Supercharged Mazda MX-5 ‘Yusho’ revealed at Leipzig Auto Show

Mazda has pulled the covers off a new supercharged MX-5 concept at the 2012 Leipzig Auto Show in Germany.

Providing its much-lauded small roadster with a welcome shot of adrenaline, the MX-5 'Yusho' concept gets a supercharger kit from American tuners Flyin' Miata, lifting power to 237bhp - a healthy 79bhp more than the standard 2.0-litre MX-5's peak output.

It appears to be more than just a bolt-on supercharger job too. The Yusho concept has a host of internal upgrades, including Cosworth pistons and conrods, a modified ECU, injectors and sports cats. The host of mechanical tweaks reportedly pushes the diminutive drop-top on to a top speed of 149mph, up 17mph on the standard car.

Mazda has also beefed up the clutch to help the Yusho deploy the extra grunt, which is channelled through the same slick-shifting six-speed 'box. With its shorter final drive ratio, the hardcore MX-5 should have a better chance at the traffic light grand prix - although no official acceleration figures have been released yet.

The MX-5's affable rear-drive handling has been tweaked for the Yusho concept too, with Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs helping to maintain the standard car's inherent balance despite the hefty power hike.

Externally, the aggression has also been ramped up, giving the MX-5 the presence to match its new-found grunt. Looking altogether more focused, the Yusho is marked out by a matt white vinyl wrap and 17" anthracite alloys sitting on semi-slick Toyo tyres. And in-keeping with the racier brief, the interior gets a set of Recaro buckets with lashings of alcantara on the steering wheel and dashboard.

There's currently no word on pricing or availability - Mazda is referring to the Yusho as a prototype at this stage. Our fingers remain firmly crossed that a factory-backed forced induction MX-5 reaches production...

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