Mazda MX5 RF GTS Blog
Kasumi is FINALLY riding on a set of Koni Sport dampers, and I’m officially in the process of setting her up for SCCA C-Street autocross.
A good friend of mine and I went out to run our usual test route to shake down our new setups, and I came away genuinely impressed.
The first thing that stood out was ride quality. Even at just 1/4 turn off full soft front and rear, the Koni Sports ride significantly better than the stock Bilsteins. The car feels more composed over broken pavement, less busy, and far more settled without giving up any feedback.
As the damping is turned up, Kasumi’s reflexes sharpen dramatically. Turn-in improves immediately, with the car tucking into corners and darting toward the apex more eagerly, all while maintaining excellent control. The combination of a stiffer rear bump stop and trimmed front stops naturally biases the car toward mild oversteer — exactly where I want it for autocross.
Next on the list is a Karcepts front anti-sway bar along with a sway bar mount reinforcement kit, mainly to keep the front subframe intact under repeated autocross abuse. After that, it’s simply a matter of dialing in alignment (we’re running a solid baseline now and will tweak further as needed) and tire pressures for the different courses I plan to run.
For additional perspective, I also had the chance to drive my friend Scott’s NC Miata during the same outing. His car runs Progress springs, OEM RX-8 sway bars, and Bilstein B6 dampers, and it served as an interesting comparison point. The NC felt firm and capable, with good body control and excellent steering feel, but it reinforced how well-rounded the Koni setup feels on Kasumi — especially in terms of ride compliance and composure over imperfect pavement.
Driving the two cars back to back on our favorite twisty roads, switching cars a couple of times along the way, the NC is still an excellent Miata. That said, the ND’s smaller size, lighter weight, and 182 bhp engine meant Kasumi was pulling out of corners and putting car lengths on the NC. Both cars were on the same 205/45/17 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires, with nearly identical age and mileage, making the comparison feel especially fair.
Overall, I’m thrilled with how Kasumi is shaping up for autocross. The Koni Sport dampers have delivered exactly what I was hoping for — improved ride quality, sharper responses, and a chassis that feels more alive without becoming harsh. I’m eager to see how she performs once she finally hits the cones.
I just spent a solid week traveling through Tennessee and North Carolina with Kasumi, hitting some of the best driving roads in the Southeast.
We started in Nashville, taking in live music and the city’s vibrant energy before heading east toward the Smoky Mountains. By day three, we finally arrived at the Tail of the Dragon — an absolute blast, with its 318 curves packed into just 11 miles, offering a thrilling challenge for both driver and machine.
Kasumi handled the constant twists and elevation changes with grace, her suspension and chassis working in harmony to keep the car planted and confidence high. I enjoyed it so much that I spent the next two days driving over 750 miles in the area, chasing every twisty road I could find, including the Cherohala Skyway.
Each road offered its own unique rhythm and breathtaking scenery, making every mile memorable. In the evenings, I made a point to slow things down — exploring local cuisine, enjoying fantastic Southern BBQ, and wandering through quiet mountain towns.
Overall, it was an unforgettable trip that not only tested Kasumi’s capabilities, but also reminded me why I love driving in the first place. This is just a cursory write-up — a more detailed article is coming soon.
Kasumi hit the big 23,000 mile mark today. Started doing the math on it, and I realized I'll be running out of warranty on time instead of mileage for the first time ever in my entire life. I have never owned a car that I didn't drive into the ground, and this is the first time I've ever had a car that I didn't drive into the ground.... Outside of the Corvette of course. I guess it's a sign of maturity or something, but it is strange for me and my typical cycle of behavior. I also decided to give the Chemical Guys Spray-On Ceramic Detailer a shot to see how it does overall compared to a full day's worth of applying the Meguirar's ceramic out of the bottle. So far, it's been applied as easy as any spray-on detailer, and the results so far have been decent. But we're still in the short term test phase of only a few weeks. We'll have to see how it holds up over the next month or so to really gauge how durable it is.