Mazda MX-5 NB exhaust: the soundtrack of Jinba Ittai, the complete guide
The MX-5 NB is entering modern classic territory: light, analogue and increasingly sought after. On a roadster this pure, the sound is half the pleasure: our exhaust takes care of that half. Here you will find everything that matters before configuring the exhaust for your Mazda MX-5 NB: catalytic converter, material, valves, tips and the French MOT.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the Mazda MX-5 NB
From €2,405 in stainless steel, €3,005 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- Mazda MX-5 NB (1998-2005)
- Engine
- 146 hp · 165 Nm
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted downpipe with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
The MX-5 engine: the Jinba Ittai philosophy, right down to the exhaust
Your MX-5 NB follows Jinba Ittai, the unity of horse and rider: lightness, balance, total connection. In that philosophy, the sound is part of the experience, especially with the roof down. The discreet factory exhaust lets the little four-cylinder sing under its breath: it is the favourite upgrade of the worldwide MX-5 community.
The ROG exhaust gives it its full voice: a lively, mechanical timbre, an expressive climb, and light crackles on the overrun. With the roof down, the transformation is total, and the valves keep discreet journeys possible.
How the exhaust on your Mazda MX-5 NB is put together
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your Mazda MX-5 NB, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencers, valves. This is the part where most of our research and development goes: it is what shapes the sound, and it is enough on its own to transform the car.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your Mazda MX-5 NB, it is the downpipe, the pipe leading from the engine. It contains the factory catalytic converter: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing it is optional: it frees up the flow, and it is the ECU remap that turns that into horsepower.
The figures for your Mazda MX-5 NB
An exhaust system is judged first by ear and on the scales. The extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures.
The ROG exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your Mazda MX-5 NB, we recommend taking it to an approved tuning centre afterwards.
Let's be honest: on an MX-5, nobody is looking for 100 extra horsepower, and the exhaust brings a moderate gain. What it really brings: better breathing, less weight, and a soundtrack that changes every journey. That is exactly the spirit of the car.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your Mazda MX-5 NB, the exhaust costs €2,405 in stainless steel and €3,005 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
2 405 €
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
The safe bet: strong, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The best value for money.
Titanium
3 005 €
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
It makes the exhaust around 40% lighter for the same design. Its note is more metallic and clearer higher up the rev range, and its finish ranges from brushed to blued.
No worries on durability: 304 stainless steel shrugs off winter road salt and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 4: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter
Optional: the downpipe on your Mazda MX-5 NB, with its catalytic converter. Each option is placed on our sound scale of 0 to 10, valves open, with the factory exhaust at 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
The factory front section stays in place. It is already a complete transformation, and the choice of many of our customers.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+760 €
8/10Road use and French MOT
More flow, emissions control retained: the right option for road use.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+760 €
9/10French MOT pass not guaranteed
More open than the 200-cell: the sound hardens at high revs and emissions control is reduced.
Decat
+565 €
10/10Track use only
Flow with no filter at all: the rawest sound and the sharpest response.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat downpipe + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? With a sports catalytic converter it can come on, because the rear oxygen sensor reads less cleaning. Nothing mechanical is wrong: an ECU remap or a session with a diagnostic tool sorts it out. Without a catalytic converter, you will need an ECU remap. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing the French MOT with a sports exhaust.
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Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your Mazda MX-5 NB.
ROG remote
A discreet control unit in the boot and a two-button remote: you open and close whenever you like, independently of the drive modes. For fitting, we support you by phone or by email.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
For vehicles fitted with factory valves: the exhaust connects to their control and the drive modes stay in charge, with no extra control unit.
At 130 km/h, many sports exhausts drone. Here, with the valves closed, the exhaust flows through the silencer and stays composed when cruising; open, it makes itself heard when you choose. More about exhaust drone.
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Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your Mazda MX-5 NB, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.
- Stainless steel
- Black
- Carbon
- Blued titanium
The ROG sound signature on the MX-5
Our exhaust gives the MX-5 its full voice: a lively, mechanical timbre, an expressive climb, and light crackles on the overrun with the valves open. With the roof down, every journey becomes a celebration of Jinba Ittai. With the valves closed, the neighbours still love you.
From order to fitting
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Configuration
You configure the exhaust and enter the VIN from box E of your registration certificate.
-
Check
Your VIN is checked before any manufacturing begins.
-
Manufacturing
The exhaust is produced to order, for your vehicle.
-
Delivery
Free in Europe, insured parcel, tracking number from dispatch.
-
Fitting
Around two hours in the workshop, with no welding or cutting.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
Is your Mazda MX-5 NB still under the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, the manufacturer cannot refuse cover simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it is up to the manufacturer to prove that the fault came from that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your Mazda MX-5 NB
-
Daily driving
2 405 €
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your Mazda MX-5 NB stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
3 760 €
- Titanium
- 200-cell downpipe
- ECU remap
The best of both worlds: character and breathing, with emissions control retained.
View this configuration -
Track
3 575 €
- Titanium
- Decat downpipe
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
Every Mazda MX-5 NB has its own story and its own use: if none of these profiles sounds like you, let's talk.
Mazda MX-5 NB: your questions
How much power does an exhaust system add to the Mazda MX-5 NB?
As standard, the Mazda MX-5 NB produces 146 hp and 165 Nm. The exhaust alone acts first on sound, breathing and weight; the extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures reach 216 hp and 255 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Mazda MX-5 NB?
For the Mazda MX-5 NB, the ROG exhaust costs €2,405 in stainless steel and €3,005 in titanium. Stainless steel is the safe bet, with a full sound; titanium makes the exhaust around 40% lighter and gives a more metallic note higher up the rev range.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Mazda MX-5 NB?
It is not compulsory. The cat-back alone is enough to change the character of the Mazda MX-5 NB. Replacing the downpipe is how you go further, together with an ECU remap: 200 cells for the road, 100 cells or decat for more radical use.
Will the Mazda MX-5 NB pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell converter both retain emissions control: present the Mazda MX-5 NB with the valves closed. With the 100-cell converter, a pass is no longer guaranteed; the decat fails the emissions test.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted to the Mazda MX-5 NB?
With clamps and gaskets, no welding or cutting: around two hours in the workshop for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built to the VIN of your Mazda MX-5 NB.
What does a ROG exhaust cost for the Mazda MX-5 NB, and how long does it take?
From €2,405 to €3,760 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Delivery is free and the exhaust comes with a 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your Mazda MX-5 NB. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
ROG is a French brand, and the way we work comes down to one idea: an exhaust system should be sold with advice, not just a product page. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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