Miata Mailing List: August 1994, Message #91
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   From: Christopher Lishka 
Subject: MX-5 horsepower?
   Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 06:25:52 -0400


An embarrassing question: what is the horsepower of a "stock" base
model '90 MX-5 (Swiss)?  My friend thought it was 108HP, but I thought
I heard somewhere that it is 140HP.  As far as I can tell, the HP is
not listed in the French/German manual.  I also checked the FAQ, but
did not find any info there.

Over here in France/Switzerland, engine power is measured differently
(the French CV = "Chevaux" system) and is based on some complex
formula presumably related to the power in different gears averaged in
some fashion (so I've been told).  My '90 MX-5 is 8.13 CV, according
to the Swiss.  CV rating here is important because one pays more car
insurance if one's car has a higher CV.  Still, insurance rates do not
seem to be too bad, at least in comparison to some of the rates in
certain U.S. states.

I think I have determined the engine size (1.597 liters), but my
manual is in French and German so I am a little uncertain.  This
agrees with the 1.6 liters mentioned in the faq.

I am wondering all of this because my friends keep asking and all I
can do is blush and mumble that I don't know.  While I know that the
MX-5 is not a "muscle car" (I keep seeing references to it being
slightly "underpowered"), the engine-power-to-car-weight ratio seems
to be pretty good.

Thanks to all who responded to my query about high-octane gas.  I have
switched over to normal unleaded fuel ("93 octane") and the MX-5 seems
fine.  I double-checked the octane ratings on the fuel pumps and they
are indeed "93 octane" for normal unleaded and "98 octane" for
super-unleaded.  As somebody else noted, the Europeans (at least the
Swiss) must have a different measurement/reporting scheme.  There many
subtle differences in the way Americans and Europeans do things (like
drive cars! ;-).
						.oO Chris Oo.