BBR Re-Launches Turbo Kits for Mazda MX-5 Mk1 and Mk2

In celebration of the 1990 launch of the original MX-5 BBR turbo, British tuning firm BBR has released a 20th Anniversary turbo conversion package for the Mk1 and Mk2 variants of the roadster model in both 1.6 and 1.8-liter guises, as well a more comprehensive tune for the Mk1 with additional chassis and styling mods. We'll remind you that BBR also joined forces with Cosworth to unveil a supercharger kit for the latest MX-5 Mk3, more of which you can read in our previous article here.

The starting package from BBR for the first and second generation MX-5s concentrates on the engine upgrades. Along with the Garrett GT25 Turbocharger with integral waste gate control, water cooling and ported turbine housing with ceramic coating, the kit adds an array of upgrades including a new cool air induction system and an ECU tune.

On the 1.6-liter MX-5 Mk1 and Mk2 models, output increases to a "dyno-proven" 221 bhp at 6900 rpm and 175 lb.ft of torque at 5100 rpm. For 1.8-litre engined cars, the peak power and torque output will be correspondingly higher, though BBR did not release specific numbers.

The turbo package including fitting at BBR’s Brackley based workshop is priced at £4,995 (approx. €5,960 or US$7,750), while a DIY (Do It Yourself) version of the kit is also available as an option, priced at £3,995 (€4,780 or US$6,200).

BBR's second proposal for the MX-5 focuses on the Mk1. Aside from 221bhp turbo kit, this package adds full leather seats and a paint finish in a color of the owner’s choice with prices starting at £7,500 (about €8,960 or US$11,600). Buyers can further enhance the tune with several upgrades including larger brakes, an LSD, bigger alloys and additional power upgrades.

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.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

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