RoadsterSport MAX TORQUE Standard Length MX5 Miata Stainless Header BRIGHT SILVER CERAMIC FINISH Stainless Steel 2016-2020
It was believed to be said originally by Enzo Ferrari, and repeated later by Carroll Shelby, that "Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races." The reason is quite simple, TORQUE is what helps you leap out of tight turns and pushes you away from stoplights, etc. In autocross and track events any advantage at the start of the slower sections is advantage you carry to the end of each section, and torque is what you actually feel pushing you back in the seat. With that in mind, our headers here use a 4-2-1 layout which puts less emphasis on peak hp at top of rpms that you rarely use, and more emphasis on max low and mid range TORQUE that you can use every day, and for victory on race weekends. With the new generation Miata the factory went 4-2-1 on header layout for the first time, this is a much higher flowing version of the same 4-2-1 layout to give you the biggest torque curve possible in a standard length header.
Limited Edition Ceramic Coated. Our regular version is polished stainless, which will bronze and blue in response to the heat of use. As a result, got some requests to do bright silver ceramic coating over the polished stainless, which improves long term appearance and performance (about 3% better dyno results with the ceramic coating). Fits both LHD and RHD.
HEAR it now from the tailpipe on the dyno! This full throttle with camera right at the tailpipe so this massively exaggerates the volume but gives you good feel for the character and tone at full throttle. You are hearing ALL THREE of the following here: RoadsterSport Max Power Header, plus the RoadsterSport Midpipe and RoadsterSport SuperQ Muffler. The midpipe and muffler obviously not included with the header, sold separate on this site.
Now details on our header and why you want it. For the FIRST TIME Mazda went with 4-2-1 factory header layout to make that fat midrange that makes the ND so quick. Many magazines get 0-60 in stock form at about 6 seconds flat, which is obviously not about the mere 155 hp that the factory rates this motor at the crank. We tested ND headers in 4-1 layout as we have done in the past on NC generation, and 4-2-1 layout and quickly understood the factory thinking...this motor is about TORQUE, and this motor wants a 4-2-1 layout to maximize what this Skyactiv motor is designed to do.
Thus, first thing to know about the Skyactiv 2.0 motor is that a highflow 4-2-1 makes the midrange as beefy as you can get it. Sadly, most folks only think HP and do not understand torque, but it is the really wide TORQUE curve of ND that makes it so quick compared to prior Miatas, and our humble opinion is that it is best to play to that strong point, give the ND skyactiv motor what it wants!
The ND will run okay with the header if you skip the tune but it is a VERY complex motor and tune and you do NOT get all the gains if you skip the tune!!
We strongly recommend the RoadsterSport SuperQ Header version muffler with this header because it was designed to handle the sound level of the header and our standard midpipe, most other mufflers will be too loud for most folks with this header change.
Quality header construction starts with mandrel bent 304 stainless construction, making this the ONLY MX5 Miata header choice proudly made in the USA with LIFETIME warranty on construction. Beware the choices that are just straight pipe and sharp 90 degree bends welded up in Taiwan and China, they won't last and they won't give max performance in return for the trouble of installing them.
Our outlet is 2.5 inches. For best performance customers should match our header with our RoadsterSport midpipe and RoadsterSport SuperQ exhaust (special header version STRONGLY recommended) so they are running 2.5 inches of flow all the way...but our header will bolt in place of the factory header and connect perfectly to the factory midpipe (however doing that would mean an engine code unless you move second sensor after midpipe converter like our RoadsterSport midpipe provides plug and play).
Factory first O2 sensor is in the OEM header and stays in our header without use of extension cords. Factory second sensor in the midpipe should be moved after the factory midpipe converter to avoid an engine code (our RoadsterSport midpipe provides bung in that location for this reason). That second sensor reaches its new location without use of extension cords. Bottom like is full plug and play install...but we strongly suggest our Orange Virus or MotoEast Tune as critical to getting maximum torque results in a safe manner.
CARB NOTICE: Installing this header in the MX5 Miata means removing the first catalytic converter which means this header will NEVER be a California street legal header, never be CARB approved (and therefore legal in California for off road use only).