A big part of the appeal of the Mazda MX-5 Miata is its ability to get so much driving excitement out of a relatively modest powertrain. At around 2,500 pounds, the MX-5 gets a lot of thrills out of its 181-horsepower straight-four. It doesn’t have a big engine because it doesn’t need a big engine… But what if it had a big engine?
Why not double the cylinders, triple the displacement, and build something that can clear 60 mph in just over three seconds? That’s exactly what the company Flyin’ Miata did, converting the MX-5 to run on a 6.2-liter V8. The result was one of the wildest sports cars on the road. Here’s what you need to know.
Flyin’ Miata Started Converting MX-5s To V8 In 2008
2016 Flyin’ Miata Mazda MX-5 with a V8 engineBring a Trailer
Flyin’ Miata began by partnering with V8 Roadsters to build a proof-of-concept model named Elvis. In 2016, the brand started converting the fourth-generation (2016-present) chassis Miatas, and would go on to build a total of 40 Mazda muscle cars by 2019.
Flyin’ Miata V8 MX-5 Performance Specs
Engine
6.2-Liter NA 8-Cylinder
Power
430-525 hp
Transmission
6-Speed Manual
Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
0-60
3.4 Seconds
The 430- and 525-hp variants both use the same 10.7:1 compression ratio, but the more powerful car runs a General Motors ASA Camshaft.
There’s a lot more to a project like this than simply plugging a V8 into a Miata and handing the keys to the customer. To accommodate the extra weight, the company had to overhaul the suspension. The onboard computers were looking for a four-cylinder engine, so the factory throttle body stayed in place just to trick the ECU. The reinforced subframe included an added square-tube bar to handle the extra force of the V8; otherwise, the Miata would split right down the middle.
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Flyin’ Miata used a Lingenfelter performance version of the LS3 6.2-liter V8 engine. It’s a powerplant that you’re more likely to find in a Chevy Corvette or Camaro SS. The company engineered the swap with the intention of keeping things stock in as many areas as possible. It wanted to produce a car that was still fundamentally a Miata but with more than double the horsepower.
The company charged $55,000 for the conversions, plus the buyer had to supply a donor car. For context, a 2016 Miata started at $24,915, plus a $820 destination fee.
It Drives Like, Well, A Miata With A V8 Engine Under The Hood
2016 Flyin’ Miata Mazda MX-5 with a V8 engineBring a Trailer
The V8 Miata is one of the all-time bonkers builds, along with the Twister Special Fords and the V8 Aston Martin Cygnet. There’s no reasonable cause to create something like this, and that’s what makes it so attractive.
Hands-on reviews note the explosive acceleration paired with the playful handling inherent to the platform, with the V8 engine not squashing the Miata’s charming personality under the massive horsepower, but bringing more of it to the surface.
Flyin’ Miata built a car that provides endless thrills on winding mountain roads, and which stands as the ultimate secret weapon on the track. Nobody expects to get smoked by an MX-5 screaming through the trap in 12 seconds at 125 mph.
Flyin’ Miata Doesn’t Build These Cars Anymore
2016 Flyin’ Miata Mazda MX-5 with a V8 engineBring a Trailer
Flyin’ Miata essentially ran uncontested as the go-to team for anyone wanting a V8 Mazda. And yet, there simply wasn’t enough business to keep building them. We want Mazda to build a real V8, but the team at Flyin’ Miata discovered what Mazda likely already knew: the market for a 525-hp Miata bottoms out pretty quick. Case in point, the company only built 40 with a V8.
The team at Flyin’ Miata addressed the decision to stop in a blog post last year, citing the following factors as contributing.
- Resource allocation. There are only so many hours in a day; the R&D budget is only so big. As Flyin’ Miata puts it, V8 conversions make up a relatively small portion of customer requests, meaning their time and energy were better spent elsewhere.
- Operational inefficiency. Streamlining business processes to improve efficiency and tuning the shop made it “difficult to manage the one-off parts and custom work required for V8 builds.”
- Low volume and high cost. If there’s a “main reason,” it’s probably this. According to Flyin’ Miata, the parts for the V8 conversions “were expensive to keep in stock due to low sales volume.” Vendors don’t always sell you one part at a time, meaning that, for instance, Flyin’ Miata had to order 10 headers at a time, which just didn’t make sense when you might not need that many headers in a year.
- Emissions regulations. Not the reason, but definitely a reason why Flyin’ Miata stopped building V8 Miatas. According to the company, there have been “no legal judgments against engine swap companies to date,” but why risk it when you’re already selling in such low volume?
Flyin’ Miata still builds turbocharged Miatas, but hasn’t built a V8 model since 2019. The company shows no interest in getting back into the game anytime soon. We understand, but that doesn’t mean we have to be happy about it.
Is A Flyin’ Miata V8 Worth Buying In 2026?
2016 Flyin’ Miata Mazda MX-5 with a V8 engineBring a Trailer
As mentioned, Flyin’ Miata doesn’t build V8s anymore. But, the V8s are still out there. We don’t know how many of the 40 original models are still in good shape, but a listing for a 2016 model shows that they still hit the market now and then.
The V8 Miata sold for $99,787 in November 2022, with just 16,000 miles on it. That’s a pretty fair price for a car that you can’t get anymore, costing about what you would have spent buying the donor, transporting it to the Flyin’ Miata team, and getting the V8 conversion brand-new.
A 2001 model sold for $69,777 last summer with 24,000 miles on the odometer. A 2000 model reached $34,000 earlier this year but failed to meet its reserve price (perhaps owing to the 148,000 miles on its chassis).
The LS Engine Is Reliable, And Common
2016 Flyin’ Miata Mazda MX-5 with a V8 engineBring a Trailer
If you can find one, can afford it, and the price seems fair to you, we have no reservations about recommending one of these cars. The LS3 small block under the hood is a trooper, and the powerplant belongs to one of the most common engine families on the planet. Even if your mechanic has never seen something like this before, it shouldn’t take long for them to figure out what they’re dealing with.
Plus, Flyin’ Miata is still around. They may not build these cars anymore, but they should be able to answer any questions you have about them.
All of that being said, no engine is without its share of mechanical issues, and the LS3 is starting to show its age. If you’re thinking of buying a Flyin’ Miata for yourself, valve guide wear is the big one to watch out for, which can lead to excessive oil consumption and blue smoke. But, with regular maintenance, there’s no reason an LS3 can’t hit a quarter million miles and then some.
Come On, Mazda, FM Already Drew Up The Blueprint
2016 Flyin’ Miata Mazda MX-5 with a V8 engineBring a Trailer
If there’s a modern-day custom build that deserves to be incorporated into the official lineup, like the Shelby Mustang, we’d love to see it happen to the eight-cylinder Flyin’ Miata build.
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We know the company won’t do it, of course. Mazda simply doesn’t have the nerve for it. Well, that, and the project is not economically viable. Muscle car fans tend to buy muscle cars, and the Miata’s appeal has a lot to do with its low starting price. Gearheads aren’t exactly clamoring for a V8 Miata. But we’re going with “Mazda’s just chicken” in the hopes that we can goad them into building an official eight-cylinder MX-5 based on the Flyin’ Miata build.
We’re not holding our collective breath for Mazda to pick up where FM left off, but we can dream.
Sources: Mazda, Flyin’ Miata.
