Project Thunderbolt, The LS3 V8 Miata - Part 12: This is it!
So this is Thunderbolt- a 525 horsepower LS3 V8 powered, magnum shifted Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata that over the span of 9 months received a complete mechanical makeover. Think of it as an homage to the legendary V8 Roadsters that have come before it. A modern interpretation of greats like the Sunbeam Tiger and Shelby Cobra. Cars that started out as demure sporting coupes and were transformed into V8 powered terrors on the road and track.
With so many changes made, what does it all add up to? Well, in my eyes the perfect sports car- one I had been building in my head since high school. Front engine, rear wheel drive, lightweight, nimble, purpose-driven good looks and an all-aluminum sledgehammer of horsepower and torque hiding under the hood. This is my dream car fully realized.
While this may be the end of the Project Thunderbolt series of videos, the journey has just begun! As time goes by I plan to continue optimizing, tuning and trying new things. Along the way I’d like to visit the dyno, get some performance figures, take it on some road trips, take it to the track, attend some car shows and carve up as many mountain roads as I can. I’ll be sure to capture some of these moments and will share them with you. Thank you for joining me in this series, I hope you enjoyed it!
Here's the video version of this update. Check it out!
Thanks for reading and watching, see ya next time!