Yeah smoked by all of them--including the Mazdaspeed RX8. I have my reservations that the Mazdaspeed 3 will 'smoke' the RX8 6 spd. RX8 owners really lack patience.

 

well I hope you can see the sarcasm in there.
I mean all mazdas are nice cars, but the 8 has to stay on the top.
A MS RX8 for all the markets please

 

0-60 times for both the MS 6 & MS 3 are stated in the low 6 secs range, as is the MS MX-5. It seems that Mazda is looking for parity with its top end performers, and at 5.9 secs the RX-8 is still tops on paper. A MS RX-8 should put it back firmly at the front of the pack.

 

Every source I have read said it'll be FWD for sure. The reason being, the MPS 3 is using a detuned version of the 2.3L that's being used in the MPS 6. The MPS 6 would be essentially useless, if a lighter, also AWD, and cheaper MPS 3 out performed it. They need to seperate the two, and they're doing it with AWD.

 

reason it failed didn't entirely have to do with millenia. new amati luxury brand was brainstormed way before millenia, but was scrapped for financial reasons. and millenia, which was originally supposed to be an amati, survived past the stillborn amati so was sold as a mazda. the last 929 was an incredible luxury car. and in japan mazda had the efini brand, which was supposed to be a premium sporty brand, but didn't work out too well. mazda isn't aristocratic enough to launch a snooty luxury brand :D

 

The Mazda info I've gotten said its FWD as well... Hopefully it'll at least have an LSD. The MPS 6 doesn't even have a front LSD, and its 100:0 until slippage occurs....

Here's another snag.
http://www.triplezoom.com/news/publi...icle_276.shtml

As for not changing the MPS 6 internals cause it would be cheaper...look at the Sti vs legacy GT, aren't there engine internal differences between those two cars? (Even though its the 2.5T engine)

 

you should qualify the subaru statement with 'american' sti, because everywhere else in the world the STi is based on the 2.0L boxer (makes 300hp)

 

I'm confused. What's with the negative disposition regarding front-wheel drive? Some of y'all implied a FWD MS3 would rule it out as a sports coupe. If Mazda wants to make it FWD, it's their business.

Why would you want to make the MS3 an AWD car? To compete with the EVO, STi, A4, etc.? Bleh.

I'm a big fan of FWD sports cars. I owned one for two years, and it's still one of my favorites. They're just as versatile as the RWD or AWD cars. I've seen them work their magic on Pikes Peak hillclimbs, and rip apart RWD trailer queens on the circuit.

Hopefully, Mazda will go forward and use a FWD platform for the MS3. As for power, about 215-220 hp will do nicely. Also, it doesn't help to lie like DC did when they released the SRT-4.

 

FWD can be nice. I love driving my brother's car, it's perfect the way it is. I hope the MS3 can compete well with the SRT-4. We shall soon see.

 

When you accelerate in a car, where does the weight go? It shifts to the rear of the car. Where is the power going in FWD? To the front tires. Wheres the weight again? Over the rear.

Wheel hop, lack of traction, and understeer are all major issues of FWD vehicles. They can be countered, but only with careful tuning, and really big tires.

Traction is finite...when your forced to acclerate, turn, and brake, all on the same 2 tires, you will always be at a major disadvantage to someone who can acclerate with the rears.

This type of stuff really doesn't matter till you start racing your cars. If your on the street, it doesn't matter what drivetrain you have till it starts snowing.

 

Not a FWD fan at all--"If your on the street, it doesn't matter what drivetrain you have" I'll have to disagree with that one, two words: torque steer. My Millenia S is front wheel drive, and even with 210HP I still have to battle with annoying torque steer--which is why I never would consider a Maxima, TL, Altima, or any other high power front wheel drive car. With decent LSDs and what not torque steer can be reduced, but it won't replace the feel of rear or all wheel drive.

 

Dre,

I agree with you, but technically, why do we need more then 50 hp on the street?

 

Don't forget about the pathetic burnouts FWD cars make. J/K. Yes, FWD has some flaws once the power starts going up, however with careful suspension tuning, I still believe you can go with the best of them. Of course, there's no way in hell of expecting a heavily-tuned EG beating an M3 GT; that's why our racing sanctions divvy up racing based on drivetrain layout. I've seen many B13 SE-R's dominate on the auto-X, and I've even seen an ITR Pikes Peak car. In fact, Dodge campaigned an SRT-4 in some rally events prior to its release, and from what I've heard they were almost dominant. I hope Mazda can consider a FWD platform to differentiate itself from the MS6, but what the hell? I'm not Mazda's brass, just a punk who needs to study for materials science.

 

At 220hp I think it will more than likely compete with the Cobalt SS and Ion Redline. The SRT-4 is currently in a league of it's own as far as FWD. Although DCx claims 230hp/250tq most dynos show the SRT-4 putting that amount to the wheels...+- 5hp/5tq. 2005 is the last year it will be produced though. Maybe this car will replace the SRT-4 as the new "best bang for the buck" car. I'm pretty sure it will out-torque the supercharged Ion Redline/Cobalt SS because...well, turbochargers can really make those little 4 bangers torque monsters. We will see.

I noticed this misinfo in the article...

Huh? It's a 2.4L not a 2.0L. And what's an SX anyways?

 

It's nice to see mazda establishing their performance brand once and for all, Mazdaspeed is to Mazda what ///M is to BMW, but on a lesser level. Hopefully they stick with AWD or RWD and are to be true to sports cars, unlike a FWD setup. Now they need a MAZDASPEED Tribute! No, just messin..

 

Im more excited about the comment about the 7. I only hope Mazda releases a sneek...*crosses fingers*...I plan to buy a new car within 2 years, if mazda lays out some plans for the 7 then im in, if not, then they better have a MS 8 cuz that will be the second choice.

 

If this was thier reasoning, then they started with the wrong car in the first place. I'd take the MS6's goodies in a 3 over a 6 any day. As it stands now, the MS6 is too fat, and the MS3 is too little. It sucks because they are so close to a hands down winner.

 

Yeah, that's the problem I think. If the Mazdaspeed 3 had AWD, the same power, cheaper, and lighter than the Mazdaspeed6, I highly doubt anyone would go for the Mazdaspeed6, and the few that did would have to be really desperate for a few extra cubic inches of room.