What’s it like to track a MX-5 Cup car? Well, thanks to a loaner from Flis Performance, the official MX-5 Cup car manufacturer, we took one out at our official test track, the FIRM, to find out.
[The Grassroots Motorsports ultimate guide to track car lap times]
How did it stack up against other cars we have tested? View this video to get some in-depth insight.
2/5/24 11:38 a.m.
A keen-eyed observer will note that this car is lacking a few key components:
1. The nose isn't crumpled from bump-drafting
2. There are no tire marks scraped into the paint on either door
3. None of the clips holding the rear valence to the body have been broken.
Conclusion: it's a fake.
Thanks for the informative video. The MX-5 Cup is one of my favorite racing series (if not THE favorite.) And good on Mazda for providing a financial incentive to the teams.
When Long Road Racing was the builder of these cars, they made a series of street cars called "Ultimate Miata" which were really well-sorted. I wonder if the Flis folks would consider doing the same?
2/5/24 12:27 p.m.
In reply to Coniglio Rampante :
Our test car did look pretty cherry and, yes, MX-5 races are just intense.
2/5/24 1:05 p.m.
In reply to Coniglio Rampante :
I asked Todd Flis what the highest-volume part number on the spares truck was. "Oh, front emblems. Hands down. Mazda requires them and these guys go through a LOT of them."
2/5/24 2:05 p.m.
Track walk souvenirs...
2/5/24 2:10 p.m.
I would love to buy something like this for a track car. Honda/HPD makes a couple levels of Civic. Toyota has the GR86 Cup cars. All of them are out of my budget. The cheapest Civic is $65K. The Miatas are around $90K and the GR86 cars are (Or were) $125K. Too much for a non-wealthy guy that just wants a well-built track toy that might also see Time-Attack and Time Trial use.
2/5/24 7:09 p.m.
Or, you could replicate our Triple Threat ND project car setup...for a lot less. Same lap time at the FIRM...1:19.7.
I'm hoping to overlay data from the two within the next couple of days. Each has a different system (VBOX vs AIM), so I have to go through a neutral third party app.
2/7/24 1:19 p.m.
In reply to Andy Hollis :
My point is that the factory-ish built cars are priced well beyond what even a decent middle class income can afford. But car prices in general are crazy now so I guess that shouldn't be a surprise. I'd rather be driving than spend a bunch of time developing a car. At the same time, I don't want someone else's beat up track toy. I do like the process of working out upgrades and all that but I'm old enough now that my priority is on the driving part.
2/8/24 10:22 a.m.
isn't the triple threat also a street car/licensed car?
2/8/24 10:29 a.m.
the ND1 MX5 cup cars is one of my favorite cars on assetto corsa, it's easy to drive hard, very engaging, and stable/easy to recover if you overdrive it.
Adding 30 horsepower and an extra 1000rpm can only make it better...
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