New hot hatch from Mazda
Mazda3 MPS heads for the Astra VXR
  Mazda3 MPS |
Mazda is pinning its credibility in the hot hatch market on the new Mazda3 MPS, describing it as "the fastest, best handling, best braking model in the Mazda3 range" when it goes on sale in the UK next February.
Priced from £18,995 on the road, Mazda reckoned the hatch occupies a similar space in the hatch market as do the Mazda6 MPS, RX-8 PZ special edition and the MX-5 in theirs.
Powered by a 2.3-litre 256bhp four-pot motor with 280lb-ft of torque that propels the car to 60mph from rest in a respectable 6.1 seconds, it's going head-to-head with the likes of the Vauxhall Astra VXR, Renault Megane RenaultSport 225, and the Honda Civic Type-R.
There'll only be one version of the car, which will be limited to 1,000 examples only, but it's reasonably well specced.
Equipment includes xenons, rain sensing wipers and automatic lights, global window closure, aircon, cruise control, a seven-speaker Bose stereo with a six-CD changer. It also comes with branded sports seats with black leather side bolsters and centre sections in black sports cloth. Four exterior paint colours are available with mica or metallic finish along with 18-inch diameter, 7-inch wide 10-spoke aluminium alloy wheels as standard.
Marketing man Mark Cameron said: "The Mazda3 MPS is designed for a global market and annual production will be more than 10,000 units in 2007.
"In the UK, the sports hatchback market is both well established and more demanding in terms of styling. For this reason we have developed a Sports Styling Pack, which includes a larger rear spoiler, two-spoke sports door mirrors and lowered suspension, to enhance the vehicle’s sporting prowess.
"Priced at £500 fully fitted, the Sports Styling Pack will be available in Mazda showrooms from March 2007, and we expect around 70 per cent of Mazda3 MPS buyers will opt for this pack. Over time we expect all Mazda3 MPS models in the UK to feature the Sports Styling Pack as standard." The pack consists of a larger rear spoiler, two-spoke sports door mirrors and lowered suspension.
Then why, pray tell, is it not standard when you order the bloody thing?
www.autospeed.com/cms/A_107793/article.html
You all whine about it looking boring but that's quite an advantage really, the perfect commuter weapon, looks so dull on the outside noone would ever suspect it, yet you have masses of power ready and waiting, right in the mid range and with uber quick in-gear acceleration to take advantage of gaps and dispatch tailgating reps with ease when the time comes, before quietly blending into the background again when mr plod cruises by.
It actually sounds a lot like my old Mazda 626 with a big 2.2L Turbo driving the front wheels, nice and comfortable, and completely inconspicious looking, you could drive round like a normal boring car, even off boost it had masses of low end torque. I could park it without worrying about it and not worry about getting the wrong sort of attention from boy racers, criminals or police. But punch the throttle and boy it would turn into an animal, torque steering like crazy all over the place while smearing burnt rubber over the tarmac. It boosted up fairly early (for an 80s turbo anyway) with full boost by around 2000rpm or just after, but it ran out of puff after 4500rpm (redline 5250 I think, or maybe 5500rpm). It was a fairly appalling handler as well, too soft in the suspension (though very comfortable), and not much steering lock, you had to go slow in to corners, but keep that turbo on boost and you would be able to make a very fast getaway indeed. Ultimately it was crap for throwing down a twisty mountain road, but for my urban commute along mostly straight roads where mid-range grunt matters it was great.
I can see one of these finding it's way into my garage in a few years once they get older and everyone else has long forgotten them
. As Road Terrorist say, the cars plainess/annonimity/boringness (choose what you prefer) was an actual plus point in my decision to purchase of the 6 and I can say if the 3 is half as good as the six (get it) It will be worth considering against the known competion.
John
Plenty of people will continue to buy the RX8 - I've got a couple of friends (both women, incidentally) who have recently purchased an RX8. I can assure you that they wouldn't be seen dead in either a 3 or 6 MPS.
Plenty of people will continue to buy the RX8 - I've got a couple of friends (both women, incidentally) who have recently purchased an RX8. I can assure you that they wouldn't be seen dead in either a 3 or 6 MPS.
Do you lady friends realise they sit behind a wankel ?
Plenty of people will continue to buy the RX8 - I've got a couple of friends (both women, incidentally) who have recently purchased an RX8. I can assure you that they wouldn't be seen dead in either a 3 or 6 MPS.
Do you lady friends realise they sit behind a wankel ?
Shame it's not going to get 4wd, it's be a real hooligan but, from much of what I've read it's handling is very very good for the amount of power. LSD as standard helps and boost is limited in first and second gears to keep it all manageable. Traction is controlled via altering the turbo's behaviour rather than by cutting spark which seems quite clever.
I quite like the exterior looks too - no worse looking than other stuff in the class.
My better-half really liked it and we may well be putting an order in for one next year...
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