so i heard from a friend who test drove a SPEED3 last nite.
has anyone else seen one around yet?
think im gonna head over to the dealer tonite and check em out. if theres any on the lot.
a friend ordered one in september and it just arrived, he’s picking it up tomorrow!
One of the mags (can’t remember which but current issue) had it beating a wrx by a decent margin around an autox course and also said the interior was substantially nicer.
The new 3 is going to be a badass car.
I wonder how bad the torque steer will be… 270HP + FWD = ??
torque steer will be managable with gear dependent boost.
i want one real bad.
i don’t know if they’d let us after that test drive in the base model mazda 3
yeah, that was all you.
i looks cool how mush does it go for and what are the specs. i hate navigating the mazda site with dial up
if the car is properly designed (which I’m sure it is) then there wil be little to no toque steer. i’m making 350-400whp in my taurus and I can take my hands off the wheel at WOT and the car goes perfectly straight untill one of the wheels looses traction.
traction problems maybe but i doubt torque steer.
supposedly the gear dependent boost is taking care of any MAJOR traction problems. it will still light them up, but it’s not like you sit there spinning through first and second without moving.
here:
Mazda unveiled the Mazda3 MPS at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show in February. The same model will be sold in North America as the Mazdaspeed3 and as the Mazdaspeed Axela in Japan. Pricing is to start at US$ 22,835 (including destination) and it is designed to compete with the latest generation of Hot Hatches, including the Dodge Caliber SRT-4, and the new Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit GTI.
The performance model features a slightly detuned version of the 2.3 L DISI MZR engine from the Mazda6 MPS/Mazdaspeed 6. For this application, it produces 246 hp (184 kW) and 280 ft·lbf (380 N·m) for the European market, while the North American market will receive a retuned version rated at 264 horsepower and 280 lbf·ft when running on 91 octane gasoline ((R+M)/2). This is routed through the front wheels rather than an all wheel drive system as on its big brother. The Australian market receives the Mazda3 MPS with the same engine as the Mazda6 MPS with 190kw of power. A limited slip differential is standard, along with a 6-speed manual transmission, traction control and Dynamic Stability Control. To limit wheelslip, boost in the first gear will be limited to produce a maximum of 230 horsepower.
It uses the 5-door hatchback body with extra structural bracing. Volvo-sourced 12.6 in (320 mm) front and 11.0 in (280 mm) rear brake discs hide under 18 in (457 mm) wheels.
i want one now
+1
They seem pretty fucking tits.
I read an article that said torque steer is going to be limited with equal length axels and limiting boost in 1st and 2nd.
why couldnt they do this when i had my protege 5’s
arghhh
i think this car will be a excelent seller for mazda, it is exactly what I want in a car. good modability, good power, and styling i find apealing. and a price that is absolutly reasonable. i don’t think anyone else offers this much power for the money.
on a side note I though i read that mazda’s mazdaspeed 3 and 6 are short term projects. Has anyone else herd this?
I want to stuff this motor in an MP3.
I think I like the looks of the Protege MP3 better. :gotme:
I would like to welcome myself to the same page, as I just realized that they’re only making it in a wagonhatchthing.
i was looking into it as a new cruiser to replace my focus.
The modability of the car is going to depend on how many companies are able to engineer new parts for the direct injection engine. Cosworth said they are working on developing upgrades for it, but it will be interesting to see how many others will be able to develop and engineer aftermarket parts that work, rather than the biting of everyone elses ideas that goes on so much now.
This car should kick ass out of the box based on all of its reviews, and makes power that should place it competitively with the other turbocharged options out there, even though it is FWD.