Mazda 3 MPS

[iAlex]

These things shift surpisingly well! Had a little play with one from 2 sets of lights on a 60 limit road. I pulled just ahead both times but I definitely got the better start and I guess with RWD my traction is better.

(Don't generally advocate 'racing' on a public road but it was literally a straight line through 1st and 2nd gears.)

I guess looking at the specs, with all things being equal he should have pulled on me slightly (2.5i Z4).

Didn't realise these things were so quick, faster than your average hot hatch. Definite sleeper and I'm impressed.

Any owners on here, be interesting to see how you find them?

[Ozone]

It was a mum on the school run, she wasn't 'racing' you at all - probably didn't even know you were there

[porka944s]

Yeah i kind of agree i would of thought if it was giving it the beans you wouldnt stand a chance.

[iAlex]

porka944s said:

Yeah i kind of agree i would of thought if it was giving it the beans you wouldnt stand a chance.

That's what I thought but he definitely knew I was there as we were laughing to each other after the first go.

I think perhaps he just wasn't the best off the line!

[idge]

I never thought that a circa 260 BHP would be slow!

I saw a white 10 plate yesterday and thought it looked way better than the older, more inconspicuous one.

[Marf]

Had a run with one in my MR2 Turbo which was near stock at the time, just a cat back exhaust and K&N Filter, so maybe 260hp or so.

We were pretty much neck-a-neck until *cough* lots of miles per hour when I just managed to edge ahead

[kambites]

doogz said:

I can confirm, from having driven a 3.0 Z4, and a MPS, the Mazda would tear a 2.5 a new one.

If well driven, yes. It's significantly harder to get a FWD car off the line, though.

[Marf]

kambites said:

doogz said:

I can confirm, from having driven a 3.0 Z4, and a MPS, the Mazda would tear a 2.5 a new one.

If well driven, yes. It's significantly harder to get a FWD car off the line, though.

The 3 MPS has a torsen LSD which helps greatly with launch traction.

[iAlex]

doogz said:

kambites said:

doogz said:

I can confirm, from having driven a 3.0 Z4, and a MPS, the Mazda would tear a 2.5 a new one.

If well driven, yes. It's significantly harder to get a FWD car off the line, though.

I know.

Once rolling though, and gap pulled by the BMW would quickly disappear i reckon.

I'd still rather have a 3.0 Z4 over a MPS though.

Agreed, thats what I put it down to.

Wonder what they're like in the corners as that is really where the Z4 comes alive.

Still if you are comparing 3.0 Z4 and MPS then the Z4 has a quicker 0-60 speed albeit by a couple of tenths, will probably be lighter too I would imagine. Wouldn't be much in it I'm sure.

2.5i is about half a second slower to 60 and I'm sure had we have carried on into 3rd gear and therefore illegal speeds that the little Mazda would have pulled away.

Nice looking car, very Subaru looking, definitely better than the first effort.

[RobCrezz]

Very clever engines in these cars I believe.

[Marf]

In what way Rob?

Boost limiting in 1st/2nd?

[kambites]

I thought just about all modern hot hatches did that?

[T84]

I thought the MPS was 4WD?

[weezb]

T84 said:

I thought the MPS was 4WD?

Only on the Mazda 6, it's the 3 being referred to here.

[kambites]

doogz said:

Yeah, the BMW will be quicker to 60mph, but the MPS still beats it to 100mph by 0.8s

My Elise only just beats the MPS to 100, despite being a second quicker to 60 (and the Elise would get slaughtered beyond that, the MPS has a 20mph higher top speed).

[thenortherner]

T84 said:

I thought the MPS was 4WD?

The Mazda 6 is, but not the 3.

[300bhp/ton]

iAlex said:

These things shift surpisingly well! Had a little play with one from 2 sets of lights on a 60 limit road. I pulled just ahead both times but I definitely got the better start and I guess with RWD my traction is better.

(Don't generally advocate 'racing' on a public road but it was literally a straight line through 1st and 2nd gears.)

I guess looking at the specs, with all things being equal he should have pulled on me slightly (2.5i Z4).

Didn't realise these things were so quick, faster than your average hot hatch. Definite sleeper and I'm impressed.

Any owners on here, be interesting to see how you find them?

Looking at the stats it seems a 2.5 Z4 should be around 15.1 sec @ 89mph 1/4 and the MPS more like mid low 14's @ 100mph.

Basically it should have arse raped you.

[RobCrezz]

Marf said:

In what way Rob?

Boost limiting in 1st/2nd?

Haha, no wasn't referring to the boost limiting.

Aren't they Direct injection, with a high pressure fuel rail, continuous VVT etc? I thought I remembered reading in a magazine about how the engine was quite special.

Edited by RobCrezz on Friday 8th October 12:16

[Marf]

RobCrezz said:

Marf said:

In what way Rob?

Boost limiting in 1st/2nd?

Haha, no wasn't referring to the boost limiting.

Aren't they Direct injection, with a high pressure fuel rail etc? I thought I remembered reading in a magazine about how the engine was quite special.

I know they're pretty high compression for a turbo lump, not sure about DI or HPi.

Off to investigate!!

[Hub]

The road tax on the old ones is top rate (not sure whether they have improved this for the new one though), which combined with the fairly dull image of the 3 means they depreciate a lot more than most hot hatches, making them a decent second hand buy.