THE TUNER DAVE BRODIE

To appease customers wanting a perkier Mk1 MX-5, Mazda turned to Brodie Brittain Racing for a turbo kit

ONE OF THE CRITICISMS OF THE EARLY MX-5 was that it was a bit underpowered, that its chassis could handle more, so Mazda UK had the idea of producing a turbo kit. It approached three companies to tender for the contract – TWR, Turbo Technics and BBR (Brodie Brittain Racing). BBR already had vast experience of tuning turbocharged cars, including various Mitsubishis and many Sierra Cosworths.

‘We really wanted to win the business,’ recalls Dave Brodie, now in his seventies but still tack sharp. ‘So we set to work on the most economic layout. We were also aware global dealers were going to fit them so we knew the kit needed to go together like Lego. We soon had that sorted, factored in R&D and priced the kit to build in 50 kits at a time, allowing us to be very competitive.

‘We won the tender, and following Mazda’s strict brief designed a bulletproof, 150bhp kit, using our own ECU to manage fuelling onboost.’ Part of the R&D included Brodie driving the first car twice around the M25 at maximum revs in third gear, slowing only at the Dartford Crossing. Despite the turbo glowing red-hot, it proved impossible to break. As Brodie says, BBR must have got it right because having expected to sell around 200 kits, it went on to supply 1500 worldwide, making it the most successful aftermarket turbo conversion ever.

‘Chris Jackson at Mazda UK was brilliant; they were all super guys to deal with down there. And then, one day, I get a call from Janet, his PA, and usually she’s chatty but this was quite curt. “Is that Mr Brodie? It’s Janet, Chris Jackson’s PA, we’d like to see you at 11.30am tomorrow.” I’m thinking, “Uh-oh, what’s happened?”

‘I turn up and it’s all a bit frosty and I’m thinking, “What have we done?” I get ushered into the boardroom and all the directors are there and there’s one chair facing them. I sit down and the CEO starts. “This is a serious matter,” and I’m thinking, “What’s happened? Someone has to be dead!” Then he goes on about all the special editions they’ve made and I’m thinking, “Hang on – what’s this got to do with me?” He says, “We have one supplier in Nuneaton who can’t make a hard-top that doesn’t piss in water from all corners, while you,

David, you,” – and by now I’m looking at the window for escape – “we’ve sold 370 of your kits of 160 parts and we haven’t had a single issue… so we’re taking you out and buying you lunch!”’

The kit cost £2702.50 including VAT, fitted, and the factory warranty was unaffected. It was only delivering 7 psi and so in effect it was a light-pressure turbo before it became a thing, raising power to 150bhp and torque to about the same in lb ft. The boost came in so smoothly and the delivery was so consistent that the engine felt more like a bigger, naturally aspirated engine than a turbo motor. And, as most pundits had predicated, the chassis could handle it.

Even so, BBR offered some tuning parts to make the car even sportier, including a limitedslip diff, lowered Koni suspension, OZ alloys, a rear spoiler and a rollover hoop. Most were fitted to the 1991 Le Mans limited edition MX-5. All these parts were also fitted to BBR’S ‘Level 2’ kit, which was warranted by BBR as it included a total engine rebuild to produce a whopping 232bhp. The way that car legged it off up the road, there was no doubt it was turbocharged!