Article Comments: The World's Quickest Hatchback

48 messages, Last post on Dec 08, 2006 at 1:53 PM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda MAZDASPEED MAZDA3, Hatchback

Article comments for Japanese First Drive: Mazdaspeed 3/Axela MPS - If Mazda ever needed a successful volume-selling car to ensure its survival, then the Mazda 3 is it. In just under three years, the popular hatch has sold more than 920,000 units worldwide and rates as one of the most competitive and best-handling hatches on the market. (more)

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#29 of 48 Re: interesting article.. [rorr] by pepedlux Sep 29, 2006 (2:32 pm)
Replying to: rorr (Sep 29, 2006 11:20 am) Easy with the hostility guys, we won't get anything accomplished if we're quibbling over minor things. Replies to this message: unkownuser (Sep 30, 2006 3:19 am)
#30 of 48 Re: interesting article.. [pepedlux] by unkownuser Sep 30, 2006 (3:19 am)
Replying to: pepedlux (Sep 29, 2006 2:32 pm) Absolutely agreed, Pepedlux, thank you.
#31 of 48 Re: interesting article.. [unkownuser] by pepedlux Sep 30, 2006 (12:37 pm)
Replying to: unkownuser (Sep 29, 2006 7:28 am) While you strike a good point that some dealers are bringing down the price of the more expensive MS6 down to BELOW the prive of the MS3, which makes it a little more appealing. But at the same time, think about WHY they are doing this. Mazda knows that they screwed up with the MS6. It's got plenty of power, it's smooth and sopisticated, but Mazda COMPLETELY botched what they are best known for: Razor-Sharp Handling. Mazda has always been known for RWD cars (RX-7, Miata, RX-8) that handle like they're on rails. While the MS6 delivers loads more power than any of these, its inability to point that power in the right direction around curves has made the MS6 a failure in comparison to its prior performance models. They screwed up, oh well. They realize this, and corrected it with the MS3, which handles amazingly better and has almost as much power. My point is, the MS3's sales are going to knock the MS6 out of the effing water. Dealers are going to be stuck with these things, and they have pretty much one choice: Price the models in order of their performance, with the MS6 performing and costing less than the MS3. Don't get me wrong, the MS6 is a great car, but honestly, when you think about it, the MS3 is worth the extra 1-2 grand. Replies to this message: fasterthanyou (Sep 30, 2006 1:23 pm)
#32 of 48 Re: interesting article.. [pepedlux] by fasterthanyou Sep 30, 2006 (1:23 pm)
Replying to: pepedlux (Sep 30, 2006 12:37 pm) While I agree with you in what you say about the MS6(except the part with smooth and sophisticated) I do not understand how can you be so sure about the performance of the MS3. There are two reviews out there about the MS3 and they are in total contradiction. The one that I tend to believe is the one describing the MS3 as being a failure(weird power delivery and reactions, lack of refinement) ...just like the MS6. Don't get your hopes up to soon.
#33 of 48 How will it sell by unkownuser Oct 01, 2006 (2:42 am)
We could probably trace through some forums a year ago and see how the Speed 6 was so eagerly anticipated. Each little rumor for the prior couple years was easily seized upon. Early teaser road tests had it as the more sophisticated, better handling, and faster big brother of the Legacy GT. In fact, it was going to be a home run for Mazda in the same way we are anticipating the Speed 3. Yet almost from the start the Speed 6 languished, once introduced. The 3 itself is very popular, and Mazda should be happy with it. What remains to be seen is if the large consumer base of the 3 is willing to go several thousand $$ more for the Speed 3, and give up all season tires, regular gasoline, automatic transmission, and so on, for the Speed 3. Please note this is not a slam on the car, which of course is just a car. It is instead an observation on the car as a consumer product, sales of which is why Mazda is in business.
#34 of 48 effect on other hatches by kurtamaxxxguy Oct 23, 2006 (10:13 pm)
Also, there are a growing number of "hot hatches" to choose from, though most of the German hatches cost a lot more. The Dodge SRT-4 is coming as well, with a 300 hp engine.
#35 of 48 Speed3 kicks ass!!!! by drumbira Nov 23, 2006 (11:27 am)
Had a 2006 si till idrove the speed3. No more having to wait till 6100 for the v-tech to kick in with 139lbs torque. noe 280lbs at 3000 rpm. What a delight to not have to wind it up all the time and hear so much engine noise. I have had 3 si till now 1989, 2004, 2006 and the Speed 3 is so much torquier. I was going to supercharge the si with a catabck and header, but for 7000 plus to do this as well as losing the warranty and not getting your value back when you sell it was enough to sell the si,PLUS you would only gain40 hp and maybe 60lbs torque, still a far cry from 280lbs. With Mazda cold air intake and catback will bring this little monster up to 290 hp and 300 lb torque with WARRANTY!! GreaT BUY FOR THE PRICE.The si are a great little car with a hper engine but its no Speed3. Replies to this message: eldaino (Nov 24, 2006 1:09 pm) drumbira (Nov 24, 2006 6:10 pm) eldaino (Dec 06, 2006 1:08 pm) and 3 more...
#36 of 48 Re: Speed3 kicks ass!!!! [drumbira] by eldaino Nov 24, 2006 (1:09 pm)
Replying to: drumbira (Nov 23, 2006 11:27 am) I like torque too; i felt a big change in it going from my civic to my rabbit (128 vs 170), and its nice. But honda did make me appreciate a high redline and i still think the si is sweet. One question, how do you supercharge a car with a catback exhaust and a header? I've never even heard these two things in the same sentence before. And 7000 is a lot; i've seen cheaper by great companies. True it voids the warranty, but uh..how is it that your speed 3 with an intake and catback DOESN'T void the warranty? Does mazda have a warranty in which aftermarket parts not made by them are covered too? Replies to this message: drumbira (Nov 24, 2006 6:10 pm) eldaino (Dec 06, 2006 1:08 pm) rorr (Dec 06, 2006 1:37 pm) drumbira (Dec 06, 2006 3:28 pm) and 1 more...
#37 of 48 Re: Speed3 kicks ass!!!! [eldaino] by drumbira Nov 24, 2006 (6:10 pm)
Replying to: eldaino (Nov 24, 2006 1:09 pm) The Mazda Speed3 air intake and cat back exhaust will not void the warranty, They are put out bu the Speed Division of Mazda and if installed by a Mazda dealer are covered for 3years or 36000 miles. They are not available for a couple of months yet but are available for the Spped3 and ALL the other Mazdas at the moment, The 3 is so new it will be here soon. It was reviewed by Sport Compact Car in Sept issue. When Mazda had all the press at the track checking out the Spped3 they had the tuner version on hand as well with the Cat back, air intake, coilovers, rims and tires for a tuner package, but you can oder them individually.All under Mazda warranty!! As far as supercharging the si the 2 best are Comptech and Jackson Racing for approx 3700 to 4000 for the supercharger, 600 for the catback, 600 for the header,300 for the air intake and about 11 to 12 hours of labor to install at 100 an hour in most tuner shops. It all adds up to alot with tax. Do the math. The kicker here is that even with all this it still is not as powerfull as the Speed3. The most in-expensive way to up the si is to have the hondata ecu program done were the v-tech kicksin at 4500 instead of 6000. With a air intake and header it improves the si with 25 more hp and 30 more lbs of torque, well beow the Speed3 but only cost 700 for the ecu refalsg 600 header 600 cat back plus install and the ecu reflash will void the engine warranty. After driving many other cars with high hp and torque( evo, sti, gto, m3, s4 etc getting back in my si felt like it had no pull. If you stick to driving the si all the time it feels great till you drive something with more torque then you really feel whats missing. I have been a si fan and still am but once you drive a evo or sti and cars like this then the si is in another league, but the Speed 3 is not and for a little more money you can get the Speed3 and not have to dish out another 10to15 thousand for the evo or sti but still get that torque and fun. Its a understated little rocket ship!!!!! Replies to this message: eldaino (Dec 06, 2006 1:08 pm) rorr (Dec 06, 2006 1:37 pm) drumbira (Dec 06, 2006 3:28 pm) eldaino (Dec 07, 2006 6:43 am)
#38 of 48 Re: Speed3 kicks ass!!!! [drumbira] by eldaino Dec 06, 2006 (1:08 pm)
Replying to: drumbira (Nov 24, 2006 6:10 pm) i>They are not available for a couple of months yet but are available for the Spped3 and ALL the other Mazdas at the moment, The 3 is so new it will be here soon. It was reviewed by Sport Compact Car in Sept issue How did SPC review them if they are not going to be out until Jan? my si felt like it had no pull. If you stick to driving the si all the time it feels great till you drive something with more torque then you really feel whats missing.< Is this not true with any car? If i drive a gti and then drive an r32 i could make the same assumption. For a naturally aspirated vehicle with a much smaller engine than the mazda and devoid of a turbo, it makes a good showing for itself. Its a good thing mazdaspeed is making in-house tuning components. Perhaps the aftermarket will ignore the speed 3 the way they did the regular 3? If you are a tuner you therefore should know the amount of tunability hondas really have; and how many people have been able to suck tremendous amounts of power out of even smaller b series engines with forced induction. The k series is a blank canvas...honda made the si for people who knew what they were going to do with it... the mazda, well is tremendously tuned enough as it is...not to far off from being maxed out. Oh and you still failed to explain how one supercharges a car with a catback exhaust and headers. Replies to this message: rorr (Dec 06, 2006 1:37 pm) drumbira (Dec 06, 2006 3:28 pm) eldaino (Dec 07, 2006 6:43 am)