check it

and here as well

Mazda is prepping its own entry for the Subie-Mitsu rally wars—a 276-hp, 265-lb-ft Mazda 6 scheduled for a mid-2005 world debut. Spotted during hot-weather tests in the California desert, this sizzling prototype gets a twin-turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-liter four that is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and sends power via all-wheel drive to 18-inch tires.
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pretty cool!!! although... I don't think it stands a chance in the rally wars, though! Maybe they should throw it into the WRC if they wanna claim that;) I wouldn't want 18's personally:)

it will not be a WRC contender because of the Ford team. Mazda & Ford are in cahoots. plus, i don't think the wheel base is suited to rally racing much anyway. altough, i'm sure it could be adapted or run anyway.

the 2nd article talks about the twin turbo setup a bit more. that's the most interesting part to me. esp since my Mz3 has the same 2.3L engine they are strapping this TT setup to! everyone over @ mazda3forums is stoked on the idea of a boosted awd 3. that shit would be HOTTT. again, they wouldn't put it into the WRC either considering the new euro focus & the Mz3 share the same platform ( along with a new volvo ). although, it wouldn't stop anyone from rocking a boosted awd drifting mz3. that anyone being MEEEEE!

regardless, this is good news for mazda enthusiasts all over.

agreed. what is the difference in compression between the tt engine and the one in your car? Would turbocharging your car be an easy option? Or would the compression/internals make a swap a lot easier/reliable? I don't know too much about the mz3, but have people been turboing them?

nobody wrote:agreed. what is the difference in compression between the tt engine and the one in your car? Would turbocharging your car be an easy option? Or would the compression/internals make a swap a lot easier/reliable? I don't know too much about the mz3, but have people been turboing them?

stock compression on the 2.3L Mz3 is 9.7:1 -- as of right now nobody has turboed one. it SHOULD be doable with stock components @ a pretty low boost pressure. from what i understand, it could be safely pushed to ~8psi on stock internals. granted, i would never just strap a turbo to the car without building the engine from the bottom up or at least setting up a new fuel system.

someone is working on an all motor, tube frame fwd drag Mz3 which will have a really beefed up bottom end. frankly, this motor is WAY too new for it to be proven super strong. it's not like a B series Honda engine that everyone & their brother has in their ride. hopefully, within another year or so, there will be enough parts & experience out there to build this motor up all beefy like.

i suppose i should include a little info about the engine other than 2.3L running at 9.7:1. . .stock - 160hp @ the crank 140 ft-lbs. of torque. puts ~140hp down at the wheels with ~137 ft-lbs. as well in stock form. with the only performance part out now ( an AEM CAI ) it's putting 146hp to the wheels & 143 ft-lbs. currently, a race header & exhaust are being developed which should free up another 10 or so hp. we're working to get the ecu cracked so we can get the whole damn thing reflashed / remapped. it's in the air as to how much power that will gain us, but fact of the matter is putting over 200 to the wheels, all motor should be EASY. once someone builds some manifolds, wastegates, etc. turbo kits should be easy to come by. although, one weak link remains. . .the tranny. nobody is sure exactly how much power they can handle, and as we know, that's a whole 'nother ballgame.

anyway, i'm done rambling. i love my car. i couldn't have asked for more under $20K. i like my little, tiny car payment. i could have picked up an STi without a second thought but when it came down to writing that check every month. . .man, i couldn't handle it.

why is mazda(ford) making crappy cars that won't sell good. Bring the car that will acutally sell! Rx7!! UGH!!!!

djdorifto wrote:why is mazda(ford) making crappy cars that won't sell good. Bring the car that will acutally sell! Rx7!! UGH!!!!

the Mz3 is outselling the civic in canada. i'm not sure about the us stats. the 6 is walking all over the camry & accord's numbers. the 8, well there are plenty still sitting in the lots. that's why the 7 was dropped for a while. . .no numbers. although mazdaspeed versions of the 3, 6, & 8 should be fully out within a year or so ( maybe a bit longer for the 3 ), i really doubt they'll be bringing back anything close to the oldschool 7.

luckily mazda designers care a bit more about fit & finish than ford. the SVT focus has the worst fit & finish i've ever seen ( cept maybe the neon srt or whatever it is ). and luckily everything on the Mz3 was assembled in japan. boo to shitty domestic manufacturing!

if it's going to compete with the sti, evo, and srt-4, it needs a HUGE wing.

don't mazda designers know anything?? lol.

wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnng!!!

nobody wrote:wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnng!!!

what was your REAL reason for getting that STi?

no...the picnic table ricer wing is sort of a long running joke, though.

nobody wrote:no...the picnic table ricer wing is sort of a long running joke, though.

nobody wrote:no...the picnic table ricer wing is sort of a long running joke, though.

yeah, i've never seen you laugh & point at ricer wings before. sort of threw me there for a second =P

I really like the styling of that front bumper!

In all seriousness, why would you twin turbo charge a 4 cylinder engine? It seems a bit excessive, depending on the size of the turbos. Unless it's a marketting kind of thing...

andysapp wrote:
I really like the styling of that front bumper!

looks much better than this one for sure :


this still wins my mazda loving heart though :