Mazda has added a new limited edition version of the MX-5 to its model line-up. Called the Sport Recaro, it sits atop the current MX-5 range and mixes the technical setup of an MX-5 Sport Nav with a higher-specced interior and bespoke body trim.
Top of the list of new additions is a sports aero-kit. This is comprised of a new rear spoiler, front and rear lips and side skirts – all painted in black. The door mirrors are also finished in piano black, and two-tone 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels gain an engraved MX-5 logo.
Subscribe to evo magazine
Inside, standard fit heated Recaro seats are clad in Alcantara, as are sections of the dashboard. Alloy pedals, bespoke floor mats and contrasting red stitching complete the Sport Recaro’s bespoke cabin.
The limited edition model is also available in just two exterior colours – Soul Red Metallic or Ceramic Metallic (pictured) – but that’s as far as the visual differences go. The other changes are all to do with standard kit.
The Sport Recaro builds on the specs list of the Sport Nav on which it is based, and so comes with a long list of features: LED headlights, a leather steering wheel, climate-control, a DAB radio with Bluetooth connectivity, sat-nav, rain sensing wipers, keyless enty, a top-spec Bose sound-system, cruise control and Mazda’s MZD-Connect infotainment system are all included.
The drivetrain, however, is completely unchanged from the Sport Nav, meaning it’s powered by Mazda’s 2-litre SkyActiv-G engine that produces 158bhp and 147lb ft of torque. The car’s capable of accelerating from 0 to 62mph in a claimed 7.3 seconds, and it’s also sharper than the base model thanks to Bilstein dampers. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a limited slip diff and a strut tower bar is fitted as standard – just like the Sport Nav.
The price for all this? £24,295, which is exactly £1000 more than the 2-litre Sport Nav. And with production numbers for the Sport Recaro limited to just 600 units, this doesn’t just buy you a higher-specced car, it adds a flavour of exclusivity to the model.
We’re fans of the Mk4 MX-5 – we’re currently running a 2-litre Sport Nav on our Fast Fleet. Though the car’s not as darty as a Toyota GT86, it’s arguably easier to enjoy while driving at eight-tenths. Other, more focused cars come alive at the limit, but the MX-5 contrasts this – it prefers to be stroked rather than hurried along.
