# Mazda MX-5 Cup ND (2016–present)

- Source: https://racingcarnetwork.com/wiki/mazda-mx-5-cup-nd/
- Publisher: Racing Car Network (racingcarnetwork.com), the race car marketplace
- Type: car · Brand: Mazda
- Discipline: gt-cup
- Series: one-make-cup
- Era: 2010s
- Last updated: 2026-11-06

The factory-built one-make race car based on the fourth-generation (ND) Mazda MX-5, sold ready to race since late 2015. It runs a sealed 2.0 Skyactiv engine and, since 2020, a SADEV sequential gearbox. It is the car of the IMSA-sanctioned Mazda MX-5 Cup, and retired cars feed US club racing.

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Engine | Sealed Skyactiv-G 2.0 litre inline-four with sealed Bosch Motorsport ECU [11] |
| Power | 181 hp, 7,500 rpm limit (ND2); ND1 about 26 hp less [3][4] |
| Weight | 2,415 lb (1,095 kg) minimum in 2017, ballast box in passenger floor [2] |
| Gearbox | SADEV 6-speed sequential with pump and cooler (series cars from 2020); Mazda 6-speed manual on ND1 and early ND2 [5][11] |
| Chassis | Production ND roadster shell from Hiroshima, stripped and fitted with FIA-homologated cage and NASCAR-style door bars [13][11] |
| Suspension | Penske adjustable dampers (required in MX-5 Cup from 2025), previously Multimatic DSSV [10][2] |
| Brakes | Brembo 4-piston front calipers, floating vented rotors, PAGID pads [11][8] |
| Wheels Tyres | Rays forged 17 x 7.5 in wheels, Michelin 215/40R17 (20/61-17) [8][11] |
| Years | 2016 season to present [1][13] |
| Built | Long Road Racing (2016-2019), Flis Performance (2020 on); car 300 completed June 2024 [12][16] |

## History

Mazda has run a one-make MX-5 professional series since 2003. From 2006 to 2015 it used the NC generation with a Mazdaspeed-prepared stock 2.0 and six-speed manual [16]. For 2016 Mazda North American Operations and Long Road Racing of Statesville, North Carolina, developed a turnkey car on the new ND roadster [1][16]. Orders opened on 1 October 2015 at $53,000 [1]. Base cars came from Hiroshima, and Long Road Racing stripped them, fitted the cage and changed over 250 parts [2]. It built 120 cars in 2016 [2].

Early cars received running changes. From 7 September 2016 the price rose to $58,900, adding a motorsport gearbox, new engine brackets, differential bushing inserts and ECU updates [0]. Mazda offered retrofit parts so early builds could match [0]. For 2019 the ND2 arrived with 181 hp, a 7,500 rpm limit, a Bosch ECU and cooling and transmission upgrades, at $68,000 new [3]. ND1 owners could buy upgrade kits [3].

Long Road Racing closed in 2019 and Flis Performance of Daytona Beach took over production for 2020 [16][12]. That season the SADEV sequential gearbox became mandatory in the pro series [5][7]. Todd Flis later said the gearbox was only about 60 percent developed when it first raced [6]. A December 2022 bulletin made a Brembo front brake kit and PAGID pads compulsory [8]. Penske dampers replaced the Multimatic DSSV units in the series for 2025 [10].

The series has been sanctioned by IMSA since 2021 and races at WeatherTech SportsCar Championship weekends [16]. Flis completed car number 300 in June 2024 [12]. In 2025 a new race-ready car started at $109,000 plus tax [11]. Many retired pro cars now race in SCCA club classes such as Touring 3 and Super Touring Lite [5].

## Palmarès

The ND car has formed the whole grid of the US pro MX-5 Cup since 2016 [1][16]. Nathanial Sparks won the first Global MX-5 Cup Invitational in 2016, and Patrick Gallagher took the 2017 title [16]. Connor Zilisch was the series Rookie of the Year in 2022 [12]. Jeremy Fletcher won the 2025 championship [16], and Bobby Gossett took the 2026 title at Road Atlanta [13]. The 2025 champion's award was $250,000 [11]. In Japan a Global MX-5 Cup series started in 2017 with five rounds and a final at Laguna Seca [17].

## What to check before you buy

Confirm ND1 or ND2 specification and which ECU is fitted: ND2 brings 181 hp, a 7,500 rpm limit and a Bosch ECU. Converted ND1 cars keep their original VIN, so the ECU and parts list matter. Gearbox type: SADEV sequential or H-pattern: The SADEV is required in the pro series. H-pattern ND1 and ND2 cars are classed in SCCA Super Touring Lite rather than Touring 3. Seals on engine, ECU, differential and dampers: The engine and ECU are paint-marked and sealed, as are the differential and Penske dampers. Broken seals end legality in MX-5 Cup. Required bulletin items: Brembo kit, bumper insert, Penske dampers: A car lacking them needs extra parts before it can race in MX-5 Cup. The homologation document lists every required bulletin. Engine hours from the AiM logger: Engines are sealed with no published rebuild interval, so logged hours are the best guide. One 2016 car was offered in 2025 with 240 hours. Cage paperwork and safety dates: The cage is covered by an FIA homologation certificate. Check fire bottle pressure and service date, belt and seat expiry. Build records tied to the VIN: Long Road Racing tagged every part to the car's VIN during the build. Records show which updates and crash repairs the car has had.

## Did you know

- The 100th order, placed in June 2016, came from Monticello Motor Club for its member rental fleet [1].
- Car number 300 was completed in June 2024 and kept by Flis as a test car [12].
- The 2023 cage design fits drivers up to 6 ft 4 in and suits both left- and right-hand-drive cars [18].

## Frequently asked questions

**Is an MX-5 Cup car the same as a Spec Miata?** No. Spec Miata is a club class built from older road cars by owners. The MX-5 Cup car is a factory-built ND race car with a sealed engine, sealed ECU and, since 2020, a SADEV sequential gearbox. It is sold complete by Mazda's appointed builder.

**Can an ND1 car still race in the pro series?** Only after conversion. Mazda sold ND2 upgrade parts from 2019, and the pro series has required the SADEV gearbox since 2020. Current rules also need the Brembo brake kit, bumper insert and Penske dampers. Unconverted H-pattern cars are classed in SCCA Super Touring Lite.

**How often does the engine need rebuilding?** There is no published interval. The engine and ECU are sealed, and Flis's service guide covers fluids and chassis parts rather than engine rebuilds. Ask for logged hours from the AiM system. One 2016 car offered in 2025 still had its sealed factory engine at 240 hours.

**Who builds and supports the car today?** Flis Performance in Daytona Beach has been Mazda's sole appointed builder since 2020, after Long Road Racing closed in 2019. Flis publishes the homologation document and technical bulletins and supports teams at series events. Parts carry Mazda Motorsports part numbers.

**What does a used car cost compared with new?** In 2025 a new race-ready car started at $109,000 plus tax. Older 2016 ND1 cars were advertised at $39,000 to $45,000 between 2023 and 2025. Budget for ND2 conversion, the SADEV gearbox and current bulletin parts if you plan to race in the pro series.

## Sources

- Mazda MX-5 Cup Pricing Update — https://news.mazdausa.com/2016-08-30-Mazda-MX-5-Cup-Pricing-Update
- 100th Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Race Car Sold — https://news.mazdausa.com/2016-06-22-100th-Global-Mazda-MX-5-Cup-Race-Car-Sold
- This is How the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Car Is Built — https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2017/04/global-mazda-mx-5-cup-car-built/
- Enhancements For 2019 Mazda Global MX-5 Cup Announced — https://news.mazdausa.com/2018-10-11-Enhancements-For-2019-Mazda-Global-MX-5-Cup-Announced
- 2019 Mazda MX-5 Cup ND2 Is a $68,000 Miata Worth Every Penny — https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/27125/2019-mazda-mx-5-cup-nd2-is-a-68000-miata-worth-every-penny
- Mazda MX-5 Alphabet Soup — https://growtiming.scca.com/articles/2014121-mazda-mx-5-alphabet-soup
- Q&A With Todd Flis — https://www.mx-5cup.com/news/q-a-with-todd-flis
- Getting technical with the new Mazda MX-5 Cup gearbox — https://tomlongracing.com/2020/07/07/getting-technical-with-the-new-mazda-mx-5-cup-gearbox/
- ND.2 Mazda MX-5 Cup Homologation Document, Version 18 — https://flisperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-ND.2-Mazda-MX-5-Cup-Homologation-Document-Version-18.pdf
- Mazda MX-5 Cup ND.2 Basic Service Intervals Quick Guide — https://flisperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/MX-5C-Basic-Service-Intervals-Quick-Guide.pdf
- Mazda MX-5 Cup Car TSB 2024-11-25: Required Penske Dampers — https://flisperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ND2-TSB-2024-11-25-Penske-Damper-Required.pdf
- 2025 Mazda MX-5 Cup Series Operations Manual brochure — https://flisperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-MX5-OpMan-Brochure-R2.pdf
- Flis Performance completes Mazda MX-5 Cup car build number 300 — https://flisperformance.com/?p=1638
- MX-5 Cup Car Info — https://www.mx-5cup.com/about/mx5-car-info
- You Need This: ND1-chassis Mazda MX-5 Global Cup Car — https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/news/you-need-this-nd1-chassis-mazda-mx-5-global-cup-car
- 2016 Mazda MX-5 Global ND.1 for sale — https://www.monticellomotorclub.com/?p=2188
- Mazda MX-5 Cup — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_MX-5_Cup
- Global MX-5 Cup Japan 2017 season announcement — https://car.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1047552.html
- Mazda MX-5 Cup Race Car Purchase Agreement rev 23, Features List — https://flisperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Mazda-MX-5-Cup-Race-Car-Purchase-Agreement-rev-23-FEATURES-LIST.pdf
- Search results for mx-5 cup — https://www.racingcarnetwork.com/?s=mx-5+cup

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