Superbike-Engine Miata Sounds Even Better With a Turbo

The coolest project on YouTube just got its biggest update yet: Forced induction.

Photo by: YouTube

By: Brian Silvestro

Apr 14, at 12:01pm ET

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We love a good engine swap. Our favorite, at the moment, is this Mazda MX-5 Miata that's been equipped with the inline-four from a Honda CBR1000RR, courtesy of the Reed Make Car YouTube channel. The project just got a whole lot more interesting as of this weekend, though, thanks to the introduction of a turbocharger and a new clutch.

This Miata originally made 140 horsepower from its naturally aspirated inline-four. Equipped with the CBR's engine, it made a much healthier 192 horses. And after a bunch of light-weighting, including stripping the interior and even removing metal, it absolutely ripped.

Reed clearly wasn't satisfied, though, so he slapped a Garrett GT2560R turbocharger onto the intake to make even more power. Some ECU tuning and a few custom tubing bits later, the car is back on the road and more powerful than ever.

The extra power quickly overwhelmed the CBR-sourced clutch, however, forcing Reed to build a custom clutch for the sequential gearbox, also sourced from the donor bike. With the reinforced clutch installed, the car is ready for more 13,000-rpm pulls, now with added boost.

In Reed's latest video, published Saturday, we're treated to a delectable selection of onboard footage and flybys. The turbo hasn't muffled the high-pitched scream of the 1.0-liter engine, which continues to sound like a Formula 1 car. The ultra-short gearing is the cherry on top, keeping the turbo spooled and the engine at its most sonorous.

Reed is planning to take the CBR-swapped Miata to the dyno, likely to give it a proper tune. It's there we'll find out how much power it's really making.