You Can Buy Engineering Explained’s Supercharged Miata

Which Mazda MX-5 Miata generation is the best? We’re not going to take sides in that discussion, because the answer is always Miata. With the obligatory MX-5 response out of the way, let’s consider this very yellow 2016 model, which could be yours should you so desire. It’s currently up for auction at Cars & Bids, and if the color looks familiar, you probably spend time perusing automotive channels on YouTube.

That’s because this 2016 MX-5 is the same car once owned and tweaked by Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained. It debuted three years ago on his YouTube channel, starting out as a stock triple-black Miata. In his care, a yellow body wrap was added to spice up the visuals but the hot tamale is under the hood. According to the auction listing, you’ll find an Edelbrock supercharger bolted up but don’t take the auction’s word for it. Fenske featured the supercharger install in an EE video, and it’s still boosting the sports car to this day.

As it sits now, the Mazda shows approximately 41,600 miles. The current owner (Mack Hogan of Road & Track fame) bought it from Fenske in July 2022 and per the auction description, it still has the same mods. The engine has three tunes that can be plugged in for various performance levels, with dyno graphs showing a maximum output of 210 horsepower to the wheels. That doesn’t sound like much in an age of 300-hp minivans, but it powers a svelte 2,300-pound sports car with a six-speed stick. Trust us, it’s a wonderful recipe for fun.

It’s worth noting that a gaggle of rear suspension components were replaced after an altercation with a pothole, but no damage to the car was reported. A walkaround video also highlights a bit of dirt working its way under the paint protection film (PPF) in a few spots, notably the taillights and at least one wheel well. The car looks pretty good to us though, and it reportedly still drives fantastic. And the engine modifications are also smog-compliant for California.

The auction runs through October 27, and as of our post on October 20, bidding is already up to $18,000. Any guesses on how much this yellow-wrapped supercharged MX-5 with some celeb cred will bring? Let us know in the comments.