This week Chris Amos goes for a ride in a Mazda MX-5 that’s gained some serious motivation by way of an LS1 V8 sourced from a 2004 Pontiac GTO. Shortly after this stripped out beast was built, the owner came out to Gingerman Raceway to do some testing and get a feel for the car. We take you along for this slightly terrifying, but awesome, ride.
The GTLM uses a supercharged, 4.6-liter Ford SVT V-8 engine to produce its 420 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, all in a package that weighs 3384 pounds. It features a Tremec T56 six-speed transmission and a limited slip differential. It does 0-62 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds, and has a top speed of 180 miles per hour.
We’re going to find late-model, factory-true 400 horsepower machines for the same cash as a new Volkswagen Beetle. In case you’re wondering (and we suspect that you are), a base Bug goes for $20,000, and if you don’t think that’s doable without revisiting the 1990s, think again. The average age of used cars in America is roughly 10 years, and our three choices easily best that figure. In fact, two of our three choices easily best some of the other criteria for this comparison as well. We suspect you might be surprised at what follows, so sit back and crack open your checkbook. We’ve never been so tempted to drop our own coin on a used machine as we are with this group. More on that to come.