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Mazda 3 Mps Released.

PranK

By PranK,
in General Automotive Discussion

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PranK Grand Master

PranK

Posted
Posted

Wow, so at the beggining of the Top Gear episode tonight I saw an ad for the Mazda 3 MPS, they claimed 190kw, so I thought I'd look it up.

http://www.mazda.com.au/mazda3mps/

Gotta say, everything about it looked good and its price is good also. It has a great stereo and great dash and really good features, but I had to read through almost every page to find out that its only FWD.

Now, what a waste. Everything seems so good, it has 380nm of torque.... But FWD? Give me a break... What kind of 'sports car' has that much power through the 2 front wheels?

Damn Mazda... what a let down.

C

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Savage Bliss Proficient

Savage Bliss

Posted
Posted

Yeah me thinks I'd still prefer the XR5 to the MP3 thingy.... what ever you call it! My brother in-law has a XR5 and let em tell ya... they are great fun to drive... responsive... gutsy... and I think i'd prefer the Volvo power plant to the Mazda... but hey, that's just me. :happy:

mrgilly Proficient

mrgilly

Posted
Posted

My flatmate picked his up today, and they are a real scream. I'd take it over the XR5 any day - surprisingly it doesn't torque steer and handles exceptionally. It's just begging to be thrashed (the test car copped it) and the power keeps coming through the rev range.

I couldn't bring myself to sell the R34 for one though :(

eMsta Grand Master

eMsta

Posted
Posted

There are only 2 mazdas I would ever think about getting....the RX7 (obviously), or if i just want something that cruisey, and wont get me hooked on modifying it, the MX-5 SE (dont know why, but I always liked the look of one - very much like a zippy little toy)

INASNT Grand Master

INASNT

Posted
Posted

I have heard very good things about the 3 MPS.

Mazda unlike Holden have thought about the torque steer problems associated with high powered fwd cars and have a variable adjusting front diff to stop torque steer like the astra vrx.

Will be taking one for a test drive this weekend and pretending the g friend is going to upgrade her 2005 3 for 1 of these

PranK Grand Master

PranK

Posted
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Posted

Those that mentioned the MX5, hell yeah I'd have an mx5, what a cool little track car.

INASNT, yeah I might go and drive one too, then try to convince my wife to let me get rid of our N16 pulsar for one. :)

dangerous_daveo Grand Master

dangerous_daveo

Posted
Posted

Astra isnt holdens fault hey.

Id still go the focus, I think it looks better. Really the focus and 3 should be the same car other than the engine as its all ford anyway.

And the alfa was a V6 for crying out loud, its nuts.

Either way I think all these cars could be quite dangerous. If you know how to drive them fine, otherwise look out. Guess its the same with everything tho.

Sydneykid Grand Master

Sydneykid

Posted
Posted

I drove one a few weeks back to the workshop for a suspension engineering upgrade. It was raining in the morning and it was really weird, it doesn't torque steer because it cuts the power (traction control). So I tried to drag off my own Stagea (up to the speed limit) and got destroyed. It had like 10 fwkw, just kept cutting the power to stop the wheelspin. When I modulated the throttle it gots its traction control all in a twist.

It was the same on corner exit, give it a squirt to fire it away from the apex and it did the power cut thing. Waiting ....... waiting........OK lets go now.

If I had one, the traction control would have to go on day 1. Then it might be OK for me, but dangerous in the wrong hands. Power understeer city.

My verdict............needs 4wd.

:) cheers :)

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