Big price-tag for Mazda racer

One of racing's trademark adages goes something like this: "Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?"

In the case of the fledgling worldwide MX-5 challenge series, the answer to that question appears to be: "$76,000 worth of fast, please."

That's the converted Aussie dollar price-tag of the new Global Mazda MX-5 Cup race car before any import or export costs and taxes. Built in the USA by Mazda Motorsports, the new MX-5 Cup car is claimed to be the company's "first-ever ready-to-race MX-5".

The race car ordering process begins on MazdaMotorsports.com and the company says the first deliveries of the US $53,000 production racer are scheduled to begin later this year.

In the USA, the MX-5 Cup is pitched as "an entry-level professional series" and as "part of the Mazda Road to 24".

"All racers can purchase identically-built race cars so that driving talent will be the number one determining factor for on-track performance, rather than budget, engineering capability or fabrication skills," says Mazda US's blurb.

In the USA, the MX-5 Cup series champion earns a US $200,000 scholarship to "move to a higher level series with Mazda the following year".

The opening round of the new 12-meeting US series takes place at Sebring on March 16.

MX-5 Cup has been running almost continually since the first generation 'Miata' was launched in the USA in 1989. However, with the new fourth-generation car Mazda is looking to expand the series globally. A six-round series has been confirmed for Japan but to date the European series is still to be confirmed.

Mazda Australia is yet to announce any plans for a one-make MX-5 series Down Under.

Whatever the extent of the expansion a 2016 Global MX-5 Cup series finale will be held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey (CA) late in 2016 to crown a "global champion".