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GSM Performance Customer Car Colouring Book Edition 1
Our Top Recommended Big Brake Upgrade Kits For Your Mazda MX5
The MX5 has the smallest discs of any car we have written one of these guides for, and that is not a criticism. It is a light car with a modest amount of power, so it does not need a 380mm disc, and anyone telling you otherwise is selling you jewellery. What it does need is a brake that stays consistent, because the standard setup on a well used MX5 is usually the oldest part of the car.
There is one thing worth knowing before you look at the prices, and it will save you money. HiSpec have added newer two piece kits for the MX5 alongside their original listings, and in two cases the newer, better made kit costs less than the older one it replaces. We have laid both out below so you can see it rather than take our word for it. The HiSpec and Tarox kits here come from Tarox in northern Italy and HiSpec Motorsport in Dartford. Three Brembo kits are now also listed: one for the four stud NA and NB (1990-2005) and two for the 2016-onwards ND, all made to order in Italy in six to eight weeks, and the full MX5 range is on the site if you want to browse it raw.
- HiSpec and Tarox: eight kits for the four stud MX5, from £785.44 to £1,986.49, all clearing 15 or 16 inch wheels
- The newer HiSpec two piece kits undercut the older listings by up to £231
- The 278mm and 290mm entry kits are the same price, so there is no reason to take the smaller one
- All the HiSpec kits here are the four stud fitment, which is what an MX5 runs
- Brembo list three kits for the MX5: one for the four stud NA and NB (1990-2005) at £2,385, and two for the 2016-onwards ND, all six to eight weeks lead time
What is on this page
- Three brands in this guide
- The new kits that cost less than the old ones
- Wheel sizes: real numbers
- HiSpec 278mm and 290mm: the entry pair
- HiSpec 285mm and 300mm two piece
- Tarox 285mm 6 pot
- Tarox 300mm 6 pot
- Brembo: made to order
- The older HiSpec listings
- What is in each box
- Every kit compared
- Common questions
- What we would actually fit
Three brands, three ways of building a brake kit
All three machine their own calipers from billet aluminium and build every kit for the specific car it is going on. Where they differ is what goes in the box, how it is priced, and how long it takes.
Tarox
Built at the factory in northern Italy. Calipers are CNC machined from European billet alloy and hand assembled, discs are heat treated and hand balanced to 0.05mm. Two MX5 kits are listed, at 285mm and 300mm, both six pot and both clearing a 16 inch wheel. Each arrives complete with vehicle specific braided hoses and Corsa pads already fitted, and Tarox state full compatibility with ABS and ESP.
HiSpec Motorsport
Machined in Dartford from 6082 T6 billet aluminium, calipers and pistons both. Six MX5 kits listed on the site, all Billet 4, in one piece and two piece disc versions from 278mm to 300mm. Made to order in up to 28 working days, calipers in black, red, blue, gold or silver. Pads and braided hoses are priced separately so you pick the compound.
Brembo
Made to order in Italy, six to eight weeks. Three kits for the MX5: one Gran Turismo 313mm for the four stud NA and NB chassis (1990-2005), and two kits for the 2016-onwards ND at 328mm, a GT-S and a GT-R. All include pads and braided hoses. Caliper colour is a free option on the ND kits. Disc face is cross-drilled or Type 3 slotted at the same price. Wheel clearance from Brembo's own caliper clearance drawing on the product page.
The new kits that cost less than the old ones
HiSpec list two generations of MX5 kit on our site at the same time. The older entries are the ones that have been there for years. The newer entries carry HISC part numbers and use two piece floating discs, which is the better construction: a billet steel rotor on an alloy bell, so the disc can expand and contract under heat without distorting.
Normally the better construction costs more. On the MX5 it does not. The new 285mm two piece kit is £1,188.53 against £1,254.00 for the older 285mm, and the new 300mm two piece is £1,233.29 against £1,464.00 for the older 300mm. That is £65 and £231 respectively, in your favour, for the better disc. We would rather point that out than let you order the wrong one off an old bookmark.
| Disc size | Newer two piece kit | Older listing | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 285mm | £1,188.53 | £1,254.00 | £65.47 |
| 300mm | £1,233.29 | £1,464.00 | £230.71 |
Wheel sizes: real numbers for every kit
This matters more on an MX5 than on most cars, because plenty of them are still on 15 inch wheels and some are on 14s. Minimum wheel diameter is a property of the kit and not of the car, so a figure published against one car holds for every car that kit is listed against. The Tarox figures below were looked up from their own product pages for these exact kits. The only check that stays a conversation is depth, because a wheel of the right diameter can still foul a caliper at the spokes.
| Kit | Disc | Smallest wheel |
|---|---|---|
| HiSpec 278mm Billet 4 1P | 278 x 24mm | 15 inch |
| HiSpec 285mm Billet 4 2P | 285 x 24mm | 15 inch |
| HiSpec 290mm Billet 4 1P | 290 x 24mm | 15 inch |
| HiSpec 300mm Billet 4 2P | 300 x 28mm | 16 inch |
| Tarox 285mm 6 pot | 285mm | 16 inch |
| Tarox 300mm 6 pot | 300mm | 16 inch |
| Brembo 313mm (NA/NB 1990-2005) | 313 x 28mm | See clearance drawing on product page |
| Brembo GT-S 328mm (ND 2016+) | 328 x 28mm | See clearance drawing on product page |
| Brembo GT-R 328mm (ND 2016+) | 328 x 28mm | See clearance drawing on product page (GT-R caliper differs from GT-S) |
HiSpec 278mm and 290mm: the entry pair, at the same price
The cheapest way into a proper conversion on an MX5, and the two kits are £785.44 each. Same Billet 4 caliper, same 24mm one piece disc, same 15 inch minimum wheel. The only difference is twelve millimetres of diameter, and it costs nothing.
So take the 290mm. There is no argument for the 278mm unless you have a very specific wheel that will not clear the larger disc, and if that is the case tell us and we will check it properly. On a car this light, a 290mm disc with a four piston billet caliper is a genuinely good brake.
- £785.44 inc VAT, either size
- Both fit behind 15 inch wheels
- One piece 24mm discs, four piston Billet 4 caliper
- Same price, so take the 290mm unless a wheel says otherwise
- Pads and braided hoses priced separately, five caliper colours
HiSpec 285mm and 300mm two piece: the ones we would fit
These are the newer HISC kits and they are the sensible middle of the MX5 range. Two piece floating discs on a billet steel rotor with an alloy bell, which handles repeated heat cycles far better than a one piece: less distortion, and a pedal that stays where you left it late in a session.
The 285mm at £1,188.53 clears a 15 inch wheel and the 300mm at £1,233.29 needs a 16. Forty five pounds between them, so if you are on 16s take the 300mm. Both undercut the older single piece listings of the same diameter, which is the unusual bit and the reason for the section above.
- 285mm at £1,188.53, 300mm at £1,233.29, both inc VAT
- 285mm clears 15 inch, 300mm needs 16 inch
- Two piece floating discs, billet steel rotor on an alloy bell
- Both cheaper than the older listings at the same disc size
- Pads and braided hoses priced separately
Tarox 285mm 6 pot: the complete kit
The entry point into Tarox for the MX5 and the cheaper of their two kits at £1,889.57. Six pistons instead of four, a two piece floating disc balanced to 0.05mm at the factory, and vehicle specific braided hoses and Corsa pads already fitted. Nothing left to source and nothing left to choose.
The headline is higher than the HiSpec kits, and it should be: pads and hoses are in the box here and priced separately there. Spec a HiSpec kit up to the same level and the gap closes to something much less dramatic. Minimum wheel is 16 inch.
- £1,889.57 inc VAT, complete
- Fits behind 16 inch wheels
- Corsa pads and braided hoses included and fitted
- Six piston caliper, hand assembled in Italy
- 285mm two piece floating disc, balanced to 0.05mm
Tarox 300mm 6 pot: the biggest kit listed for the car
The largest Tarox or HiSpec kit for the car, at 300mm and £1,986.49. Same six piston caliper and the same complete box as the 285mm, with fifteen more millimetres of disc and the same 16 inch minimum wheel. Ninety seven pounds between the two.
Garreth’s view on the pair: if you are buying Tarox for an MX5 you are buying the complete package and the pedal feel that comes with a six piston caliper, so spend the extra ninety seven pounds and have the bigger disc. It is the top of the range for this car and it is still not an unreasonable amount of brake for a light rear drive sports car.
- £1,986.49 inc VAT, complete
- Fits behind 16 inch wheels
- Corsa pads and braided hoses included and fitted
- Six piston caliper, two piece floating disc
- The largest Tarox or HiSpec kit listed for the car
Brembo: made to order in Italy, six to eight weeks
Brembo list kits for two different MX5 generations, so the first question is which car you have.
For the pre-ND MX5, the four stud chassis from 1990 to 2005 (NA and NB), Brembo list one kit: a 313mm four pot Gran Turismo front conversion at £2,385.00 inc VAT. Same four stud fitment as everything else on this page, two piece disc, pads and braided hoses included. It sits above the Tarox 300mm at £1,986.49 and brings thirteen extra millimetres of disc against 300mm. For a car this light, that margin is real but not dramatic. The Brembo caliper is a different construction to the Tarox monobloc, and it is the right kit for an MX5 owner who specifically wants Italian pedigree or the Brembo name on the caliper. Six to eight weeks, built to order. Wheel clearance is in Brembo’s own caliper clearance drawing on the product page. Ring Cameron and he will talk you through the dimensions before anything is ordered.
For the 2016-onwards ND MX5, Brembo list two front kits at 328mm. The GT-S at £3,614.89 uses a nickel-finished billet monobloc caliper, made on the same platform Brembo uses in motorsport. The GT-R at £7,439.34 steps up to hard anodised billet with racing piston radiators and recessed dust seals. Both use a 328mm two piece disc, both are four piston, disc face is cross-drilled or Type 3 slotted at the same price, caliper colour a free option. Six to eight weeks on both, built to order in Italy.
- For NA and NB (1990-2005, four stud): 313mm four pot, £2,385.00 inc VAT
- For the ND (2016 onwards): GT-S at £3,614.89 or GT-R at £7,439.34 inc VAT
- All Brembo kits are made to order in Italy, six to eight weeks lead time
- Pads and braided hoses included in all three kits
- Wheel clearance from Brembo's own caliper clearance drawing on the product page
- Cross-drilled or Type 3 slotted at the same price on the ND kits; caliper colour is a free option
The older HiSpec listings
For completeness, because they are still live and people do find them. The original 285mm Billet 4 is £1,254.00 and the original 300mm Billet 4 is £1,464.00. Both are perfectly good kits and both use the same Billet 4 caliper as everything else on this page.
The only reason to choose one over the newer two piece equivalent is if you specifically want the one piece disc. If you do not have a reason, the newer kits are cheaper and better constructed, and that is the whole of our advice on it.
What is actually in each box
The headline gap between HiSpec, Tarox and Brembo closes once all are specced to the same level. HiSpec price their kits without pads or braided hoses, so you add those separately and choose the compound. Tarox and Brembo include both. Compare the finished builds, not the entry prices.
| In the box | HiSpec | Tarox | Brembo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calipers | Billet 4, 6082 T6 billet aluminium, four piston | Six piston, hand assembled | Four piston; GT-S nickel billet, GT-R hard anodised billet |
| Discs | 278mm to 300mm, one piece or two piece depending on the kit | Two piece floating, balanced to 0.05mm | Two piece; 313mm (NA/NB) or 328mm (ND). Cross-drilled or Type 3 slotted at the same price |
| Brackets and hardware | Included | Included | Included |
| Braided hoses | Priced separately | Included | Included |
| Pads | Priced separately, your choice of compound | Corsa pads, fitted | Included |
| Caliper finish | Black, red, blue, gold or silver | Black, red, blue, green or gold anodised | Colour is a free option on ND kits |
| Built in | Dartford, UK, up to 28 working days | Northern Italy | Northern Italy, six to eight weeks |
Every kit on this page compared
| Kit | Disc | Caliper | Smallest wheel | Pads and hoses | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiSpec 278 Billet 4, 1P | 278 x 24mm | 4 piston | 15in | Extra | £785.44 |
| HiSpec 290 Billet 4, 1P | 290 x 24mm | 4 piston | 15in | Extra | £785.44 |
| HiSpec 285 Billet 4, 2P | 285 x 24mm | 4 piston | 15in | Extra | £1,188.53 |
| HiSpec 300 Billet 4, 2P | 300 x 28mm | 4 piston | 16in | Extra | £1,233.29 |
| HiSpec 285 Billet 4, older listing | 285mm | 4 piston | 15in | Extra | £1,254.00 |
| HiSpec 300 Billet 4, older listing | 300mm | 4 piston | 16in | Extra | £1,464.00 |
| Tarox 285 6 pot | 285mm, 2P | 6 piston | 16in | Included | £1,889.57 |
| Tarox 300 6 pot | 300mm, 2P | 6 piston | 16in | Included | £1,986.49 |
| Brembo 313mm GT (NA/NB 1990-2005) | 313 x 28mm, 2P | 4 piston | See drawing | Included | £2,385.00 |
| Brembo GT-S 328mm (ND 2016+) | 328 x 28mm, 2P | 4 piston | See drawing | Included | £3,614.89 |
| Brembo GT-R 328mm (ND 2016+) | 328 x 28mm, 2P | 4 piston | See drawing | Included | £7,439.34 |
HiSpec and Tarox prices verified correct 26 September 2026. Brembo prices current on 26 September 2026. Tarox minimum wheel sizes were looked up from their own product pages per kit. Brembo wheel clearance: see the caliper clearance drawing on each product page. The table is sorted by price.
Common questions
Why is the newer two piece kit cheaper than the older one it replaces?
We do not have a tidy answer beyond how the two ranges were priced when they were listed, and we would sooner show you both than quietly sell you the dearer one. Both prices were checked against our live pricing on 22 August 2026. At 285mm and at 300mm, the newer HISC entry is cheaper and uses the better disc construction, so unless you specifically want a one piece disc, take the newer kit.
Will any of these clear a 14 inch wheel?
No. The smallest kit here needs a 15 inch wheel, so an MX5 still on 14s needs wheels as part of the job. Budget for that at the start, because the wheel decides which kits are even on the table. Plenty of MX5s are already on 15s or 16s, in which case you have the run of this page.
Which MX5 do these fit?
They are listed under Mazda MX5 as a range and not by generation, and the HiSpec entries specify the four stud fitment. Instead of having you work backwards from a listing, give us the year and we will confirm the kit against your car before anything is built. It takes a minute on the phone and it is the part people most often get wrong on their own.
Is a 300mm disc too much brake for an MX5?
No, and it is worth saying because 300mm sounds large next to what the car left the factory with. The MX5 is light, so the job a 300mm disc has to do is modest and it will not be working hard. What you gain is heat capacity, which is what stops the pedal going long at the end of a session. For a road car the 290mm is plenty. For a car that does track days, the extra disc earns its money.
Why are pads and hoses extra on the HiSpec kits?
HiSpec price the hardware bare so you choose the compound to match how the car is used: a softer road pad for a daily driver, something more aggressive for track evenings. Both pads and braided hoses can be added at the same time. We will quote the finished build level so you can compare it properly against the Tarox kits, which include both as standard.
How long before it arrives?
HiSpec kits are made to order in Dartford, so allow up to 28 working days. Tarox kits are built for the specific car at the factory in Italy and lead times vary through the year, so ask when you place the order and we will give you the current picture. Neither brand keeps finished MX5 kits on a shelf.
What does the Brembo kit give me over Tarox at the same disc size?
For the four stud MX5 (1990-2005), the Brembo 313mm at £2,385 and the Tarox 300mm at £1,986.49 are the two options at the top of the range. Tarox has six pistons, Brembo has four. Tarox includes Corsa pads and hoses and is built around a billet monobloc caliper. Brembo's Gran Turismo is a two piece aluminium caliper, also Italian, also complete in the box. The Brembo brings thirteen more millimetres of disc for four hundred pounds extra. For most MX5 use, the Tarox 300mm is the better value complete kit. The Brembo earns its money for owners who specifically want Brembo engineering or the Brembo name. Neither is wrong.
For the ND (2016 onwards), Brembo are the only brand listed: GT-S at £3,614.89 or GT-R at £7,439.34, both 328mm four piston monobloc and both six to eight weeks lead time. Ring us on 0115 647 8650 and we will help you choose between the two.
What we would actually fit
On an MX5 on 15 inch wheels doing road miles and the odd track evening, the HiSpec 290mm at £785.44 and put the money you did not spend into a proper pad compound and braided hoses. That is the value of the whole page and it is not close. If you want the two piece disc on 15s, the 285mm at £1,188.53.
On 16s, the 300mm two piece at £1,233.29 is the one Garreth would fit, because it is the biggest HiSpec or Tarox disc listed for the car and it costs less than the older 300mm sitting above it. If you want one box with pads and hoses already in it and nothing left to think about, the Tarox 300mm at £1,986.49. If you are on the four stud MX5 and want Brembo, it is the 313mm at £2,385.00: six to eight weeks lead time, but it arrives complete. For the ND (2016 onwards), ring us on 0115 647 8650 and we will work out whether the GT-S at £3,614.89 or the GT-R at £7,439.34 suits your build. Working out what clears and what fouls on the ND is Cameron’s corner of the business, so have the wheel make and model handy and you will get a straight answer.