As a relatively recent convert to the joys of Mazda’s ‘perfect’ sports car, the idea of removing the standard four-cylinder engine and fitting a 3.0-litre V6 – with more than double the power – seemed slightly concerning. Yet, after chatting with company founder Bruce Southey for a few minutes, my initial fears were quelled.
The idea of the Rocketeer was born out of a desire to own a sports car, and after creating a wishlist of attributes the MX-5 turned out to be the closest to ticking everything on that list – lacking only power and an exotic soundtrack. Forced induction would have been the easy solution, but it wasn’t what he had in mind. Experience working at Overfinch provided an idea of transplanting a Rover V8, or even a Busso V6, but neither was right. That’s when some knowledgeable colleagues pointed him in the direction of a real hidden gem of a V6 engine, lying under the bonnet of a Jaguar S-type.
The AJ-30 in question is a Ford unit, originally developed by Porsche and further developed by Cosworth. It produces 230bhp in standard form but, after being blueprinted and fully rebuilt, along with a proper engine map, it’s good for around 280bhp in the Rocketeer. It fits perfectly into the Mazda’s engine bay, bolting up to the original gearbox and fixed to the original mounting points via Rocketeer-engineered brackets – so no cutting or modifications to the ’shell.
The best part? All-in, the all-alloy V6 weighs only the same as the original four-cylinder ‘boat anchor’, as Bruce calls it. Some time after developing the Rocketeer kit, he found out that Mazda had built a Mk2 V6 MX-5 prototype in period, using a close relative of this engine. It was meant to be.
Turn the key and the noise is enough to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. There’s an exotic quality to the exhaust note, and it’s even giving hints of some race-tuned 1960s racer. This is Rocketeer’s test and development car; it has aftermarket suspension set to a sensible ride height, along with and a set of thicker anti-roll bars and a set of 15-inch wheels and 195/55 Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tyres. This isn’t some extreme track car, but something developed to be enjoyed on the road just like the original.
It feels every bit as agile as an MX-5 should, and the V6’s excellent throttle response and low-down torque make exploiting the fabulous chassis even more of a joy than it is in the standard car. It feels effortlessly quick, even just cruising up to the national speed limit. That engine just begs to be pushed harder, and the more you explore the upper rev range the more confidence you will find in this car’s ability to handle its newfound power. It’s exciting, seriously quick, never feels like it’s overwhelming the chassis.
What’s even more impressive – as someone who has driven (and even owned) a fair few engine-swapped cars – is how well-developed the Rocketeer feels. There are no untoward vibrations or resonances and there’s even a tuneful exhaust that doesn’t drone on the motorway.
In a world of £100,000-plus restomods, the Rocketeer is arguably one of the most reasonable options out there. The company will sell you a kit, which includes everything to build your own, or it will build one for you – to varying levels of finish and tuning.
This one is what it calls a ‘Turnkey Plus’, which takes a good base car and adds all the goodies –in this case a beautifully re-trimmed leather and Alcantara interior (and wonderful bespoke gauges), as well as all the mechanical changes, added chassis strengthening and roll bar, for £36,540, plus VAT. The full ‘Restomod’ option will take an MX-5 down to the bare shell and rebuild it as a better-than-new car to your chosen spec. Since starting the project in 2013, and turning the business full-time in 2021, Rocketeer has sold roughly 170 engine kits, and built around 30 complete cars for customers all over the world.
My time with the Rocketeer was tinged with a note of sadness, as it was came a few days after the death of Tsutomu ‘Tom’ Matano: the man behind the MX-5. Bruce recalls speaking with Tom about the project a few years back, and was over the moon to discover that he was aware of what the team had been doing, and even approved, simply describing it as ‘the MX-5 amplified’. I couldn’t have put it better myself.
For more info on the conversion, see rocketeercars.com
