Review of Mazda performance day. MPS 3, MPS 6, RX-8, MX-5 (man and auto with DSC)
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Review of Mazda performance day. MPS 3, MPS 6, RX-8, MX-5 (man and auto with DSC)
Review
The morning consists of 4 cars doing rotation for one lap only because of the wet weather. And the rotation start from an auto MX-5, then to a passenger and then driving an RX-8, MPS6, MX-5 hard top and MPS3, in that sequence. Tea, coffee and snack are provided.
MX-5 auto
It is a soft top version with a 6 speed gear box. The gear is though is very long. And it takes a lot time to build up the power and rev if it is not done properly. The engine is smooth and the heaviness is evidenced. Power is not much but it has the good chassis based that you can feel that thing underneath your butt – it is a great platform. Just the other components of the car do not gel.
Stock RX-8
I have not been to one for a while . And it certain reminds me how different it is to my car. Nonetheless, it is a cracking drive and it is the best of overall handling vs power car. The power is enough and can be laid relatively early. Handling is easy and it is very forgiving.
MPS 6
The strongest in turn in across the field today because of the wet bitumen, but certainly it has the softness to go with it. Just because it is sold as a sport sedan it does not need to be a mummy’s ship. It is on the softest side of the cars today all but the handling has yet been comprised, but Mazda is close to doing it. The sharpness is lacking comparing the MX-5 and RX-8, but it is laying down power with only a slight understeer. The manual shift is long throw and the clutch is weak and uncertain in terms of feel. The engine is certainly different from the MPS 3 and it does a very funny thing. When the clutch is up, the power has to wait a little while before the boost comes in. Very strange. But overall, we have taken 2 drives to say that it is a candidate for a track meet. There is potential but so much need to be done. Good for a grand tourer though. Stiffen up the body is the key Mazda 6 MPS owners.
MX-5 manual
It is a bloody frustrating drive. And what an electronic gadget can do to spoil all the fun. I am talking about the DSC on this car. It cuts way too early, even before my sensitive butt can sense any yaw misalignment. Frustrating. Getting out of turn 4 for the back straight, it is keep turning on when you put the foot down, and there is no hint of the car being out of shape. It grabs the brake when slightly understeer. What is going on? May as well not having it. The car is well adjust and well balance, the seat, driving position, gear box and suspension – one of the best. It is just spoiled by something that has been added on. Power is lacking but it is a fun to chuck around with. A mighty fun car.
MPS 3
Now I am here to give judgement of the MPS 3.
The two nice sea blue coloured car is on for show today. With beefed up front rotor, bigger guard for a bigger set of wheels – these 3 are certainly look very masculine and very boyish to me. I certainly think it is a car driven by boys with pimpled face with a hat wearing in Leyton Hewitt’s way. The mechanical side was explained fully by Jon Waterhouse, tech at Mazda, who explain the DISI fuel injection with an iron board sprinkler used by my mum, and the large front rotor with a card board cut out by my 2 year old. Anyway, to beat that unique the engine noise is very hard. Even as a RX-8 owner. This engine brings me to Paris. Yes it is like the jet engine of a Concord. The exhaust note is so dry that if it is from your voice you will buy some Strepsil at the servo. The power is instant, no lag, and useful. However, the down pour plus Sandown did not help. The car is driven by me, and I have sat in the car driven by Dick Johnson. Dick was paid to be there and say good thing about the car. Money can make any man a self confessed front wheel drive fan. The way he drives speaks it all, though. The car has too much torque for the front wheel under wet. He takes the 2nd to 4th corner in 3rd gear. Even in the HSV you take them in 2nd. And guess what! There is still wheel spin even with a racing driver’s throttle control. The turn in is perfect though and you can set the car up in the wet bitumen, but once you are too egger to get all 190kW down, the car understeer. Torque steer it was called, and I forgive anyone has not find this out on the dry normal road. We are talking about track driving in the wet. And the traction/torque control does little to save this. You need a natural talent to move the car away from the kerb.
The car howls like a jet up hill of the back straight with no apparent effort. I was expecting the gear is very long but there is only about 2-3000rpm before the red line, and I was able to get to the 5th at about 180km. No effort, good car.
The car is balanced under brake and during turn in, with a small roll that does not interfere with the handling. The interior is comfortable, but the seat is not that much different feel to the SP23 - sadly to say. And the gear shift is not as good as the MX-5 and the RX-8.
Overall it is a jet pilot’s street killer and somehow there is any solution for torque steer or problem under power, it will be also a track weapon. I suggest a better set of rubber may be of use. A better right foot will help as well. LOL.
Me with Dick
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TAKA 八仔ブログ(blog) TrAcKie Anonymous *** with Best track results : | Winton: 1:41.8660 | Broadford 1:09.83 | Sandown 1:31.73 | Philip Island GP circuit 1:59.86 | Haunted Hills (DD ver.) 60.198
Taka, you've been listening to Clarkson for too long.
Seriously, good review. Pretty much confirms my impression of the MPS 3 (although I haven't driven it in the wet or at serious pace, like you would on a track).
Dick's sittin' there thinking "If this bloke tells me one more time about his plan to shave another second off his Winton lap time, I'm gonna dong him!"
Ha Ha
Taka
We were in the carpark at Sandown yesterday doing stunt driving practice for our upcoming video, surprised you didn't see us.
We saw lots of Mazdas coming and going, I should have figured that you would 've been there.
Thanks for the writeups Taka. Your thoughts are mine exactly regarding the MPS3 that's a whole lot of horse power in those front wheels and torque steer is wicked....I drove a red one in the dry up Gorge Road which is a favourite twisty road..wasn't all that impressed really.
Nice photo....is that the "real" Dick Johnson?? He looks a little flat....eyes glazed over...haha. Never liked him really, all that fuss over the rock at Bathurst
Glad that we share the same view on the MPS3. Most kids that came in the same session did not. Certainly Dicky was paid to lie about MPS 3 drives like a RWD
Old Dicky must be feeling lucky going around a race track in a MPS 3 considering the survival rate of famous Australians in the past week. The tail on that Red MPS 3 is very Stingray like...
I rather cut and paste - yes it is insecure for them but somehow I feel impolite to link the stuff from other site. If you are the writer certainly cut and paste - people thank me for that.
I offer to test drive anything on track and give report
Join the club Revolver.I rang my dealer on Thursday-first they didn't know about it,then said it was at Oran Park on Friday....Beats the Hell out of me who they invite.Dealer agreed<but too late
Cheers
Len
Join the club Revolver.I rang my dealer on Thursday-first they didn't know about it,then said it was at Oran Park on Friday....Beats the Hell out of me who they invite.Dealer agreed<but too late
Cheers
Len
Agreed. Given the pop. size, I'd have thought they would have at least two of these in Sydney.
. And it certain reminds me how different it is to my car. Nonetheless, it is a cracking drive and it is the best of overall handling vs power car. The power is enough and can be laid relatively early. Handling is easy and it is very forgiving.
The tail on that Red MPS 3 is very Stingray like... 
Linear Mode
