bg-image bg-image bg-image

Mazda Miata MX-5

The History of the Mazda MX-5 ICE RACE #2

Mazda has been active in motor racing since the 1960s, and you can really feel this experience in one particular model:
the

This car is a homage to the roadster of past generations and is also a toy for the road. You can just feel this in every fibre of its body, as soon as you start the engine, put it into gear, and then let the raw power of this racing car run free. To date there have been four generations of this lively speedster and also a number of special editions. A rather special limited model was the Mazda MX-5 ICE RACE in 2011. Just 21 MX-5s, specifically designed for use on snow and ice and fitted with spiked tyres, were tuned by Engstler for a four-hour race on the ice at Lake Kallsjön in Åre, Sweden.
This Mazda MX 5 ICE RACE can be used legally on German roads, which makes it something even rarer. This means that this MX-5 is a true racing car for the road.

The conversion for the OPEN RACE 2010

To celebrate the Mazda MX-5’s 20th birthday, Mazda arranged for the company Engstler Motorsport to convert 30 series MX-5s. And so these nippy, 160 HP roadsters became true racing cars. Engstler Motorsport reduced the weight of all 30 2.0l MX-5s by around 100 kg and so got rid of anything, which was a non-essential luxury. This included the roof, door panels, seats, all of the carpets, the whole of the internal trim and radio, which all had to wave goodbye. The final total weight was just 1,150 kg.  Since the conversion was completed, even the interior just exudes the feeling of being in a proper race car: WIECHERS safety cells, racing bucket seats from KÖNIG with four-point seatbelts, a removable racing wheel and fire extinguishers in case of emergencies are now the defining features of the interior. The roadsters have also had additional technical tuning for racing. SACHS racing chassis, BASTUCK stainless steel exhaust systems, C.T.F. brake discs, PAGID racing brake pads, MOTEC wheel rims, MARANGONI racing tyres and ENGSTLER rear spoiler and various carbon parts provide the perfect driving experience. The MX-5 shown here competed in the Open Race in 2010 with the starting numbers 25 (Media Race) and 23 (Dealer Race). It is easy to spot in the pictures, as it is one of the two race-cars flying the German flag. Today, this beast on the racetrack is still waiting to be unleashed. Acceleration pushes you right down into your bucket seat and on tight bends you’ll be grateful for the four-point seatbelt, which keeps you safe in your seat, whilst you push your personal limits in every race.

 

Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cWnL1cmfi0
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vpnd7-b2aU

Adaptation for the ICE RACE 2011:

21 of 30 MX-5s survived the OPEN RACE 2010. Engstler Motorsport adapted these race-proven models for a race on ice. The chassis was raised slightly and tyres with spikes were used instead of slicks. Using race number 2 and with an eagle on its bonnet, this MX-5 ended up carving its way round the icy Swedish track. A racing event that even today gives you goose-bumps, as soon as the ignition key is turned, the engine growls in anticipation and the car bursts into life.

 

Exterior

So what’s actually hidden behind the ICE RACE PACKAGE? The tuning doesn’t just affect the engine, but the whole racing car:

 

Interior

You will be captivated by the real racing experience the MX5 ICE RACE provides, even before you turn the ignition key:

Technology

It’s not just hot on the outside, the ICE RACE PACKAGE will also win you over with its internal qualities:

Open Race 2010

The OPEN RACE 2010

The four-hour race celebrating the anniversary of the Mazda MX-5 was contested between 30 teams made up of amateurs from around the world. Specialist journalists, readers and celebrities competed against each other in the OPEN RACE 2010. The famous drivers from Germany included the TV chef Tim Mälzer and the actor Ralf Bauer. What was unusual about this race was that every vehicle had been set up in exactly the same way. The only difference was the pint job. And so the winner in direct competition was the best driver – and not the best car. So there were no “cheap” excuses for poor results, which made everything even more nerve-wracking. 150 drivers competed against each other on the Adria Race Way in Italy. Amongst the teams from right across Europe there were also three from Germany, with five drivers each. As well as the celebrities who have already been mentioned, editors and readers of Auto Motor und Sport, Auto Bild, Auto Bild Sportscars, Auto Zeitung, Focus, Playboy, VOX, RTL2 and DSF also got behind the wheel. All 30 cars were racing on the 2.7 km long track at the same time. The winner was the team, which had completed the most laps during the four-hour race. Ralf Bauer’s team came 13th and so was the highest-placed German team, the other two came 15th and 28th. A team from Belgium were the overall winners of the Media Races followed by teams from Portugal and Hungary. In the so-called Dealer Race, organized between the most successful Mazda dealerships in Europa, one of the four teams from Germany took third place. The top two positions went to teams from Great Britain and France.

A video is always better than a wall of text, so here are a few audio-visual clips to give you an impression of OPEN RACE 2010:

  • freenet
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://youtu.be/85Eg6C5TxGU
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://youtu.be/M35sX-3ooyA
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://youtu.be/cjFmq2gFI4w

ICE RACE 2011

The ICE RACE 2011:

Racing at -30°C in a cabriolet roadster and on an ice track too?  What sounds like an extremely crazy idea, was in fact extremely exciting. Not only was each Mazda MX-5 set up and tuned specifically for this race, but the race track was also carved into the ice of Lake Kallsjön just for this event. The four-hour race on the 5km track with 40 bends was very demanding, even for experienced rally drivers. The competition involving 20 teams made up of drivers from around the world was held between 21st and 24th February 2011. With every lap the cars rocketed around the track, polishing the straights and ploughing up the bends. A fine but impenetrable snowy mist hung over the track and made negotiating its 40 bends, some of which very tight, even more complicated. Even though the temperatures were well below zero, the fact that they were flying blind made every driver break out in a sweat. With every ounce of concentration, gut instinct and a delicate foot on the accelerator, each lap increased the motivation to drive faster, whilst trying not to end up in a snowdrift. Obviously some drivers overestimated their abilities, which meant that the mechanics were then under pressure to get each MX-5 back on the track as quickly as possible, using every trick in the book and all of their expertise or just relying on duct tape. Each driver also got a rush of adrenaline, when they found out that there was open water under the 40 cm-thick sheet of ice. With each lap, the spikes were wearing away the ice millimetre by millimetre. But all of that was forgotten as soon as the next curve had to be attacked or you were struggling to get out of a drift or were sliding into the next bend, just a hair’s breadth away from the snow piled up at the edge of the track. At one moment you were happy to be back on a straight, but just a few seconds later you were using every drop of your skill to keep your distance from the other drivers, who kept appearing at high speed out of the snowy mist. At the end, the team from Australia had to narrowly concede defeat to the team from Russia. The MX-5 shown here with the racing number 2 competed for the Belgian team in the Ice Race 2011.

ICE RACE

  • autoblog
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg39BT6beAw
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVhv0HJ7kPY
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=OJcEHmrRkg8
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1niEKdzljFQ
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7uxHv-N-sc
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CynhRXVr6Dk
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTlfWF8s6VU
Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7A2U_4a2hg

Trips and races

Trips and races:

A Mazda MX5 ICE RACE just has to be driven.

 

Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCTAqJyuPw4

Salzburgring 2015

Dolomites 2015

 

Number of bends:

  • Jaufen -twice – in total 46
  • Grödner 31
  • Valparola 29
  • Falzarego- twice – in total 80
  • Giau 62
  • Sella 32
  • Pordoi 65
  • Tonale 15
  • Gavia 28
  • Stilfser 82
  • Gampen 9
  • Timmelsjoch 44
  • Drei Zinnen 16

In total at least 539 bends

 

Red Bull Ring 2015

Salzburgring 2016

Switzerland 2017

 

Number of bends:

  • Flüelapass   17 bends
  • Pass dal Fuoro – Ofenpass 10
  • Umbrail 63
  • Foscagno
  • Eira
  • Forcola di Livigno
  • Bernina 14
  • Albula 18
  • Julier 26
  • Splügen 72
  • Nufenen 22
  • San Bernhardino 38
  • San Gotthard 9
  • Oberalppass 24
  • Furkapass 30
  • Grimselpass 18
  • Sustenpass 23

374 bends

 

Salzburgring 2015

Dolomiten 2015

 

Anzahl der Kehren:

  • Jaufen -2 mal – gesamt 46
  • Grödner 31
  • Valparola 29
  • Falzarego- 2 mal – gesamt 80
  • Giau 62
  • Sella 32
  • Pordoi 65
  • Tonale 15
  • Gavia 28
  • Stilfser 82
  • Gampen 9
  • Timmelsjoch 44
  • Drei Zinnen 16

gesamt mind. 539 Kehren

Red Bull Ring 2015

Salzburgring 2016

Schweiz 2017

 

Anzahl der Kehren:

  • Flüelapass   17 Kehren
  • Pass dal Fuoro – Ofenpass 10
  • Umbrail 63
  • Foscagno
  • Eira
  • Forcola di Livigno
  • Bernina 14
  • Albula 18
  • Julier 26
  • Splügen 72
  • Nufenen 22
  • San Bernhardino 38
  • San Gotthard 9
  • Oberalppass 24
  • Furkapass 30
  • Grimselpass 18
  • Sustenpass 23

374 Kehren

Anneau du Rhin 2018

A racing weekend on the former Bugatti test track

The largest race track in northeastern France, Anneau du Rhin (Rheinring) near Biltzheim in the Département Haut-Rhin, hosts races such as the Drift Cup. Today it is a race track for karts, motorcycles and cars, where driver and driving safety training courses are also held.

The race track is located 2 km southeast of Biltzheim.

Service

Meindl Motorsport

Meindl Motorsport looks after the MX5 ICE RACE #2. After a lot of very negative experiences with what were supposed to be specialists from the middle of Germany, now only the committed and professional team at Meindl Motorsport is allowed to touch the cars. The chassis tuning makes you go weak at the knees, as it even makes it possible to perform daring manoeuvres on the track, as well as a lot of additional adaptations have once again catapulted the MX5 into the next league of roadsters – whilst still being road-legal.

If you want to squeeze that little bit extra out of your car:

 

Matthias Meindl
Am Bahnhof 9
94501 Aidenbach

Tel.: +49 (0)8543 4890927
Mobile: +49 (0)171 6554484

E-mail: info@meindl-motorsport.de
Homepage: www.meindl-motorsport.de

Please activate JavaScript to view this video.
Video-Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMMe03njgXY

 

Imprint MX5.MX

Norbert Schwaiger

Wolfratshauser Str. 150
82049 Pullach i. Isartal

Telephone: 089 744 888 741
E-mail: info@mx5.mx

Privacy Policy

Liability for content
As the service provider, we are responsible under § 7 Para.1 Tele-media Law (TMG) for our own content on these pages in accordance with general legislation. However, under §§ 8 to 10 TMG, as the service provider we are not obliged to monitor any information sent to use by or saved by third parties or to research any circumstances, which might suggest illegal activity of any kind.
Our obligations to remove or block the use of information in accordance with general legislation are not affected by this. However, any liability relating to this will only exist from the moment we became aware of any specific illegal activity. If we become aware that any relevant laws have been violated, we will remove such content immediately.

Liability for links
Our service includes links to external websites operated by third parties and we have no influence over the content of these. We can therefore also accept no liability for this third-party content. The respective provider or operator of the pages is always responsible for the content of the linked pages. Pages linked in this manner have been checked for possible illegal content when the link was created. No illegal content was apparent when the link was created.
However, if there is no specific evidence that any laws have been violated, then continuous checking the content of linked pages cannot reasonably be expected. If we become aware that any relevant laws have been violated, we will remove such links immediately.

Copyright
The contents and products on these pages created by the site’s operator are subject to German copyright law. Duplicating, editing, distribution and any type of use beyond the limits of copyright law require the written approval of the relevant author or creator. Downloading and copying this site is only permitted for personal use and not for commercial use.
The copyright of third parties will be respected where content on this site was not created by the operator. In particular, any content belonging to a third party will be identified as such. Nevertheless, if you become aware of any violation of copyright, we ask that you advise us of this. If we become aware that any rights have been violated, we will remove such content immediately.

Source: https://www.e-recht24.de