Miata Mailing List: March 1993, Message #80
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   From: (none)
Subject: sorry Tim, MORE POWER not needed... (fwd)
   Date: (none)

Forwarded message:

Kenneth writes:
> personally, i just as happy the car isn't too fast - IMHO, 
> every second you cut off the 0-60 time is one second less
> worth of enjoyment (well, within reason :-)

Normally I would agree, but in the last year I've been beaten off
the line by a Cherokee (V8?) and had to work hard to stave off
some kind of Voyager mini-van thingy.  In a way it's an unfortunate
fact that many cars these days fall into the 7-9 second 0-60 time
range.  Lord knows that most of the time I'd just as soon not race
off the light, but you know what can happen - they scream on the
straightaway and then languish in the turns.  You sit at the light
in a screaming yellow (or whatever) Miata and then get beat by some
lurching family car.  It's just embarrassing.

> > I guess the big hangup with Mazda and the Miata is
> > one of the "Automotive Heritage" things. "It's gotta
> > be a 4-banger, double overhead cam."
> 
> maybe, but i think the main engine goals include:
> - sounds great when revving
> - fuel efficient
> - small and light weight
> - performs reasonably well
> the miata engines fit all these bills; higher performance engines
> such as the V8 or the Wankel fail in one or more other categories.

I have to admit that I'm addicted to the sound of the 4 banger.  When I
was in school it was the Fiats, Alfas, 510's, and Lotus' that caught
my ear when they went by.

It doesn't seem like it ought to be that hard to get 130-150hp out of
the engine.

Ah well, enough daydreaming...

-- 
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