From mere digital render to reality, the MX Speedster transforms your classic Miata into a Le Mans-style Speedster.
The 1st-gen Mazda Miata is an iconic Japanese sports car that has been around for decades. It’s known for its decent performance, fun-to-drive ability, and unforgettable “happy face” look. In fact, it’s deemed one of the best (affordable) roadsters ever. But, ever wondered what would happen if this JDM classic was turned into a more European-like speedster?
It all started with Kasim Tlibekov, a freelance designer who created the 1st-gen Miata speedster rendering in 2020. Back then, the design went absolutely viral, and Kim Petersen, the founder of Xenex Motorsport, loved it so much that he decided to make it a real thing. The automotive builder then contacted Kasim and asked to work together to come up with what’s now called the MX Speedster.
Inspired by the 1954 Porsche Speedster, Xenex Motorsport made several changes to the old MX-5, such as replacing the front and rear bumpers and fenders, trunk lid, and rear tonneau cover with sleeker panels. The windshield also had to be removed to achieve a true speedster design. But as you can imagine, the Miata’s cute roadster body was already a perfect base for the project.
Fast forward to earlier this month, the first production MX Speedster debuted at the Amelia Island Cars & Caffeine, Florida. The car ended up being 250 lbs. lighter than the original, and it’s claimed to have improved aerodynamics thanks to its sleeker body.
The MX Speedster also retains Miata’s 116 hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, which would still be plenty of fun, especially after the rather extreme diet. In addition, Xenex also included some track-ready suspensions, Wilwood brakes, and 17-inch alloy wheels — which look quite massive on the tiny sports car.
While Xenex won’t start taking orders for its MX Speedster until early April 2023, the manufacturer will offer three different trim levels — Base, S, and RS — with prices yet to be released. Adding to the base model, the S trim will feature a supercharger kit by Fastforward Superchargers, churning out nearly 200 hp. Meanwhile, the RS will be equipped with a more extreme body kit and a 350 hp LS-V8 under the hood — yep, they’ll fit an LS under the Miata’s tiny hood!
Whichever variant you might be interested in, though, you’ll need to be patient as the MX Speedster is still finalizing. But the good news is that if you were to provide your own MX-5 donor car, Xenex claims it would be possible to keep the total cost to build an MX Speedster under $15,000 — not bad, right?
Gallery: Xenex Motorsports MX Speedster
