2016 ND Miata Club versus 1997 NA Miata - Laguna Seca

On October 2 2015 I took my new 2016 ND Miata Club w/BBS/Brembo (my new daily driver) to Laguna Seca to see what it could do, completely stock (no alignment changes, no new tires, nothing). I compared the laps to my current track car, a 1997 NA Miata, and my fastest time in it of 1:50.8.

The 1997 NA

My current track car is pretty close to a Spec Miata. It's a 1997 NA with:

• Spec Miata suspension: bilsteins, eibach springs
• Lowered, corner balanced, fenders rolled
• Race alignment (max caster and camber)
• Flyin' Miata sway bars with adjustable end links
• FCM bump stops
• Kosei K1 15x7 wheels, 30mm offset
• Stoptech slotted rotors
• Hawk DTC60 pads
• 90K miles on stock engine
• only engine mod: Koyo race radiator
• Hard Dog M1 roll bar
• Sparco EvoII seats
• Sparco 3" 6 point harnesses
• Torsen type 2 LSD (stock)
• Removed A/C
• De-powered power steering
• Recent clutch and rebuilt transmission

photos by Dito Milan: www.gotbluemilk.com

The 2016 ND

My 2016 is a Club model with the BBS/Brembo brake package. It's totally stock, with about 500 miles on it. I didn't change anything, down to using the recommended tire pressures on the door.

photos by Dito Milan: www.gotbluemilk.com

Street Comparison

On the street, comparing these two cars is almost pointless. The ND wins in just about every way. It has more pwer by a lot, making more power sooner in the lower rpm range. The suspension is solid but not overly stiff. Cornering on the street is almost mind-reading. The clutch is easy and smooth and the 6-speed transmission works perfect.

Where my NA beats it: the NA has a hard top. I dislike soft tops. The NA is simplest to work on by far. I have a feeling if I want to do much wrenching I'll need to up my computer skills (and I'm a UNIX programmer). The NA ironically has something else going for it: it's old. I don't care if it gets scratched up or dinged. I can park it just about anywhere and not worry about it. I can throw it into corners, not fearing what happens if it breaks loose. Hmmm.

The downside of the NA in its current form is that it's MISERABLE in normal street driving. The suspension is so stiff that even the smallest bumps hurt. If I hit a big pothole it feels like I'm getting kidney punched. The clutch is very tight. There's no A/C. The steering at low speeds is stupid hard. After even a short jaunt across town I'm ready to get out, walk away and not look back. And oh, I'm just not a big fan of pop-up headlights.

So there it is: on the street, ND all the way. No brainer.

Track Comparison

 1997 NA: 1:50.78

My fastest lap in the NA was 1:50.78. The NA stays super flat in the corners and the Toyo RRs grip like there's no tomorrow. Momentum is key in this car - slow as little as possible entering corners then full throttle past the apex and out.

2016 ND: 1:55.0

As much as I thought the increased power would help, the best I could muster in the ND was 1:55.0. The stock tires are garbage on the track. Lots of sliding around, and when they get hot (after about 4 hard laps) they get really greasy and let go just about everywhere.
The ND also has considerable body roll, which has been touted as "on purpose" and to "give more feedback". Well it just sucks. Between the tires and the body roll I felt like I was on hot marshmallows.
Since this is my daily driver (and a brand new car!) I also just wasn't willing to push it any more. Many times I had to do major countersteering corrections just to stay on the track. Scary. For example, in the NA I can go flat out through turn 4. In the ND I had to back off before entering otherwise I got oversteer. Yikes.
The power is way better, yes, and I did end up significantly faster at the end of the main straight, but the wallowy cornering just couldn't keep up.

side note: I had a great microphone setup ready for this video then left it at home. Doh! So the sound was basically all wind noise. So I got rid of the sound altogether. Sorry.

Conclusions

I know this isn't a fair test anyway, but I thought it would be interesting to try. On the street the ND wins easily. On the track the NA wins easily. In order to get the ND to beat the NA I'd have to get good tires, do a race alignment, add coilovers and stiffer sway bars, and lower the suspension. And if I did all that it would be miserable on the street. My NA is already that way, so no use in doing anything to the ND.

I'll just consider myself lucky to have both.