Can anyone who has already done this recommend a simple way to enhance and increase the sound coming from my 2005 Mazdaspeed Turbo MX5? I want the car to sound like the sports cars I remember from the fifties - they used to have a great growl when the engine was reved and when they shifted through the gears. I don't want it to be obnoxious, but certainly it needs to be louder and deeper than it is now.

I'm not really interested in increasing the horsepower, although I realize this could end up being a side benefit. I've been told if all I want to do is enhance the sound that I should replace the muffler, but so far no one knows what to expect from any particular replacement brand. If you have replaced the muffler on your own Mazdaspeed Turbo MX5, I'd really appreciate your telling me which muffler you used and how much additional sound and quality you think it is producing. Thank you!

http://www.flyinmiata.com

It's going to nearly be imposible to make a fule injected inline 4 even produce the exhaust note enough to replicate the growl of a carbuerated V-8 even if you removed the muffler completely, but with proper exhaust note correction and tuning you can modify the sound waves to growl in a sense. Borla or Flowmaster makes mufflers for mustangs, corvettes, cameros and other american cars (it's an american company) but they alo make some import stuff. If you can find a flowmaster, magnaflow, or borla exhaust, you may be able to get some growl from it.

i got a magnaflow exhaust system and i think it sound very nice, deep tone not like those obnoxious coffee cans you see around town

I'd check out the flynmiata link above. Those guys are all miata and have some really good stuff to offer.

I just installed 3 Flyin' Miata parts on my '05 turbo: intake, downpipe and muffler. The total cost for the parts was $1183 US, plus shipping. Not only does the car sound much better -louder, throatier, meaner- but I got an amazing 36 HP increase at the rear wheels.

wow! Now that's called a high quality exhaust setup, but for $1183 I'd expect the same, a $560 exhaust I want adds 20 hp so that's cool.

Yeah, I was really pleased with the outcome. Next year I plan to do some more to the car, specifically Flyin' Miata offers a fuel management computer to replace the stock one. Miata's factory setup has the fuel mixture very rich. The new intake/exhaust leaned it out considerably, but it's still on the high side. FM's computer not only reportedly ekes another 12-15 hp out of the car but also allows you to adjust the fuel mixture to your preferences.