BBR'S PORTFOLIO OF MX-5 CONVERSIONS continues to grow with this, a supercharger kit for the 2-litre 'ND' (MK4) car in its original, 158bhp form, as built from 2015 to 2019. BBR is working on an installation for the later, 181bhp ND models too, but for the 158bhp engine the kit is available in two stages of tune: Stage 1 being the core and Stage 2 improving the engine's breathing to liberate even more horsepower and torque.
The heart of the conversion is the fitment of a Rotrex C30-94 supercharger - and very neat it looks too under the bonnet, where you'd be hard-pressed to notice this is a modified car and not as it left the production line. The kit includes an oil cooler, intercooler, and K&N air filter, along with a long list of smaller parts, and is governed by a new map for the engine's ECU. The result is 'at least' 220bhp (BBR quotes this figure as a minimum, with 225bhp expected) joined by 200lb ft of torque (up from 147lb ft) delivered on a plateau between 3750 and 5750rpm. A glance at the power and torque curves plotted on a graph suggests the characteristics of the standard engine have been retained, but with simply more of everything, everywhere.
Moving to Stage 2 means adding BBR's stainless steel exhaust, from the 4-1 manifold via the sports cat to the rear silencer and tailpipe. This liberates 240-250bhp in total, with 220lb ft of torque, plus you can add a larger Forge Motorsport intercooler if you're really going to push the car hard in high ambient temperatures, such as at a summer trackday.
This story is from the April 2023 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2023 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BMW M135 xDrive
The M135 has lost an and gained chassis revisions and a restyle. Is it enough to make it a benchmark hot hatch?
Audi S5
S5 by name, S4 by nature, is Audi's new mid-size petrol-powered saloon a step in the right direction?
Lamborghini Urus SE
Lambo's super-SUV gets a major mid-life overhaul, going hybrid in the process. Has it become any easier to like?
HALL evo OF FAME
The evo Hall of Fame was established to recognise the great and the good of our corner of the universe. Prepare to welcome this year's inductees
CIRCUIT DAY
After three days of assessing their behaviour on the road, it's time to head to the Circuito de Navarra to find out how our nine contenders respond when their handling limits are explored
EVO CAR OF THE YEAR 2024
Nine brilliant cars, from flyweight roadsters to bombastic supercars to a be-stickered estate(!), do battle on some of Europe's finest and most spectacular roads. Which will emerge victorious? Place your bets now.
Porsche Panamera GTS
It lacks the raw power of its hybrid rivals, but does the new GTS’s more traditional approach give it its USP?
Alpine A290 GTS
The new electric Renault 5 has won plenty of plaudits. Is the hotter Alpine version a car to win petrolheads' hearts too?
BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
TYRE 2024 TEST
Want to fit the very best tyres to your performance car? The annual evo Tyre Test identifies the cream of the current crop