I should probably have generalized that a bit more. The Miata, or MX-5 as it is know outside the US, is the most popular amateur racecar platform in the world. But, yes SPEC MIATA, the race class (in SCCA and NASA), is a US thing. However, the rule sets in other countries are often quite similar to SM. I know Australia, New Zealand, and the UK specifically have similarly large MX-5 fields. Even in the US there are other race classes where the Miata/MX-5 is also raced...so, its not "just SM" but really all Miata/MX-5 racing that I should have referenced.

There is also the global MX-5 cup, whose championship race was held in Barcelona in 2016. However, that is based on the 2017 MX-5 platform (pictured above)...not the 1989-2005 cars.

It is probably the most perfectly designed production car for racing that has ever been built. This is particularly true of the NA (1989-1997)/NB(1999-2005) models. Its light, its low, it has 4 wheel double-wishbone suspension, 4 wheel disk brakes, a massively robust engine design, very simple electronic systems, and is VERY easy to work on as a home mechanic.

Besides that, there are squillions of them (at last count I think Mazda MX-5 production has exceeded 1M units over its life worldwide) and they are cheap as dirt with a plentiful supply of replacement parts (new and used) at reasonable prices.

Buy a motorcycle. Ride it. Don't be stupid. You need to figure out what that means for you. Otherwise, you die. Less is more. 2 > 4

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Gnothi Seauton.

Actually no. I'm specifically referring to the handling of the ND on a racetrack, not the NA or NB---which are quite balanced when in race trim. On corner entry with the front loaded up from braking the ND is quite loose and a handful to drive---though it does settle down once you can balance it with some throttle. This was one of the major characteristics that had to be fixed in the development of the 2017 Global MX-5 Cup version of the car. It was scary loose, even for a top quality driver.

I like the styling of the RF, but I agree it looks more like a Z4 than a Miata. But, I drive a 1990 daily (same as the racecar).

My comment on stick vs. manual was kinda tongue-in-cheek. But, outside of F1, no self-respecting racecar driver would drive an automatic. /pink-kinda :-) I love driving a stick, and I enjoy the skill necessary to rev-match and heel-toe, while fully loaded up without locking the rear tires. To me, shifting IS part of racing. If I'm going to own a roadster for the street or track, it will ALWAYS be a stick, unless the gov't says they are too hard for the public to be trusted with and makes them illegal.

From a racing point of view, top of 5th (or 6th) gear speed means very little on most race-tracks. The only one I'm aware of that it does matter on is Daytona---where in a tandem bump draft we can hit redline in 5th at 137mph. Most tracks are limited to about 105-115 mph T1 entry speeds simply due to shorter straights. That's redline in 4th or low 5th. With its short wheelbase the MX-5 gets pretty tricky to handle above 120mph---it takes some VERY fast hands to keep up with the rear at those speeds.

Would you opt for a manual in a 911 GT3 Touring vs the RS?

My job takes me to a lot of WeatherTech racing weekends. The other series have cars that are more impressive to look at and definitely go faster, but the MX-5 races are frequently more entertaining.

That's a trick question. I wouldn't opt for a Porsche, at all. Besides that, it may seem odd, but I don't really follow all the various "other" cars. I never could keep all the 911 versions straight. But, I stand by my claim that I would always choose a standard over an automatic.

Ah yes, the ever growing 911 variants, from the lowly 911 Carerra 2 to the GT3 RS or even the pure race RSR.

Basically, the 'top of the line' 911 GT3 RS and I assume it's turbo charged sibling the GT2 RS are track focused, light weight, big wing and other aero bits, monsters that go really, really fast, and are only available with Porsche's double clutch PDK transmissions.

Porsche, in all it's wisdom, came out with the 911 R, witch was a super low production version, only available to buyers of the 918 Spyder, that had most of the GT3 RS's go fast bits except the crazy wing and aero bits, AND a manual transmission. These cars became instant unicorns and skyrocketed in price as people clamored for a manual 911 GT3 RS.

Porsche saw the demand, and came out with a 911 GT3 Touring edition, which is basically a (production) 911 R.

So, since double clutch, paddle shift transmissions are always faster around a track than their manual counterparts, would you opt for a (slightly) slower, manual 911 GT3 Touring vs a faster, PDK, GT3 RS, just for the added 'driver experience.'

Again...its sooo hypothetical...because I would never have any of them. Also, I'll never spend 6 figures on a car---when I hate spending 5!

That said, there are a lot of things that matter more to lap speeds than "shifting performance". From a quick read it also sounds like the touring addition also lost the rear wing, which would certainly alter high speed cornering. That probably has more impact on lap time than shifting---there are few things more disconcerting than a loose racecar at high-speed, mid-corner. Most of your control options are bad and will likely make the situation worse.

So, that makes the choice less equal. I'd have to take the better handling car, and just be sad that I didn't have a 3rd pedal.

Fun fact: There's a guy in the DFW area that owns a 918 Spyder. He brought it out to the NASA event at MSR Cresson last year, and drove it in HPDE. After my last race was over, I took my Dad for a ride along in the same session as the 918. The guy was the slowest car on track because he wouldn't "push" the corners at all. Just took a sunday drive through the twists, and then floored it on the straight. I get that it's an $845,000 car. And, I'd probably try and be a little careful---then again, probably not. But, if you can afford an $845,000...car surely you can afford to fix it if you break something. I think I passed the guy 3 times in my little ole SM. His bumper probably costs more than my car.

A 250hp car is plenty if the car can also turn and brake well. More power is better, but only if the car can also turn and brake. Many cannot.

Many Porsche’s I have driven fell underpowered because the car can handle the power so well. Realize this is an illusion as a car like this has plenty of power and doesn’t need more.

It's all about power to weight, and handling. Being able to floor the pedal and use 100% of the power on a slow car is nothing to get excited about. Equally I don't think I'd have much fun driving something that's basically a race car whose capabilities far exceed anything you're legally allowed to do on the road. A friend who is into his cars made that mistake - worked his way through an increasingly powerful series of cars until he ended up with a Ferrari 550 and 500hp. At which point he realised that he had a car which could comfortably break the speed limit in second gear and had so much grip that he couldn't even get close to exploiting it's full capabilities on a normal road. He ended up having kids a couple of years later and was quite happy to trade it in for a family SUV, and use some of the spare cash to buy a track car which he could properly enjoy without ending up in jail.

The cars I've had most fun in have been small and relatively powerful, so you can hurl them round bends and accelerate out of them. If I ever have the luxury of having enough space, money and time to own a completely impractical car just for enjoying, it'll be something like a Lotus.

I have a 911 GT3RS and shit keeps breaking on it

http://wikilego.com/...ego/lego%2042056.jpg

I didn't realize you Spec race, so you obviously have far more knowledge of the car than I do. I wasn't really thinking about performance on a race track. The OP was talking city streets and country roads so that was in my mind, and the average driver would find any version of the Miata a thrill to drive. I have to work pretty hard to get mine to push its limits, but then I've never had it over 110 mph. The scary thing about the car is moving to my wife's CX-5. I forget that the 25 mph off ramp sign really means 25 mph in that car. I generally ignore all those signs in the Miata.

The only modification I have on the NC is the Brimbo Brake package and the aftermarket engine compartment stiffener. I have to admit that all I noticed was appearance. Neither perform better then the original for what I generally do with the car. But then no one looking for cutting edge performance buys an automatic NC GT Hardtop Miata anyway :)

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

I've never had a car with a lot of power, but I can say that small, hot hatchbacks are a blast. Currently driving a GTI, and previous car was a WRX. They are really fun to drive in the twisty's, and have plenty of power to make it fun. That being said, I'd love to experience something with a bigger motor.

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Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.

I knew a guy who owned one of the 170 hp,190 mph "super bikes" that did 0-100 mph in a few seconds. It was basically a street legal moto gp race bike. He got rid of it and replaced with something far more practical. He told me he never used the power and always felt like an idiot riding around on something that he hardly ever took out of second gear at legal speeds.

" it'll be something like a Lotus. "

My brother is a Lotus nut. He has a 1965 Elan, 1972 Europa twin cam and an almost new Evo. The Evo is probably the best handling "super car" on the market although it produces "only" about 350 hp. But his favorite to drive is the Europa. Before he bought the Evo he had a 2012 Boss Mustang which he says handled like a truck compared to the Lotus.

Me - I have a 1980 Triumph TR8 with a mildly beefed up suspension and have tuned the 3.5 V8 to about 230 hp. Its all I'll ever need. Best of all, its a convertible.

I have one of each and am good with the slow car fast mentality. The Porsche can kick in rapidly but for no longer than a few seconds due to speed limits. The Mercedes is just right for my style of driving.

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DISH is how we do it.

Interesting list here: http://www.roadandtrack.com/...st-first-track-cars/

They definitely side on the slow (less powerful, but light) car fast vs fast car slow.

There is obviously a huge cost difference between smaller, less powerful cars and high power cars.

It comes down to what you want to spend and what you want to do with it.

Are you trying to decide between an Ecoboost Mustang vs the GT or between the GT and the GT 350?

Or between a Mustang GT and a Focus RS?

Obviously nothing from Ford... ;)
I kid, I kid.

This whole thought kind of stemmed from where I spend most of my time, mountain biking. It’s hugely common to see people riding around on 160/170mm travel enduro/all mountain/heavy duty trail (whatever the fck you wanna call em) bikes on trails where a 100/120mm travel bike has no issues at all. Basically mellowing everything out to the point of boredom.

That’s kind of the way I see it. I’d rather be on a shorter travel bike and rip the trail, pop off natural lips etc than be just straight line plowing sucked to the ground, with excess travel there ready to suck up the smallest of roots or pebbles.

I feel like I lean the same way towards cars. I’d rather be in a brz or Miata or something like that, and be able to drive to the cars limits, while working on driver skill, than take a GT3 RS and coast around and stay in second gear all day.

Eh 🤷🏼‍♂️

The best middle ground is a focus RS or wrx, sti or awd gold r6 type. Big power. Can use huge amounts of it on country roads / mountain passes and they have huge grip and big brakes

http://www.drivingforpleasure.co.uk/...route-de-la-napoleon

Road outside my house. 300 km of it

You see everything up there but AWD hot hatches are the best for it