Power to the People: BBR-Cosworth Supercharge Mazda MX-5 to 235HP

Owners of the latest generation MX-5 / Miata seeking more oomph from Mazda's best seller will be happy to know that BBR has joined forces with Cosworth Engineering to develop a supercharged conversion package for the 2.0-liter version. The BBR-Cosworth collaboration for the Mk3 2.0-litre MX-5 focuses around a fourth-generation Eaton MP62 supercharger mated to a Cosworth designed cast integral inlet manifold, which is said to be optimized for both performance and fuel economy - although we'd take the latter with a grain of salt.

In stock form, the MX-5's 2.0-liter naturally aspirated powerplant delivers 158-horsepower. After the implementation of the supercharger and Cosworth's inlet manifold, output is lifted to a dyno proven 235 bhp at 7130 rpm, with a healthy 190 lb.ft of torque available at 5260 rpm. That's an increase of 77 bhp and 51 lb.ft over the standard model.

The company said the fitted price for the BBR-Cosworth Mazda MX-5 Mk3 supercharger upgrade kit is set in Britain at £4,995 (approx. US$7,750). BBR added that it will also be supplying BBR-Cosworth kits for DIY fitting, complete with all options and full installation instructions, but the tuning house has not yet released pricing.

BBR–Cosworth Mazda MX-5 MK3 supercharger specification

• Cosworth Inlet manifold housing
• Eaton 4th generation MP62 Supercharger
• Intercooler (Air to water)
• High flow calibrated injectors
• High flow air box, with high flow air filter
• Competition high grade hoses and fixings throughout
• BBR Auxiliary Interceptor 2010 engine control unit (ECU) with 3-D mapping and MAP sensor
• BBR-Cosworth identification badges

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Mazda Logo Evolution through the Century - Plus 185 Historic Pictures

Mazda, the maker of cars such as the RX-7, RX-8 and MX-5/Miata, turned 90 this month. So what a better time to take a trip down memory lane and see how the Japanese company’s logo and cars evolved over the past century.

The first corporate logo dates back to 1936. It was registered as a trademark when Mazda began manufacturing its first three-wheeler. The name itself is a derivative from Ahura Mazda, the god of wisdom, intelligence and harmony in early Asian cultures. It also derives from the anglicized version of the founder’s name, Jujiro Matsuda.

At the same time, Mazda introduced a brand symbol, too, inspired by the emblem of its hometown, Hiroshima. It was basically a stylized triple “M”, as in “Mazda motor manufacturer”, and the wings on both sides represented “agility, speed and the ability to soar to new heights” – always according to the automaker.

In 1959, when Mazda began making passenger cars, a new “M” logo was introduced and used for the first time on the R360 coupe. This way, Mazda tried to emphasize that it was the beginning of a new era in the company’s history.

Sixteen years later, in 1975, Mazda totally revamped its corporate identity and launched the logotype which, after three and a half decades, is still a base element of the firm's visual identity.

This was accompanied in 1992 by a new brand symbol. Mazda says that the composition expressed the “dimensions of wings, sun and a circle of light” – whatever that meant. More importantly, it provided the base for the current logo, which followed in June 1997 and, in my opinion, it’s the best one yet.

Building on the same “M” theme, it also incorporated a “V” shape, standing for “growth and improvement”, which was Mazda’s way of saying that it had entered a new era once again. In 2002, the concept was refined with the “Zoom-Zoom” tagline, as Mazda started to concentrate on a new generation of cars, delivering more driving pleasure than before.

In 2008, Mazda came up with a new global visual identity, integrating the unchanged logo into a rectangle, called “dynamic wing”, and placing the “Zoom-Zoom” tagline at an angle. This composition wants to express the “bold, distinctive nature of Mazda”.

While the logo and corporate identity had few iterations over the 90-year period, Mazda’s line-up was much diversified and saw plenty of change, highlighted in the list below. Also, check out our 185 gallery to see some of the firm's cars throughout its 90 year history.

By Csaba Daradics

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