It’s said that the Mazda Miata was born out of a conversation between Mazda R&D Shief Kenichi Yamamoto and Automotive Journalist Bob Hall. Sometime during the late 1970s, the two men discussed the idea of creating a small sports car that combined all the fun-to-drive characteristics of a traditional British roadster, with the reliability of a Japanese car. A few years later, Hall went to work as a Product Planner at Mazda, and his idea eventually became the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata NA. Over a quarter century later, nearly 1 million copies of the spunky Mazda MX-5 have been built, and it’s popularity shows no signs of waning.

An all new fourth generation Mazda Miata ND debuted for the 2016 model year, and many say that it harkens back to the uncompromising design of the original NA MX-5. The new car features the striking KODO—Soul of Motion design language, and Mazda’s “Gram Strategy” (the idea of reducing weight anywhere they can) meant the new 2016 Mazda Miata was 150 lbs lighter than the outgoing NC Mazda Miata. For example, the aluminum body panels and suspension components cut 71 lbs, thinner seats saved 17 lbs, and a new driveshaft design reduced the car’s weight by 3 lbs. All of these small changes added up to a RWD roadster that weighed around 2,300 lbs. Not only does this make the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata great fun in the curves. It means the 155-hp Mazda SkyActiv-G 2.0L engine can provide adequate performance despite its seemingly low output. But if you’d like to see an estimated increase of 8-hp, then you need to check out the AEM 21-786C cold air intake system.

The Mazda Miata SkyActiv-G 2.0L is a high compression engine that relies on thermal efficiency to improve power output and reduce fuel consumption. It’s an innovative little motor to be sure, but it still relies on outside air to fuel the combustion cycle. To make the gasoline burn inside the cylinders, air is drawn in through an air box at the front of the motor, then piped to the cylinders through a plastic intake tube. This factory air intake system works great in theory, however airflow restrictions can actually limit the power your Miata 2.0L can make. For example, the amount of air entering the system will be reduced over time because the OE Mazda Miata air filter is made from paper, and all of the dirt it removes gets stored on the surface of the filter (called ‘surface loading’). Then there’s the air box, which only allows air to enter through a small hole at the bottom. And the stock intake tube has uneven, accordion-like inner surfaces that cause the air to become turbulent as it bumps its way down the tube. All of these airflow restrictions will reduce the oxygen content of the air, and ultimately the amount of power your 2016 Mazda Miata 2.0L can make.

To get the most power from your engine, it needs a steady supply of oxygen-rich air to make the gas burn completely. In order to make this possible, an AEM 21-786C cold air intake system reduces the power-robbing airflow restrictions that are inherent to the factory intake design. The first order of business is replacing that restrictive air box with an AEM DryFlow performance air filter, surrounded by a heat shield that seals itself against the underside of the hood to prevent warm engine air from getting into the system. This oversized Mazda Miata performance air filter is made from a low restriction synthetic material that allows more air to flow through, while removing more dirt than a standard paper filter. Those contaminants then stay trapped inside a web of synthetic fibers for up to 100,000 miles before cleaning is required (depending on road conditions). The clean air then travels to the motor through an aluminum intake tube that has mandrel bent curves to reduce air turbulence. It also has integrated fittings for the factory sensors, and the aluminum itself even helps to cool the air before it reaches the motor. All of these features will help your SkyActiv-G 2.0L to make more horsepower and torque at low RPM’s. And it provides you with much faster throttle response, along with a more sporting engine sound.

For more information on these brand new items, check out AEM.