The Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Porsche 911 GT3 are more alike than they might appear at first. Well, what if somebody took this to the next level by giving the little Japanese machine a bit of a GT treatment?
Sure, the rear-engined German sports car has double the history of the JDM roadster. But they both stand for driving purity in an industry that often seems to be moving away from this with each new generation of cars.
And while they both punch way above their weight, the horsepower limitations of the Miata have always meant this needs a lot of bends, be they on a track or a road, to shine. Of course, with that intercooler lurking in the front bumper, this probably-turbocharged example has no such issues.
However, while there are plenty of V6 and V8 swaps for the MX-5 out there, but today’s story isn’t about that. Instead, thisโฆ Miata GT-3 adds some serious aero and grip while taking a page from the Porsche 911’s book.
Yes, it’s a rendering, but last month’s SEMA 2022 show served as a reminder that some of these artworks grow into stunning real-world buildsโthis Pagani V12-engined Mazda RX-7 with an LTO widebody is an example as good as any.
And, judging by the composure of this first-generation Miata aero kit, I’d be surprised if somebody didn’t bring take these pixels from the screen into the garage, with or without the Porsche 911 GT3-like colors (think: Shark Blue and Racing Yellow).
A new aero take on the NA MX-5 Miata formula
It’s never easy to come up with something fresh for the NA Miataโwith 431,506 units built between 1989 and 1997, many of these are now modded. Nevertheless, the digital artist known as Avante Design managed to pull it off. And this isn’t some face swap digital doodle (hey, some face swaps are real, like this Supra-impersonating RX-7).
Instead, the artist gifted the NA MX-5 Miata with the kind of nose you find on the current 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3. And we can say the same about the hood vents, even though these appear to be faux. The enthusiast created an entire widebody kit around that, with this giving the tiny Mazda a coherent, grown-up look.
And since pop-up headlights are once again trending, at least in car fanatic circles, the artist modernized the hidden headlights of the Japanese sports car. Now, the usual LED circles are joined by slightly curved LED strips adorning the upper edges of the headlights.
This not only sets the light clusters apart, but contributes to the overall sad Miata look, which I’d select as the name of the kit if this went into production.
At the posterior, the two-part ducktail-style approach doesn’t resemble the towering wing of the GT3 or the shaved back of the GT3 Touring. Instead, the rear end has received an even deeper transformation. Of course, a hardtop, which gets its own tiny spoiler, completes the performance look of the vehicle.
Come to think of it, with such a body kit, the NA Miata not only oozes performance, but also looks modern enough to keep up with the current ND Miataโif you’re curious about the next-gen NE MX-5 Miata, you should know its release was pushed back to 2026.
