With an appealing mix of European roadster style and performance with Japanese reliability, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is the best-selling two-seat sports car in the world. With the Miata’s popularity in the home market, it’s no surprise that JDM tuners have some of the craziest mods available. Here are some truly epic body styling conversions for Mazda’s iconic roadster.

Rocket Bunny widebody

Widebody kits from JDM designer Kei Miura make a bold statement, especially on a tiny car like the Miata. Per Speedhunters, Miura built the Rocket Bunny brand from a small unassuming shop in Kyoto, Japan. The bulging overfenders he popularized imbue a more imposing stance and allow fitment of much wider wheels to boot.

Currently, authentic Rocket Bunny kits are only available for the original NA and 2016+ ND Miatas. The real ones are still made in Japan and exclusively imported by JDM tuner Greddy. If you’re looking to make your Miata stand out from the crowd with a wider stance and aggressive wheel fitment, here’s one way to do it.

The JDM aftermarket loves front end conversions

In Japan, the Miata has become a popular canvas for transformative front end conversions. Per Roadster.blog, a JDM brand called Mono Craft created its MM1 model with distinct front end parts grafted onto an NB Miata. An offshoot of Japanese aftermarket retailer Autobacs, Mono Craft performed its conversions on new vehicles and sold them in completed form.

The styling is decidedly classic and European, with strong echoes of the Ferrari 275 front end. Sporting clear headlight covers, it’s also remnsicent of a Nissan S30 240Z in G-nose trim. Either way, the conversion lends a unique twist to the rather conventional ’90s styling of an NB Miata.

Pit Crew takes classic Miata styling to the next level

At this point, the original NA Miatas are almost classics in their own right. But the JDM Pit Crew conversion takes the styling back another couple of decades. Instead of the original pop up headlights, the company’s front end has chrome-ringed units from a classic Mini.

Pit Crew offers a range of upgrades for NA Miatas, and most of them have a classic theme. The rear end conversion uses vertically stacked mini tailights like a ’60s Datsun Roadster. Pit Crew even offers a double-center exhaust setup, similar to the Jaguar E-type. With appropriate aftermarket wheels to match, the NA Miata can look even more like a classic British sports car than it already does.

Final thoughts

Japanese car culture never ceases to amaze, and the range of styling tweaks for the Miata is no exception. Widebody kits have become almost mainstream, but it’s the front end conversions for the Miata that are truly fascinating and much rarer. If there’s a way to make a Miata look older, you can bet someone in Japan has already tried it.