1000bhp Mazda

New FWD drag racer to raise profile of Mazda 6

By PH Staff / Tuesday, 5 November 2002 / Loading comments

Mazda North America and Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development have announced a drag racing partnership with Team Bergenholtz. Professional drag racer Ed Bergenholtz, a 13-year veteran and record-setting driver for Honda, has traded in his Honda colors for Mazda's "winged-M."

Begenholtz will debut his new MAZDA6 Pro Class FWD drag car in Las Vegas at the Specialty Equipment Market Association's (SEMA) annual hot rod expo. It's a ploy to increase coverage for Mazda's impressive new Mazda 6 saloon.

In showroom form, the new 2.3 litre, 16 valve with variable valve timing, 4-cylinder Mazda 6 has 160bhp. But race-ready, Bergenholtz's MAZDASPEED full tube-chassis front-wheel-drive (yes!) drag car will harness more than 1000 horsepower and run the quarter mile in just over 7.5 seconds at nearly 200 mph.

The Bergenholtz Racing MAZDA6 drag car will feature a heavily modified Garrett turbocharged, methanol-powered Mazda I-4 power plant, a Fortin five-speed sequential transmission and an advanced Motec engine management system. In addition, the hot rod offers full tube-chassis/suspension construction with a Mazda 6 body draped over the top.