Transform Your Modern Mazda Miata into a Tiny, 132-Horsepower C2 Corvette

Mitsuoka has long offered body kits for a variety of Japanese automobiles and to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, they have rolled out what is likely to become their most controversial design. Rather than bringing a unique look to the Honda Accord or Toyota Corolla – two of their other current offerings – Mitsuoka has designed a package that makes the ND Miata look a great deal like a 1963-1967 Corvette. Sure, it is considerably smaller than the actual Chevy sports car from the 60s and the company makes no reference to the American icon with regards to the package, the similarities between the Mitsuoka Rock Star and the C2 Corvette are undeniable.

The Mitsuoka Rock Star
At first glance, the cars in the image above likely look a great deal like a Chevrolet Corvette from 1963 through 1967, but they are actually 2016-2018 Mazda Miatas with Mitsuoka Rock Star body kits. This car lacks the Vette’s flip-open headlights, but the shape of the front and rear end, the shape of the fenders and quarter panels above the wheel openings and the shape of the bumpers are remarkably similar to the C2 Corvette. It also has a vented hood similar to that of the C2, dual round taillights on each side of the rear end, an emblem exactly where the Corvette cross flags sat on the trunk lid and some very “classic American” chrome wheels.

It might be called the Rock Star, but there is absolutely no question that Mitsuoka based this kit on the C2 Corvette from front to rear. The odds are good that Corvette aficionados hate this and if I had to guess, I would think that the folks at General Motors aren’t too keen on it either. However, as knock-offs go, this Miata-turned-Corvette looks pretty good.

Mechanically, it is still all Mazda, with the standard (in Japan) 132-horsepower 1.5-liter engine and a 6-speed manual transmission sending the power to the rear wheels. The interior is also all-Mazda, shy of some badging changes.
In the end, this is the ideal kit for someone who loves the interior feel and performance of the ND Miata, but who would prefer that it look like a tiny version of the C2 Corvette.

Expensive and Limited
While American Corvette lovers are likely to frown upon this Miata conversion kit, the odds are good that few Americans will ever see one and even then, they will have to see it in Japan. The Rock Star will not be sold in the US and even if it was, the cost of $41,000 is a high price for an elaborate body kit.

For reference, the Miata roadster in the US ranges in starting price from $26,000 to $31,000, so this kit costs about 30% more than the car itself. Also, production is limited to just 50 units, so even if you live in Japan, the odds of seeing one of these Mazda-based classic Corvettes is slim.