How to turn your old Miata into the most badass dune buggy around

By Ronan Glon Published November 17, 2017

Miata is always the answer, unless you need to go off-road. An American company named Exomotive has developed a way for the fun to continue even when the pavement ends. Meet the Exocet Off-Road, a dune buggy that received a heart transplant from an older Miata. It’s like an Ariel Nomad for a fraction of the price.

The Off-Road model started life as a standard Exocet, which is like a supersized go-kart designed for the track. The four-cylinder engine, the transmission, most of the electrical system, and the steering components are sourced directly from either a first- or a second-generation MX-5 Miata. The suspension is all Mazda, surprisingly, though it receives a three-inch lift. With over a foot of ground clearance, the rear-wheel drive Exocet Off-Road lets you drift on roads less traveled, even if getting there requires climbing a sand dune or powering through a foot of snow.

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The Mazda bits are bolted to a tubular chassis developed in-house by Exomotive. The Off-Road weighs considerably less than a Miata, though the final figure largely depends on how it’s configured. Power also varies depending on what engine it’s equipped with; the Miata’s engine certainly isn’t a powerhouse, but a nearly endless list of aftermarket tuners will help you squeeze as much power as you need out of the four-cylinder. In other words, you can dial in your own power-to-weight ratio.

The Exocet Off-Road starts at approximately $14,000. The catch is that it comes in pieces, and you have to build it yourself by following instructions, Ikea-style. You also need to source the mechanical components on your own. They’re not included in the kit; Exomotive isn’t in the business of parting out aging Mazda roadsters.

Luckily, there’s no shortage of cheap first- and second-generation MX-5s on Craigslist. Drag home a rough-but-running example that’s rusty beyond description, yank the engine and the transmission out of it, and you’ll have the coolest dune buggy around. What are you waiting for?

Former Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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