Mitsuoka transforms the MX-5 into a Rock Star

Photo of Mitchell Tulk
Mitchell Tulk

Contributor

2 min read

Have you ever wanted a car with the style of a 1963 Corvette C2, but without a gas-guzzling V8 or brutish handling? Well, now such a car exists.

Behind this creation is Japanese car manufacturer Mitsuoka, which is a name people might remember from Top Gear when James May drove its weird-looking Orochi sports car.

To celebrate Mitsuoka's 50th anniversary, the brand has taken 50 Mazda ND MX-5s and retro-fitted some Americana.

Called the Rock Star, the styling is almost identical to the C2 Corvette with muscle car-like rims, chrome bumpers and four individual taillights. All that's missing are pop-up headlights.

There’s no V8 under the bonnet, instead you’ll find Mazda's 97kW/152Nm, 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, connected to either a six-speed manual or auto.

The mechanicals are unchanged from the MX-5, with all effort going towards the exterior design, while the interior only gets minor tweaks.

Paint options inlcude Chicago Red, Washington White, Cisco Orange, Arizona Yellow, Los Angeles Blue and New York Black.

How do you like your Rock Star? Bright and loud?
How do you like your Rock Star? Bright and loud?

All this coolness comes at a price. Starting at A$58,738, the Rock Star costs almost double that of an entry-level MX-5.

Would you take a Rock Star over a standard MX-5 or even a '60s Corvette? Let us know in the comments.

Photo of Mitchell Tulk
Mitchell Tulk

Contributor

Following a passion shared by his father and grandfather, Mitchell’s love of cars really kicked off with his Godfather’s purchase of a new Mazda RX-8. Exposure to that car changed his world forever, leading to an RX-7 obsession. To feed his automotive addiction, Mitchell decided to become a motoring journalist and made his mark at several high-profile motoring publications before landing at CarsGuide. While he is a rotary loyalist, Mitchell also has a massive love for Aussie muscle cars, and dreams of one day getting behind the wheel of a Charger R/T E49 (if anyone will let him). His other passions include Queensland, and spending Saturdays with the boys.
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