the miata is a much loved handling car. Most track and racing bodies have a spec miata class.

 

Ok, I believe you. Not my cup o tea though. Don't see myself ever driving one but who knows.

 

It does not matter. The Mustang has higher limits then the Miata period. The only place where your argument holds water is an extremly tight track where the Miatas size helps it. On the road or a more open track the Mustang is my choice everytime.

 

As a long-time mustang owner just offering an opinion, the car that gets to the finish line fastest isn't always the one that's most fun to drive.

There's no argument, just talking about the difference between what makes a car a great drivers car, vs what makes the car fastest from point A to point B.

Good reading on the subject here:
http://www.motortrend.com/features/p...t_drivers_car/

Notice that the cars with the fastest lap time aren't necessarily the cars that place high in the list. There's a difference between the capabilities of a car, and whether the car offers the necessary confidence and feedback necessary for the average non-professional driver to reach those capabilities. We can sit around all day and talk about the lap times of a 2011 Brembo 5.0 vs a M3, and how they run the same lap time when driven by a professional, but that doesn't mean the average driver can get anywhere close to that.

 

Very true ^

I owned an RX8 for 4 years before I bought my '11 GT, and it handled like a dream. Even though the Mustang is faster, the RX8's feel & steering wheel feedback inspired so much more confidence that it allowed me to drive the car faster easier than the Mustang.

The mustang is a faster car, but not nearly as easy to throw into a corner as the Mazda.

 

I'll have to take your word for it (fisticuffs optional) because at 6'4" and two-fiddy, I literally can't fit in the thing.

 

LOL, you know you're talking about a light car when the owners have the alignment shop do to the alignment with the owner sitting in the car!

"Sorry Honey, you can't ride with me today, you'll throw the alignment off and ruin the camber!"

 

LOL it IS a tight car, and supposedly popular with homos, but I like them (Miatas that is). Rode with a friend once and he could raise & lower the convertible top while going 55 mph down the freeway. it's just a fun package (which may explain the gay popularity!!) LOL, sometimes I just kill myself!!

You know, the 3750-lb. 1999 BMW 540 6MT I once owned also had a spec requirement for specific weights to be placed in the car prior to doing an alignment; something like 100 lb in each front seat & 150 in the back seat or something like that. The dealer had these specific "alignment weights". When I had the local Firestone shop do my alignment ("Weights?!? We don't need no stinking weights!") my tires wore out on the inside 3 months later. When I had the dealer do the alignment (per spec of course) all was well.

 

Funny you mentioned that... If I recall, during the article the author did mention he took both cars out for some laps calling it, "Pros vs. Joe's," and managed a quicker time in the Brembo GT!

 

Wow, that came out of left field.
At one time I owned 3 of the vehicles on the "Top 10 Favorite Lesbian Vehicles":

Jeep Wrangler
Ford F150
Honda Element (still my DD)

I sold the jeep & truck and bought my Mustang to get back in touch with my manly side.
But I wouldnt mind having Miata for a fun car.

 

I love the handling of my mustangs....but....they cant touch the SVT Focus I had a few years back. Man, I could toss that thing into **** near any corner at speed and have NOTHING to worry about.

Rearwheel drive is where its at....but that little focus really stuck in the corners

 

I would have to agree with the SVT focus.



As I remember someone put a termi motor into a focus and then tracked it vs a cobra and the focus won.

 

I currently own the '11 GT and an '02 Miata!

Still, I enjoy reading articles like this to get other's opinions and experiences with other cars. That's what helped me decide on my purchase of both of these cars!

Oh, when I had the suspension upgraded on my 2-ton, awd Charger, the shop insisted on doing the alignment with me in the car.

 

Yeah, it does matter - the Miata may not win in a race with a Mustang, but I'd venture to say almost every one of us would have an easier time driving a Miata fast around a tight handling racetrack than a Mustang. It's not an insult to the Mustang, which has come such a long, long way when it comes to handling in the past 15 years.

Miatas are fabulous driving cars and always have been - perfect weight distribution, lightweight, bulletproof, nicely weighted steering and a wonderfully communicative chassis. Drive one sometime without any bias and you'll see. When it comes to racing, there's no cheaper, better way to get into wheel-to-wheel road racing than Spec Miata either - that series is a blast.

All that being said, I'm still happy the Mustang did as well as it did in this competition, and you guys should too. It's not like the Camaro came out ahead...

 

Miata + small block Chevy = insanity.

Seriously, they handle better than anything you'd expect. They are under powered, but the NB (2nd gen) Miata with a turbo or supercharger on it is an awesome track vehicle. Not to mention parts are cheap and plentiful, and you see why they do so well.

 

^^^ Pretty much the recipe for a modern Cobra roadster right there.
Just happy the Mustang finds itself in good company despite the ancient rear axle and the Camaro is no where near the Mustang in the handling department until they copy the BOSS 302 - *cough* - I mean, make a proper Z28.

 

I built a 2000 with a mid range turbo 260ish rwhp and a full coil over suspension kit. It was easily faster than my 2009 Mustang GT in every measure but not as much fun as my stock 1997 miata.

 

for a daily driver I would agree but if I'm going to drive my car on the track and get it for that reason I'm going with the car that a pro gets the best numbers with. If I can't match his numbers that's my fault not the cars. If a boss can beat an m3 then I'm going boss every day of the week, what better way to learn how to drive on a track than to try and make the numbers in a car that a pro does. Just my .02

 

Back in the late 80s /early 90s, a company called Monster Motorsports put the 5.0 and Mustang tranny in a Miata.

It was nearly the fastest thing on the road.

 

Love my Boss 302 but the 3 (!) Miatas I owned over the years were simply brilliant cars.