ rear splitter fitted, you need an exhaust with adjustable tips so they don’t get lost behind the bumper. Cobra Sport offers just thing, so I bought their full manifold-back system, complete with centre section with sports cat and their ‘road’ back box.
While the factory brakes are pretty decent, why stop there? So a set of HEL braided brake lines and EBC Yellow Stuff pads all round, I was ready to go. Handily, I discovered there’s a new kid on the block not far from where I live who are quickly becoming very popular in the MX-5 community, and it’s easy to see why. Performance Link is based in Gloucestershire and is old school in the way they set up suspension with string - and if it’s good enough for professional race teams, it’s probably good enough for a little Mazda, too.
Their attention to detail was readily apparent, favouring quality over speed to get everything absolutely spot-on for me. Despite having the gearbox oil changed at my service, it was still stiff and a bit notchy when cold. They were quick to point out that there should be a little pool of oil at the top of the turret which slowly works it was down into the gearbox over time, so this was topped up and hey presto, problem fixed.
The result? I’ve never had a car that has been transformed so much after modifying it. It truly feels and sounds like a totally different car. Out of the box, the MX-5 doesn’t make any noise whatsoever, whereas the Cobra Sport system is glorious. Sure it’s still a four-pot and not a flat-six in a Boxster, but the noise is now intoxicating with lovely burbles and pops on overrun without being intrusive.
The biggest difference though is in the handling department. Where the car floated and bounced around before, I never really felt I could push it that hard, and winced when I saw a bump coming up in the road. Now on the coilovers, it’s firm but not crushingly so, and gives you so much confidence to just drive flat out everywhere. Performance Link won’t reveal their secret sauce when it comes to the specific configuration but they’ve clearly worked very hard on finding the right balance of toe, camber and caster for a fast road setup.
The car is more eager to turn in, the back end more playful and willing to step out when pushed and the end result is a car that flows down a road in harmony with it, rather than feeling like it’s fighting against it. The brake pedal is firmer, the pads pull the car up stronger and I’ve fitted a weighty IL Motorsport gearknob which has transformed the feel of the gear shift too.
All in all, this is one mighty little sports car that finally drives as good as it looks and I couldn’t be happier with it. It’s no wonder they’re so popular on the modified scene so all I can say is if you drive a standard car and feel a little disappointed, just wait until you drive a well-sorted one. Sure, a little more power wouldn’t go a miss, but right now, I’m glad summer seems to have finally arrived to improve on the 200 or so miles I’ve covered in the first six months of owning PL64 EPU.
FACT SHEET
Car: 2014 Mazda MX-5 (NC) 25th Anniversary Edition
Run by: Ben Lowden
On fleet since: February 2024
Mileage: 13,074
Modifications: BC Racing BR series coilovers, Cobra Sport exhaust system, HEL braided brake lines, EBC Yellow Stuff brake pads, IL Motorsport gearknob, Fyralip boot spoiler
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