he 3's 2.5-liter I4 was extensively modified and turbocharged to produce north of 500 hp. Eighteen-inch Volk Racing wheels wrapped with Yokohama Advan Racing slicks are charged with putting down the power.

Those not enthralled with the Mazdaspeed 3 hatchback will like the Mazda 3 Turbo sedan built by a few designers and engineers at Mazda R&D in Irvine, Calif. Longtime Mazda partner Tri-Point Engineering turbocharged the 2.5-liter I4 with a Garrett GT2871R ball-bearing turbocharger running at a conservative 10 psi of boost. The result, according to Mazda, is more than 250 hp at the wheels. Handling is upped with an adjustable KW coil-over suspension, Tri-Point adjustable rear antiroll bar and upgraded brakes with the fronts coming from the Mazdaspeed 3 and the rears borrowed from the Mazda 5. A wider footprint comes courtesy of the RX-8 R3 19-inch rims with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires.