When you think about the ultimate winter car, vehicles like the Land Rover Defender, Toyota Land Cruiser or even a ratty old Volkswagen Beetle likely come to mind. One car that’s probably not very high on that list is a convertible Mazda Miata, but that’s probably just because you haven’t seen this convertible Miata.
Heading out for a cruise in a Miata may conjure up images of long summer drives along the coast, or blasts through a forest in fall with amber leaves billowing through the cabin. Lovely stuff. Not this Miata, though, as it’s been kitted out with snow tracks and skis to make it the ultimate winter cruiser.
The build was completed by automotive YouTube channel The Rad Factory, which has a whole library full of ridiculous builds just like this one. For the latest creation, Rad Factory started with a first-generation Miata that they’d previously kitted out with tank tracks to make it a go-anywhere monster.
Snow proved to be the tank tracks’ one weakness, so the team set to work rectifying that by ripping off the tracks and replacing the rear ones with the drive belt from a snowmobile. There’s one belt drive on each corner, and then a beefy sky replaces each of the front wheels.
As well as swapping out the wheels, the team also upgraded the suspension and shocks on the Miata to account for the raised ride height, increased weight and to be sure that it could handle the kind of rough terrain they want to test it on.
The finished creation obviously looks incredible. The skis turn with a spin of the steering wheel, the drive belts do a great job at transferring the power to the snow and the whole thing looks way more fun that actually skiing, that’s for sure.
To prove its mettle, the team drove it to the top of a snowy peak in Utah and while it made it just shy of the top (stopping about 20 feet before the summit) it does an admirable job. Sadly, on the return trip, they discover that the brakes don’t work so the only way for the adventurous machine to slow is through engine braking. I guess that leaves the team something to upgrade for the next generation.
The Rad Factory is just one of our favorite automotive YouTubers right now. Other great channels to check out include Callum who’s packed his page with a history of interesting vehicles and WhistlinDiesel, which is full of chaotic destruction.