Stupid comparison really with these two specific cars one being a third party tuner. One has just TRD's stuff thrown on some aero, exhaust, wheels + tires and prob air intake where the Miata has a turbo kitted with wheels and tires. Anyone could have guessed that the Miata would win.
Only 2 seconds difference on lap time, but almost a 100HP difference. Let BBR have a go at a stock GT86 and then we will have apples to apples instead of what you have done with this article!
funny that people are still commenting on this but all of you number crunchers are forgetting the other number in the Power-to-Weight ratio which is important here...weight.
I've been a huge fan of EVO for years, and it is tough for me to watch EVO consistently and repeatedly lash the GT86 for the lack of power/torque for its price. I live in Canada, where the equivalent Scion FR-S is $2000 cheaper than the most basic Mazda MX-5, with the FR-S having a solid 30+hp and 10 more lb-ft of torque than than MX-5. I have never heard EVO complain about the MX-5's lack of power or torque, so why is it an issue with the FR-S/GT86? Is it just to do with the price? And why does it always seem that they have track battles of these cars; I thought EVO's motto was "the thrill of driving", not "the thrill of the fastest lap time"? Also - as many have pointed out (ignoring the price discussion), this is a battle between a (basically) stock NA car vs. a turbo charged car that has been on the market for almost 10 years. Just for the record I used to be a MX-5 owner and now own the GT86 and love both cars so I would like to think that I am not completely biased =)
Mazda might of given EVO some kind of incentive to get the Miata to be a better car than the GT86, because for one thing this Miata is turbo charged so of course it was going to be faster. HELLO
Agree with others...this is really stupid and pointless comparison. A third party tuner edition with a turbo and massive horsepower gains vs. a factory tuner kit with no engine mods. Not exactly the same thing and pretty pointless.
How are people saying this isn't a good comparison? The cars are both RWD, and similarly priced! I know which I'd rather have for the money (mx5) and that's coming from a 86 fan.
Should of been the Litchfeild supercharged BRZ vs this BBR turbo MX-5. I think that would of been a more competitive comparison, similar power output and price.
John Red Ahh, Google turned up a different page to that which didn't have price/details. Cost is £3495+VAT = £4194 or €5088, I guess that is not a fitted price thought? The Stage One 262bhp BBR conversion for the MX-5 is £6k fitted (including tax) so in the same ballpark, neither includes wheels/brakes/suspension mods. It would be a more interesting test and again points to what a waste of money the TRD GT86 is - buy a base GT86 instead and head to Litchfields via your favorite tyre outlet - cashback.
agentbob100 Thanks for clearing up the price on it, I knew it would be in the same price range. I would love to see some hot lap times of the Litchfeild kit.
It would be interesting to see the 86 vs the ND 4th gen MX-5, and turbo them both to see how they go (this vid shows a 3rd gen MX-5). At stock the ND MX-5 is faster than the 86 so I assume with both up-spec'd it'd probably stay similar, but it would be cool to see what these new gen coupes can do with a bit of minor work on power, tyres, suspension etc. Would love to own either.
The Mazda with a 270+ HP beats a GT86 TRD with a difference of just 2 secs! C'mon guyz, If you bring the Supercharged 86, it'll be better performing than the Miata...
I hope everyone realises the UK TRD is nothing more than a body kit and some other tart parts, plus a nice exhaust. For the same money you could buy so many more TRD parts for a non-TRD-edition GT86...and focus on stuff that will affect performance like carbon upper strut brace and under brace set.
Thanks! Really great review. Ignore the naysayers... these cars are similar money and they're new, and to car buyers like myself two contenders. I'm a huge fan of both cars. And both are hugely upgradeable and tunable. I think they're both winners.
An extra 70hp and upgraded suspension, in addition to the TRD package for the GT86 will only tie with the Miata in lap times, but in price; it's a whole different story. If you don't believe me about the lap times then you can go to a local track and ask around. Don't become too much of a fan of the GT86, the Miata is a well-respected driver's car.
It seems that a lot of people are missing the main basis of the comparison : Price. It isn't a pointless comparison at all because it is equal on terms of price. In terms of power? Hell no it isn't fair but that isn't what they're looking at here. They are comparing two cars with similar prices that do compete for the same buyer.
Cool video, though I must admit that I expected more than 2 seconds of a difference. Should that be a tribute to the GT with proper tires, of rather a less than ideal tuning of the Mazda (which should not be the case) - or is there a 3rd option?
I hate that TRD doesn't mean anything performance related anymore. Fancy seat covers, fog lights, functionless wings, stickers, etc are not Racing Development, Toyota.
I used to own an original MX5 BBR and upped the boost to 9 psi on stock internals, added bigger injectors and an Apexi NEO fuel management unit. Was totally reliable for the 5 years I owned it and sold it to a local racer who reckons it was pushing 200BHP + totally bullet proof car and those engines love to be turboed as I beleive they were derived from the old 323 turbo rally car.
A pointless comparison... why compare a factory N/A car with an aftermarket modified turbo charged car? Compare a factory car with a factory car, or an aftermarket tuned car with an aftermarket tuned car, but don't nonsensically mix and match the two.
The issue of cost still makes no sense. Of course the Miata is going to cost less to modify. It's been racing around for decades in basically the same form. Meanwhile, the BRZ/GT86 are relatively new, so the cost for research and development of aftermarket parts is going to be greater.
moaski The current MX-5 is a completely new car and shares little if anything with the Mk1 and 2. Also it is a comparison between two modified aftermarket cars, its just that one spent the cash on very expensive body mods and the other one spent it on the engine.
Again, the third gen Miata has been around since 2005, nearly a decade unchanged. A fair and logical comparison would be a Mazdaspeed Miata v. this TRD GT86... two in-house parts suppliers.
Is there such a thing as a Mazdaspeed MX-5? If it's the same price as the GT86 with no extra power it'll be a waste of money too. Problem here (in the UK) is that the GT86 is too expensive and the TRD one especially is a lot of money for not much. You'd have to be mental to buy one here when you could get a 135i for similar cash.
It's just too bad that Honda S2000 is no longer available. That would have easily be the best of the 3. Mazda MX5 is just a bit dated, and the loose rear end. Just don't seems to be as well developed car as compared to the 86. Given HKS Supercharger kit or Greddy/Trust Turbo kit? I think we would have a clear winner between the two.
bakemono858 True, but the S2K does perform beyond the performance level of these two thou. I would compare the S2K to Boxster, Lotus Elise, Z4, SLK to be fair
Diu Nei S2K is a different beast. It's a car that goes well on the track stock, and it cost $20,000 more than the miata did brand new in Australia. For that price you could buy a brand new miata, stick a turbo on it and have some cash to spare. They're both great cars, but you just can't compare them when it comes to price.
Vind1ctus Well said. Same goes with any car really. But simply put when you compare a "tuned" version of the Miata against a "stock" 86 that doesn't seem fair either right? Especially ones with nothing more than an aero kit, wheels, and muffler?
Are there bolt on turbo or supercharger kits available for the GT86/BRZ cars yet? Whipple should definitely make a supercharger kit for them, that'd be a perfect upgrade for those cars. (I always forget what the name of the Hyundai version is called...FRS¿...though I feel it's the nicest looking of the three)
In USA alot of 86 frs and brz are for sale. Young drivers can't learn stick but get a license at 15, get suspended license/tickets or crash and often have rebuilt titles as a result. So many for sale I avoid like the plague. Finding a clean title or unmodified sample will be very difficult.
Hopefully people understand when you start adding more power to the 86 you need to spend more money on all the other parts of the car to bring it back into balance. Just buy the base model, enjoy it for what it is, and you'll be laughing at the end of the day and saving all this money on tires, fuel, and maintenance. The money people spend on tuning their 86 is crazy! They could have bought an STI or V8.
Iconic really, Only the Miata has earned that status given its been kicking ass since 89. the gt86/frs/brz are new and have not proved they can stand the test of time.
Britian, you really have the short end of the stick with the GT86. In Canada, the list is right around 25,000 CAD. And I could select the wheels and tyres for easily for 2000. You should be disappointed that you can't get such a great car for a reasonable price, as you all are. Also, evo really bashes on the engine, but I don't think it's bad at all. It's a rev-machine, and although I haven't driven McLarens and Mercedes AMGs and all that, I think it's a fantastic, enthusiastic engine. And honestly, you don't need to me sideways all the time to enjoy rear-wheel drive.
This is a fair comparison on price. Sure the 86 might be better if you get a similar power to the Miata. But how much is that going to cost? And how much would it cost if you want to give the 86 some proper power (say 500bhp) which may require an engine swap and/or new gearbox, brakes (unless I'm very much mistaken). You're probably talking 20 grands worth of upgrades, easy. Then the 86 is on a par with a BMW M2, Porsche 718, Audi TT RS. Would the 86 be able to take on those cars with 500hp? The point goes back to what the reviewer said. Stock, the 86 is a little on the expensive side. Even though I love it to bits, I have to agree.
this is bs and so not fair, and the frs STILL imo woops the miatas ass because this... -FRS mods wheels -Miata mods wheels turbo exhaust dampers springs WAY more hp and still only wins by about 2 seconds lol
It is evident that you are completely unexperienced. I will copy and paste my reply of a previous comment: "An extra 70hp and upgraded suspension, in addition to the TRD package for the GT86 will only tie with the Miata in lap times, but in price; it's a whole different story. If you don't believe me about the lap times then you can go to a local track and ask around. Don't become too much of a fan of the GT86, the Miata is a well-respected driver's car. " Plus, 2 seconds in a track course will put you 3-5 cars behind--it's a big difference. You can conclude that the FRS is just an overpriced sports car. You're paying more for looks.
Michael Dao I'm picking up my Turbo FRS complete with a full suspension making 291 hp. I paid 26k for it. It has 6k miles. That would be a fair comparison IMO.
Michael Dao that's what your experience tells you? The Mazda was heavily modified with 71 more horsepower. If you added 71 hp and modified the suspension on the GT86, I suspect it would turn much faster lap times than the Mazda. The Toyota comes stock with 200 hp. That modified MX-5 had 271 hp. 71 hp down the straightaway alone, would make up two seconds easily. Let's test a stock MX-5 (167 hp) against a stock GT86. I'm not saying that the Mazda is a bad car. In fact, if I were going to choose one to modify for racing, there wouldn't even be a choice. The Mazda has been around for a long time and has been raced and developed extensively.
Michael Dao you're really paying for a completely redesigned car from the ground up AND the comfort factor. For the power it puts out I think it's a splendid driver's car. If you want sheer grunt and massive grip it's Impreza time!
blackfireball5 - Yes, that would be a very nice deal to have, but new is definitely not. EnabledShooter - You're also forgetting that the Miata weighs 300lbs less, which in terms spiritually makes an additional 30-50hp. So, if the GT86 makes an additional 70hp with upgraded suspension, it would be pretty much on par with the Miata. Liam O'Flaherty - Haha, yes, massive grip and tight cornering abilities is a feel like no other!
Given that this race track had such a long straight, it is obvious where the Mazda pulled the 2 second advantage. If it were a consistently twisty track we possibly would have seen even times or even the chance of the Toyota taking the win.
how are you gonna compare a modified car vs a factory car? get a factory miata and redo the comparison and lets see the results then. but great video on how just rims and tires on a GT86 can make that big of a difference
FRS is under powered but it doesnt cost $43k. Its more of a looks and drifting car than a performance car. The MX-5 may be faster on the track when tuned but it doesnt make the sound or handling as the FRS. Even if you can control the MX-5 more.
GeForce GT I don't know about smoking it, but I don't know that it matters either. If I remember they're comparing turn key new car solutions here. And at some point it's just about preference.
I'm an EVO subscriber but I've never understood the downer they have on the Toyota. Jeremy Clarkson, Steve Sutcliffe, Chris Harris... they all love the car. Is it because EVO has too much of a focus on lap times over on-the-road enjoyment?
id take the mazda ANYday of the the gt86... what an awesome package BBR have put together their!! That would suprise afew car on the street!! very cool!
What a hell of a comparison is this Meaden? You should compare apples with apples. Give a call to Litchfield and compare with their GT (so just to stay in UK).
Trying to make a fast lap with the gt86 kinda beats the purpose of the car. It is only meant go be incredibly fun, but the performances are not its goal..
Interesting review to watch...of course it was a forgone conclusion that a more powerful and lighter sports car with otherwise about equal handling capability would be the faster one. It would be far more interesting to see this redone but for the GT86 using the TRD Griffon... which still has a normally aspirated factory FA20 motor with a little bump in HP but in an extremely stripped down and focused track day car (to the tune of 600lbs weight reduction.) Review would be just as relevant as the original (not that much relevant between the two cars) but way more entertaining... The BBR Turbo miata would still have a 40+hp advantage, but It would be many seconds slower due to having a sizeable weight and suspension/traction disadvantage...(which is where the entertaining part comes in - how many more seconds slower?) I wouldn't mind having a miata one bit if I could properly fit in one. Car enthusiasts are lucky to have two nice low cost sports cars available to choose from (stock), you really can't go wrong with either. I went with the GT86 (FRS) over the Miata because of fit, I like coupes over convertibles, and styling.
Toyota/Scion needs to slap a turbo upping to 70-80 more hp along with the TRD dressings and they wouldn't be able to keep them on the lot. It would sell like beer at Hooters/Twin-Peaks!!!
A lighter tuner car with more power is always going to win on a stock heavier car. Try an 86 without the TRD crap and just a simple turbo/supercharger against the BBR. Similar money then....
Why is there still no forced induction or larger capacity factory 86? Even if it had 200lb for it's 200hp it would be way better. Really though at £33k it's getting close enough to Boxster money to make you think about putting the extra. The BBr wouldn't even be in it for me. A tuner car hasn't got anywhere near the warranty back up and is far more likely to go bang. Then you come to sell it and it's worth hardly any more than a standard MX-5. When you think of the hot hatches you could have for that money and the change left over both of these are a hard sell. Then there are cars like the 135i, etc. These are kids toys asking proper car money.
Why rely on TRD who never goes crazy with their packages?? the MX5 was sourced from a custom tuning company. There is a procharger kit that makes 290 RWHP on the GT86. Why not find a company thats including that with their package?
consumerproducts Going by price doesn't make sense though. The Miata has been around for decades and has hundreds if not thousands of tuner companies to develop and supply aftermarket parts. The GT86/BRZ are relatively new to the marketplace, so obviously they don't have the cost-effective tuner parts availability.
I love miatas but if you buy one new, you've made a HUGE mistake. You can buy a mint used one, maybe just a couple years old, for like half the price. Or you can just buy an na or nb for like 5k and spend the rest on upgrades
I tried sitting in an mx5 the other day @ a car show. I fit, barely, and I cant work the clutch. I do fit much better in the BRZ. not that it matters cuz i cant buy either but its nice to dream haha
Wow 2 seconds that's really not that big of a difference in fact I bet if u put a turbo on the gt86 it would beat the Mazda pretty easily. And 1 reason I think the Toyota is more expensive its because ur paying for something that will last for a long time without major problems and most people just tune up there cars
Wings & Wheels Were are not racing for the f1 cup or something else, its just a strret car with some track focus . The people who buy this car are not prof. trained so maybe they lose 6 or 5 sec
nutnfan1 Considering the power difference it's probably not that bad, those 2 seconds. Dickie said that MX-5 is running 270hp, that's 70 more than the Toyota's 200. MX-5 probably weighs a smidget less as well. So when contrasted by the cars' bhp/tonne value...not bad I wager.
nutnfan1 2 seconds on a minute+ lap track? doesn't seem like a whole lot to me. maybe if we're talking a 45second lap track or so.. on a 70 second lap, a 2 second improvement is under a 3% improvement...
Its an interesting video but dont confuse "the comparison between these OPTIONED models" VS "the comparison between an mx5 and gt86 with equal money spent specifically on performance" The TRD option, performance-wise is essentially a set of tires (its basically a gimmick to get cash out of people... youre paying for a body kit) The BBR option is money 100% spent on performance the video shouldnt shape your view on the two basic cars at all
rodgazinya Because of differences in taxes and stuff, new prices for cars in the UK are about the same number as in the US, give or take. For example the C6 ZR1 was ~$100k in America and ~£100k in Britain.
Mikeado66 yeah, but the GT86 was launched at £25,000 in the UK, (which is $41,500 or €30,350) - 25,000€ in Europe (€20,500 or $34,400) and $25,000 in the states (£15,100 or €18,300 ) The differences are enormous
Yes, but the actual number is roughly the same, is what I mean. There's little to no point doing a direct conversion and assuming that that's the price. So, if you were watching this in America and if both cars are available there, you wouldn't sit there thinking "shit, that's $55k over here!" because it isn't. The price would adjust to a similar figure thanks to differences in taxes and so on.
Good to see someone reviewing performance cars who can drive! :)
Meh.. As much as I want the MX5 to win, it wasn't fair... Why not do stock MSMX5 vs stock TRD86??
it only have a 2 second difference anyway
Stupid comparison really with these two specific cars one being a third party tuner. One has just TRD's stuff thrown on some aero, exhaust, wheels + tires and prob air intake where the Miata has a turbo kitted with wheels and tires. Anyone could have guessed that the Miata would win.
Only 2 seconds difference on lap time, but almost a 100HP difference. Let BBR have a go at a stock GT86 and then we will have apples to apples instead of what you have done with this article!
funny that people are still commenting on this but all of you number crunchers are forgetting the other number in the Power-to-Weight ratio which is important here...weight.
People were talking about power to grip ratio. Theres no point having a super light and powerful car if you can't get any traction out of it
I've been a huge fan of EVO for years, and it is tough for me to watch EVO consistently and repeatedly lash the GT86 for the lack of power/torque for its price. I live in Canada, where the equivalent Scion FR-S is $2000 cheaper than the most basic Mazda MX-5, with the FR-S having a solid 30+hp and 10 more lb-ft of torque than than MX-5. I have never heard EVO complain about the MX-5's lack of power or torque, so why is it an issue with the FR-S/GT86? Is it just to do with the price? And why does it always seem that they have track battles of these cars; I thought EVO's motto was "the thrill of driving", not "the thrill of the fastest lap time"? Also - as many have pointed out (ignoring the price discussion), this is a battle between a (basically) stock NA car vs. a turbo charged car that has been on the market for almost 10 years. Just for the record I used to be a MX-5 owner and now own the GT86 and love both cars so I would like to think that I am not completely biased =)
Mazda might of given EVO some kind of incentive to get the Miata to be a better car than the GT86, because for one thing this Miata is turbo charged so of course it was going to be faster. HELLO
Agree with others...this is really stupid and pointless comparison. A third party tuner edition with a turbo and massive horsepower gains vs. a factory tuner kit with no engine mods. Not exactly the same thing and pretty pointless.
Not really as they cost the same and the MX-5 modified like that comes with warranty so it essentially just a new car.
bzdtemp highly misleading, the BBR comes with a BBR warranty which is only 12 months, the TRD GT86 comes with a 5 year factory warranty.
Ahmed Hakeem BBR comes with 3 years warranty, as a std MX5!
Doug Lark not from what I have read, a quick Google search will prove it.
Ahmed Hakeem Dont know where your reading but your wrong! www.bbrgti.com/product_details.php?id=11677&make=18&model=531
Now try this against a boosted GT86.
MagicAyrtonforever Dumbass, this isn't about the 86 and the MX-5. It's a comparison between the dumbasses at TRD and BBR.
Chris Sorreda Or you're the dumbass for writing shit on youtube. The TRD is just a bodykit moron!
Fuckit just use a time attack built jz swapped 86 and the comparison wouldn't be any less fair hahah
@@Cafferssss put a 2gr + twin turbos, that would be much better
How are people saying this isn't a good comparison? The cars are both RWD, and similarly priced! I know which I'd rather have for the money (mx5) and that's coming from a 86 fan.
I like both... this Toyota looks better than the standard version
It's good to see the Miata getting the respect it deserves lol
Should of been the Litchfeild supercharged BRZ vs this BBR turbo MX-5. I think that would of been a more competitive comparison, similar power output and price.
I was just about to post the same thing. I would love to see more of the Litchfield BRZ it does look very well developed.
According the Litchfields website its not available yet and theres no price.
agentbob100 www.litchfieldimports.co.uk/Toyota/BRZ-GT86-SPEC-S
Price is 3,495 euros.
John Red Ahh, Google turned up a different page to that which didn't have price/details. Cost is £3495+VAT = £4194 or €5088, I guess that is not a fitted price thought? The Stage One 262bhp BBR conversion for the MX-5 is £6k fitted (including tax) so in the same ballpark, neither includes wheels/brakes/suspension mods. It would be a more interesting test and again points to what a waste of money the TRD GT86 is - buy a base GT86 instead and head to Litchfields via your favorite tyre outlet - cashback.
agentbob100 Thanks for clearing up the price on it, I knew it would be in the same price range. I would love to see some hot lap times of the Litchfeild kit.
What's with the weird high pitched turbo noise from the GT86 on the drive-by shots?
Richard Major tires losing grip maybe😂
People always gotta criticize...
I enjoyed the video. Thanks.
great fun cars, both of them but if you could put Honda S2000 into the mix you could see where your money should go to :D
fanboys come out to play
These two are production cars, there are no more new S2000 these days
It would be interesting to see the 86 vs the ND 4th gen MX-5, and turbo them both to see how they go (this vid shows a 3rd gen MX-5). At stock the ND MX-5 is faster than the 86 so I assume with both up-spec'd it'd probably stay similar, but it would be cool to see what these new gen coupes can do with a bit of minor work on power, tyres, suspension etc. Would love to own either.
The Mazda with a 270+ HP beats a GT86 TRD with a difference of just 2 secs! C'mon guyz, If you bring the Supercharged 86, it'll be better performing than the Miata...
I hope everyone realises the UK TRD is nothing more than a body kit and some other tart parts, plus a nice exhaust. For the same money you could buy so many more TRD parts for a non-TRD-edition GT86...and focus on stuff that will affect performance like carbon upper strut brace and under brace set.
Thanks! Really great review. Ignore the naysayers... these cars are similar money and they're new, and to car buyers like myself two contenders. I'm a huge fan of both cars. And both are hugely upgradeable and tunable. I think they're both winners.
Not a fair comparison. The miata was fully worked and turbo'd.
Then Toyota need to drop the price on their car.
FastRedPonyCar Around here the base FRS is 28170$ vs the base MX-5's 29250$. So I agree with ravenstylea2, it wasn't a fair comparison.
An extra 70hp and upgraded suspension, in addition to the TRD package for the GT86 will only tie with the Miata in lap times, but in price; it's a whole different story. If you don't believe me about the lap times then you can go to a local track and ask around. Don't become too much of a fan of the GT86, the Miata is a well-respected driver's car.
It was a comparison of two FR sports cars for essentially the same money, what's unfair about that?
Liam O'Flaherty one comes with a factory warranty
I'm curious about stock fighting of these two
hehe, Yep, I understand, thanks ;-).
It seems that a lot of people are missing the main basis of the comparison : Price. It isn't a pointless comparison at all because it is equal on terms of price. In terms of power? Hell no it isn't fair but that isn't what they're looking at here. They are comparing two cars with similar prices that do compete for the same buyer.
Would love to see a supercharged gt86 vs turbo miata. I think gt86 is best raw driving experience while still being somewhat practical vs Miata
What's about the TRD brakes? In Germany you can opt the gt-86 with a 10.000 € TRD brake. Is this option also on this car?
Is this at Silverstone? The Stowe Circuit?
Blyton park.
the gt 86 is meant for owners to tweak and modify. why get a 86 when youre gonna drive it stock
whats that whistling exthaus sound from tobaru?
Try the 270hp fenspeed turbo gt86 for about £K35
Cool video, though I must admit that I expected more than 2 seconds of a difference. Should that be a tribute to the GT with proper tires, of rather a less than ideal tuning of the Mazda (which should not be the case) - or is there a 3rd option?
I hate that TRD doesn't mean anything performance related anymore. Fancy seat covers, fog lights, functionless wings, stickers, etc are not Racing Development, Toyota.
I used to own an original MX5 BBR and upped the boost to 9 psi on stock internals, added bigger injectors and an Apexi NEO fuel management unit. Was totally reliable for the 5 years I owned it and sold it to a local racer who reckons it was pushing 200BHP + totally bullet proof car and those engines love to be turboed as I beleive they were derived from the old 323 turbo rally car.
A pointless comparison... why compare a factory N/A car with an aftermarket modified turbo charged car? Compare a factory car with a factory car, or an aftermarket tuned car with an aftermarket tuned car, but don't nonsensically mix and match the two.
You forgot one important thing - they cost about the same. And this video is kinda the end of epidemic fapping on gt86
The issue of cost still makes no sense. Of course the Miata is going to cost less to modify. It's been racing around for decades in basically the same form. Meanwhile, the BRZ/GT86 are relatively new, so the cost for research and development of aftermarket parts is going to be greater.
moaski The current MX-5 is a completely new car and shares little if anything with the Mk1 and 2. Also it is a comparison between two modified aftermarket cars, its just that one spent the cash on very expensive body mods and the other one spent it on the engine.
Again, the third gen Miata has been around since 2005, nearly a decade unchanged. A fair and logical comparison would be a Mazdaspeed Miata v. this TRD GT86... two in-house parts suppliers.
Is there such a thing as a Mazdaspeed MX-5? If it's the same price as the GT86 with no extra power it'll be a waste of money too. Problem here (in the UK) is that the GT86 is too expensive and the TRD one especially is a lot of money for not much. You'd have to be mental to buy one here when you could get a 135i for similar cash.
Honestly, you guys have some of the best camera work I've ever seen in your reviews.
It's just too bad that Honda S2000 is no longer available. That would have easily be the best of the 3. Mazda MX5 is just a bit dated, and the loose rear end. Just don't seems to be as well developed car as compared to the 86. Given HKS Supercharger kit or Greddy/Trust Turbo kit? I think we would have a clear winner between the two.
if there was a new s2k it would be WAY more expensive than either of these two honestly.
bakemono858 True, but the S2K does perform beyond the performance level of these two thou. I would compare the S2K to Boxster, Lotus Elise, Z4, SLK to be fair
Diu Nei
S2K is a different beast. It's a car that goes well on the track stock, and it cost $20,000 more than the miata did brand new in Australia. For that price you could buy a brand new miata, stick a turbo on it and have some cash to spare.
They're both great cars, but you just can't compare them when it comes to price.
Vind1ctus Well said. Same goes with any car really. But simply put when you compare a "tuned" version of the Miata against a "stock" 86 that doesn't seem fair either right? Especially ones with nothing more than an aero kit, wheels, and muffler?
Diu Nei
Yeah this video is dumb.
so the comparison here is mainly on the price and not the upgrades put into the car?
Are there bolt on turbo or supercharger kits available for the GT86/BRZ cars yet? Whipple should definitely make a supercharger kit for them, that'd be a perfect upgrade for those cars. (I always forget what the name of the Hyundai version is called...FRS¿...though I feel it's the nicest looking of the three)
lol thats scion
In USA alot of 86 frs and brz are for sale. Young drivers can't learn stick but get a license at 15, get suspended license/tickets or crash and often have rebuilt titles as a result. So many for sale I avoid like the plague. Finding a clean title or unmodified sample will be very difficult.
Similar price.. plus thats tire noise is the tyres, not turbo
Cant wait to buy a GT86/FRS/BRZ in 5-10 years when they are under 10k lmao.
@anarhy09 you can get a gt86/brz for just under 10k now. So he was right.
hi mate, did you get one?
What's that watch? Looks a bit like a Heuer Autavia?
Hope you guys can include tire sizes on each car next time? Thx for the video
Hopefully people understand when you start adding more power to the 86 you need to spend more money on all the other parts of the car to bring it back into balance. Just buy the base model, enjoy it for what it is, and you'll be laughing at the end of the day and saving all this money on tires, fuel, and maintenance. The money people spend on tuning their 86 is crazy! They could have bought an STI or V8.
Is there really a difference between the Toyota GT86; Scion FR-S; and the Subraru BRZ
What does the trd do to the gt86
This comparo is a joke right? They went and essentially got a dealership souped up GT86 and compared it with a NON-OEM aftermarket tuned car.
In the states TRD makes a supercharger for there iforce V8 that makes 550hp. I was hoping they would have somthing like it for the 86 buy now.
An HKS Gt86 270 hp will smoke that mx5.... And for the same price....
Does anyone know why the toyota gt86 scion frs and subaru brz are all built and look the same
Iconic really, Only the Miata has earned that status given its been kicking ass since 89. the gt86/frs/brz are new and have not proved they can stand the test of time.
Britian, you really have the short end of the stick with the GT86. In Canada, the list is right around 25,000 CAD. And I could select the wheels and tyres for easily for 2000. You should be disappointed that you can't get such a great car for a reasonable price, as you all are.
Also, evo really bashes on the engine, but I don't think it's bad at all. It's a rev-machine, and although I haven't driven McLarens and Mercedes AMGs and all that, I think it's a fantastic, enthusiastic engine. And honestly, you don't need to me sideways all the time to enjoy rear-wheel drive.
This is a fair comparison on price. Sure the 86 might be better if you get a similar power to the Miata. But how much is that going to cost? And how much would it cost if you want to give the 86 some proper power (say 500bhp) which may require an engine swap and/or new gearbox, brakes (unless I'm very much mistaken). You're probably talking 20 grands worth of upgrades, easy. Then the 86 is on a par with a BMW M2, Porsche 718, Audi TT RS. Would the 86 be able to take on those cars with 500hp? The point goes back to what the reviewer said. Stock, the 86 is a little on the expensive side. Even though I love it to bits, I have to agree.
this is bs and so not fair, and the frs STILL imo woops the miatas ass because this...
-FRS mods
wheels
-Miata mods
wheels
turbo
exhaust
dampers
springs
WAY more hp
and still only wins by about 2 seconds lol
It is evident that you are completely unexperienced. I will copy and paste my reply of a previous comment:
"An extra 70hp and upgraded suspension, in addition to the TRD package for the GT86 will only tie with the Miata in lap times, but in price; it's a whole different story. If you don't believe me about the lap times then you can go to a local track and ask around. Don't become too much of a fan of the GT86, the Miata is a well-respected driver's car. " Plus, 2 seconds in a track course will put you 3-5 cars behind--it's a big difference.
You can conclude that the FRS is just an overpriced sports car. You're paying more for looks.
Michael Dao I'm picking up my Turbo FRS complete with a full suspension making 291 hp. I paid 26k for it. It has 6k miles. That would be a fair comparison IMO.
Michael Dao that's what your experience tells you? The Mazda was heavily modified with 71 more horsepower. If you added 71 hp and modified the suspension on the GT86, I suspect it would turn much faster lap times than the Mazda. The Toyota comes stock with 200 hp. That modified MX-5 had 271 hp. 71 hp down the straightaway alone, would make up two seconds easily. Let's test a stock MX-5 (167 hp) against a stock GT86. I'm not saying that the Mazda is a bad car. In fact, if I were going to choose one to modify for racing, there wouldn't even be a choice. The Mazda has been around for a long time and has been raced and developed extensively.
Michael Dao you're really paying for a completely redesigned car from the ground up AND the comfort factor. For the power it puts out I think it's a splendid driver's car. If you want sheer grunt and massive grip it's Impreza time!
blackfireball5 - Yes, that would be a very nice deal to have, but new is definitely not.
EnabledShooter - You're also forgetting that the Miata weighs 300lbs less, which in terms spiritually makes an additional 30-50hp. So, if the GT86 makes an additional 70hp with upgraded suspension, it would be pretty much on par with the Miata.
Liam O'Flaherty - Haha, yes, massive grip and tight cornering abilities is a feel like no other!
Those timed laps didn't seem too tidy, but great video nonetheless.
Given that this race track had such a long straight, it is obvious where the Mazda pulled the 2 second advantage. If it were a consistently twisty track we possibly would have seen even times or even the chance of the Toyota taking the win.
Why compare laps of a stock 86 vs a turbocharged Miata with more power that also weighs less?
What's he on about they do a turned version of the GT86, it cost 8 grand extra I believe & it had 250 bhp 0-62 in .5.5 & did a 170 mph yes please
Imaging how much quicker the MX-5 would be with properly sorted suspension to dial out the oversteer.
The MX5 is a Tuner car, the 86TRD is stock. Why didn't you get a Tuner 86? Invalid comparison!
how are you gonna compare a modified car vs a factory car? get a factory miata and redo the comparison and lets see the results then. but great video on how just rims and tires on a GT86 can make that big of a difference
also considering the MX5 has been tuned, thats not a bad time for a stock brz/86 with new tires
na 4 cyl vs turbo 4 cyl? Why not a crawford turbo kit on the gt86?
FRS is under powered but it doesnt cost $43k. Its more of a looks and drifting car than a performance car. The MX-5 may be faster on the track when tuned but it doesnt make the sound or handling as the FRS. Even if you can control the MX-5 more.
he is comparing with a modified turbo charge Mazda to a TRD 86!
What about a TRD 86 with a tubocharger bolted on with about 300hp
What about a Flyin Miata v8 conversion? it's about bang for your buck.
GeForce GT I don't know about smoking it, but I don't know that it matters either. If I remember they're comparing turn key new car solutions here. And at some point it's just about preference.
I'm an EVO subscriber but I've never understood the downer they have on the Toyota. Jeremy Clarkson, Steve Sutcliffe, Chris Harris... they all love the car. Is it because EVO has too much of a focus on lap times over on-the-road enjoyment?
id take the mazda ANYday of the the gt86... what an awesome package BBR have put together their!! That would suprise afew car on the street!! very cool!
A more valid comparison and interesting comparison would have been with the Fensport 86 that is running the AVO Turbo kit. apples to apples.
frs is a band wagon. miatas have a spec racing class for a reason. both great cars at the base price.
Imagine the spit on the steering wheels after this guy reviews em
Why is there so much over steer?
I expected the lap time gap to be larger.
What a hell of a comparison is this Meaden?
You should compare apples with apples. Give a call to Litchfield and compare with their GT (so just to stay in UK).
I wish we had the TRD as a package here in the states :P
Litchfield or ideally Fensport's efforts at the GT86/BRZ would have been a better comparison to the BBR MX5
Trying to make a fast lap with the gt86 kinda beats the purpose of the car.
It is only meant go be incredibly fun, but the performances are not its goal..
Interesting review to watch...of course it was a forgone conclusion that a more powerful and lighter sports car with otherwise about equal handling capability would be the faster one. It would be far more interesting to see this redone but for the GT86 using the TRD Griffon... which still has a normally aspirated factory FA20 motor with a little bump in HP but in an extremely stripped down and focused track day car (to the tune of 600lbs weight reduction.) Review would be just as relevant as the original (not that much relevant between the two cars) but way more entertaining... The BBR Turbo miata would still have a 40+hp advantage, but It would be many seconds slower due to having a sizeable weight and suspension/traction disadvantage...(which is where the entertaining part comes in - how many more seconds slower?)
I wouldn't mind having a miata one bit if I could properly fit in one. Car enthusiasts are lucky to have two nice low cost sports cars available to choose from (stock), you really can't go wrong with either. I went with the GT86 (FRS) over the Miata because of fit, I like coupes over convertibles, and styling.
17" rims, 18" rims...are they 3-piece wheels then?
Try the Lichtfield edition of the gt86!!!
Rims on the Mazda look sweet 😍
Toyota/Scion needs to slap a turbo upping to 70-80 more hp along with the TRD dressings and they wouldn't be able to keep them on the lot. It would sell like beer at Hooters/Twin-Peaks!!!
I Guess this would be better to og up against fensports GT86 the street Version black one...
I'll stick with a £25k GT86 and save myself the £8k in tuning thank you very much
the gt86 looks like its on stilts with those 18" rims. there is way to much body roll as well.
A lighter tuner car with more power is always going to win on a stock heavier car. Try an 86 without the TRD crap and just a simple turbo/supercharger against the BBR. Similar money then....
Why is there still no forced induction or larger capacity factory 86? Even if it had 200lb for it's 200hp it would be way better. Really though at £33k it's getting close enough to Boxster money to make you think about putting the extra. The BBr wouldn't even be in it for me. A tuner car hasn't got anywhere near the warranty back up and is far more likely to go bang. Then you come to sell it and it's worth hardly any more than a standard MX-5. When you think of the hot hatches you could have for that money and the change left over both of these are a hard sell. Then there are cars like the 135i, etc. These are kids toys asking proper car money.
And the Mazda is the old one, just wait for the 2016 mx5, its a lot more beautifull, precise, that toyota is overpriced, Mazda all the way
Why rely on TRD who never goes crazy with their packages?? the MX5 was sourced from a custom tuning company. There is a procharger kit that makes 290 RWHP on the GT86. Why not find a company thats including that with their package?
power isn't everything.....
Price.
consumerproducts
Going by price doesn't make sense though. The Miata has been around for decades and has hundreds if not thousands of tuner companies to develop and supply aftermarket parts. The GT86/BRZ are relatively new to the marketplace, so obviously they don't have the cost-effective tuner parts availability.
I'd just buy a normal GT86 it doesn't need to tuned. People just understand this car it's meant to be fun you don't need tons of horse power
I love miatas but if you buy one new, you've made a HUGE mistake. You can buy a mint used one, maybe just a couple years old, for like half the price. Or you can just buy an na or nb for like 5k and spend the rest on upgrades
the question: can you get a bbr mx5 in the U.S? L:/
Test should have been brz Litchfield vs mx5 bbr
Boosted MX5 vs TRD...Stock 86.. and the 86 was only about 2 sec slower..HMM I wonder how a Boosted 86 would've done.. :)
I tried sitting in an mx5 the other day @ a car show. I fit, barely, and I cant work the clutch. I do fit much better in the BRZ. not that it matters cuz i cant buy either but its nice to dream haha
I don't get it, don't they realise one is modded with forced induction and the other is just a body kit. Wouldn't a modded gt86 be a better match.
Hey Mazda, you should really be paying attention to this video. This is proper Zoom Zoom!
Wow 2 seconds that's really not that big of a difference in fact I bet if u put a turbo on the gt86 it would beat the Mazda pretty easily. And 1 reason I think the Toyota is more expensive its because ur paying for something that will last for a long time without major problems and most people just tune up there cars
2 seconds is a pretty considerable difference on a track.
Wings & Wheels Agreed. Clearly this person has no clues about racing. 2 seconds is a LONG time to win or lose by.
Wings & Wheels Were are not racing for the f1 cup or something else, its just a strret car with some track focus . The people who buy this car are not prof. trained so maybe they lose 6 or 5 sec
nutnfan1
Considering the power difference it's probably not that bad, those 2 seconds. Dickie said that MX-5 is running 270hp, that's 70 more than the Toyota's 200. MX-5 probably weighs a smidget less as well.
So when contrasted by the cars' bhp/tonne value...not bad I wager.
nutnfan1
2 seconds on a minute+ lap track? doesn't seem like a whole lot to me. maybe if we're talking a 45second lap track or so..
on a 70 second lap, a 2 second improvement is under a 3% improvement...
You can't compare these two.. Toyota is nearly stock
turbo charge the GT86 and then let's talk competition. Before that it's senseless.
Litchfield Subaru BRZ Spec S 1:07.5 189
Supercharged BRZ.
Its an interesting video but dont confuse "the comparison between these OPTIONED models" VS "the comparison between an mx5 and gt86 with equal money spent specifically on performance"
The TRD option, performance-wise is essentially a set of tires (its basically a gimmick to get cash out of people... youre paying for a body kit)
The BBR option is money 100% spent on performance
the video shouldnt shape your view on the two basic cars at all
33grand for this brand new... or a second hand Nissan gtr..... why would someone buy this new?
No 33k GBP. Much more than US dollar. So more like $55k
rodgazinya Because of differences in taxes and stuff, new prices for cars in the UK are about the same number as in the US, give or take. For example the C6 ZR1 was ~$100k in America and ~£100k in Britain.
Mikeado66 yeah, but the GT86 was launched at £25,000 in the UK, (which is $41,500 or €30,350) - 25,000€ in Europe (€20,500 or $34,400) and $25,000 in the states (£15,100 or €18,300 ) The differences are enormous
Yes, but the actual number is roughly the same, is what I mean. There's little to no point doing a direct conversion and assuming that that's the price.
So, if you were watching this in America and if both cars are available there, you wouldn't sit there thinking "shit, that's $55k over here!" because it isn't. The price would adjust to a similar figure thanks to differences in taxes and so on.
The GTR has significantly higher upkeep, a few magnitudes above.
is that what trd quad exhaust sound like, the sound of zzzzzzzzzzzzz when gt86 drive passed by the camera in the video