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Hatchbacks Mazda3 MazdaSpeed3: Styling Impressions
548 messages, Last post on Aug 08, 2007 at 5:21 PM
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Replying to: kronogoose (May 09, 2005 9:12 am) 
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Mazda has said 250hp ... Actually the 256 hp is a number reported (see post #7 for the Edmunds report) but not officially stated by Mazda, as far as I know. In any case, as kronogoose has pointed out Mazda has occasionally exaggerated its predicted horsepower, so some skepticism is warranted and hence my and kronogoose's more conservative number, 220hp. Mazda6i ... is much slower and much larger than the Mazdaspeed3. Agreed. The reason the Mazda6i is in the lineup of contenders is to show what can go wrong when it was upgraded to the Mazdaspeed6. The Mazdaspeed6 remains a 4 cylinder but with astonishing performance numbers, AWD and other choice improvements. However, Mazda added nearly 500# and inflated the price by nearly 33% (U$6500) also. Was AWD the source of most of the weight and price gain in the MSP6? Wouldn't it be better to have AWD as an option? Here's hoping that the Mazdaspeed3 inherits the best and leaves the rest. 
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Replying to: autonomous (May 25, 2005 3:40 am) With that much of power it is going to generate tremendous torque steering to the front wheels and the car is going to lose all its sweet handling charm. Have you ever driven a Nissan Altima 3.5 SER or a Maxima? You can feel how a FWD car with 250+ hp can ruin the handling of a car. It is known that a AWD or A RWD has a better handling capability than a FWD, although there are certain exceptions. |
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It would be foolish to change AWD standard feature to optional ... Have you ever driven a Nissan Altima 3.5 SER or a Maxima? Hmm, would you call the 210 hp Acura RSX Type S a foolish car because it does not have AWD? Making something an option means that you as a consumer have the choice. Autoweek speculates that the AWD will not be offered, I hope they are wrong and that Mazda offers it but as an option: Mazda is reportedly assembling a 256-hp MazdaSpeed performance version of the Mazda 3 hatchback. The car will use the same 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that powers the MazdaSpeed 6 sedan (Dec. 20, 2004) but loses 18 hp and more than likely won’t get big brother’s all-wheel drive. Look for the MazdaSpeed 3 to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. If they do detune the speed for the Mazdaspeed3 from 274 hp to 254 hp (or as I suspect, about 220 hp) could it be because they removed the AWD? This could help segment Mazdaspeed3 in terms of performance and price from Mazdaspeed6 and the other models. Currently, the overlap of the Mazda3 s and the Mazda6 i must be a source of confusion. In any case, September is only a few months away, so we'll all know the answer about the Mazdaspeed3. Cheers and happy driving this summer! |
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Replying to: callmedrfill (Jan 15, 2005 6:28 pm) I envy you. ^_^ |
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In case you haven't seen last week's episode (#918) of Autoline with John McElroy which discussed the consolidation of the auto industry with the industry expert Richard Spitzer, Global Automotive Practice Leader at Accenture, go to www.theautolink.com GM seems to be ready to move into consolidation mode by using brand pairing akin to Toyota/Lexus, Honda/Acura and others. This brand pairing helps the manufacturer to consolidate different models into mass volume models and luxury models. The Mazda/Mazdaspeed pairing is one example. This forces the manufacturer to think through their lineup, remove redundant models, and then brand the model according to the target. The Autoline discussion focussed on the current GM mess and its confusing lineup. GM announced plans to consolidate their lineup into one major pairing: Chevrolet/Cadillac. The Buick Pontiac and GMC brands are being brought together into something called the BPG channel and their future is being worked out. Saab and Saturn are on the periphery and seem to be treated as niche products. This logic seems to be useful not only for the manufacturer but also for us consumers by forcing clear branding. Cadillac is a wonderful success story and if GM can wrestle the rest of their brands into line many observers of the American autoindustry will breathe a huge sigh of relief. Otherwise, the Japanese (and possibly Chinese) behemoths are ready to step in and show them how. Mazda is a wonderful example of an auto company that is thinking through its future production in an intelligent way. |
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I would be real interested in the 220HP FWD version if it stays under 3,000lb. That would be sweat. If you get up over 250, it needs the AWD, and will likely become a porker. The FWD should have all thehandling of the 3S, and more. Torque steer shouldn't be too bad. I think the 3 chassis is prety well designed to control it already. Plus, the turbo helps, since they tend to be slightly soft off the line anyway. The high speed punch will be the payoff. A FWD model will compete with the COoper, CIvic Si, GTI, etc. The AWD 250HP version (if there is one) would be going against the WRX, etc. |
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"I would be real interested in the 220HP FWD version if it stays under 3,000lb." Sounds extremely do-able to me considering the current 5-door SP2.3 has a curb weight of around 2850 lbs. AWD would not only add weight but also add cost and sacrifice mileage. Plus, you'd have to have a higher output motor to offset the added weight/driveline friction just to get essentially the same straightline performance. I also agree on who the targeted competition should be, although you may have left out the Neon SRT-4. I think Mazda should let the MZSPD6 compete as a more adult alternative to the WRX. |
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In case you have not alredy read this article in Edmunds News, hold on to your seats! Imagine if the Ford and Mazda engineers were working together! Ford Looking at Hottest Hatch Version of Focus Date Posted 06-07-2005 COLOGNE, Germany — In Europe, the "hot hatch" is king of the road. And the hatches are getting hotter. Volkswagen is already planning a super-fast V6 Golf called the R32, but that could be trumped in the 0-to-60 stakes by Ford. According to U.K. magazine Autocar, Ford is considering a 350-horsepower, four-wheel-drive, six-cylinder turbocharged Focus RS. This would be ready by 2007 and would become the performance flagship for its best-selling range, above the already-announced front-drive, 217-hp Focus ST hot hatch. The Focus RS would be powered by a tuned version of a new compact straight-six engine being developed by Volvo. The power plant will make its debut in the new Volvo S80 next June. It is shorter than Volvo's current five-cylinder engine — so short, in fact, that it could fit transversely under the hood of the Focus. Ford executives are evaluating the concept and expect to make a decision before the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. What this means to you: A 350-hp Focus may sound good, but don't get your hopes up just yet. We have yet to even see the second-generation Focus that's already on sale in Europe, so anything resembling the RS is a long way off.
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Replying to: autonomous (Jun 08, 2005 2:43 pm) Ford here in the U.S. has said that car will never make it here, so I wouldn't get my hopes up about this European pocket-rocket ever making it to our shores. Meade
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