Mazda 3 Preview

[FrigginGLI]

http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=reviews&loc_code=index&content_code=02067768


Look at the WEIGHT!
Say the 2.3 weighs slightly more, say 3150 with a manual. With 160 hp 0-60 would be around 9 seconds still.

[StreetPreacher]

"Mazda engineers grin when they say this chassis can take “a lot more horsepower.”

Sounds good, but what about the transmission?

-Sp

[grishulia]

"We would have liked greater available front suspension travel, as we bottomed out a few times in both cars in situations where we were not expecting anything of the sort." - What is this all about? Did any of you ever bottomed out in your Protege?

[grishulia]

"Mazda plans call for a three-door, wagon and convertible 3..."

[Andres]

I found these...:

"We would have liked greater available front suspension travel, as we bottomed out a few times in both cars in situations where we were not expecting anything of the sort."

Just bottoming out means there's not enough suspension travel up front. Think about lowering...? Then probably some bigger wheels and tires...? All that will probably cause even more bottoming!!!.


"CURB WEIGHT: 3050 pounds (mfr.)"

If that's for the basic model, that means my P5 is 300lbs lighter than the new 3...!


"Hideki Suzuki, Mazda’s chief designer in charge of the 3, admits, “We used the Civic and Corolla as examples of important global cars, but we used the Alfa Romeo 147 and Peugeot 307 as examples of beautiful execution within the C segment."

That's a weird mix of design examples if you ask me... Maybe that's why when I look at the new 3, I don't feel the vibe I felt with the P5...


"Mazda plans call for a three-door, wagon and convertible 3, and MazdaSpeed, MPS and all-wheel-drive versions available by the end of calendar year 2005."

It's good to know we will get the AWD as well as the MSP and cabriolet versions... Hopefully the AWD will look more agressive!.


"The North American sales goal is 70,000 Mazda 3s annually. One-third of these will be five-doors, the other two-thirds will get a trunk; 30 percent will be fitted with the standard five-speed manual, 70 percent the optional four-speed automatic—both from the Mazda 6 bin."

Are the Mazda6 trannies better than the current Protegé ones...? Hopefully!.



Later,
Andrés.
:p

[Monstermile]

What the hell is an MPS model??

[azeli73]

30% manual??? :wtf:

I think I'll wait for the AWD speed version if it ever comes here.

[StreetPreacher]

Originally posted by azeli73
30% manual??? :wtf:

That sounds about right. Am I missing something?

-Sp

[cortez]

"CURB WEIGHT: 3050 pounds (mfr.)"

That is ridiculous!

That's the curb weight for a 5sp., 4 cyl Mazda 6.

I guess Mazda forgot how to build lightweight cars with 4 seats...
:(

[dmitrik4]

Originally posted by Monstermile
What the hell is an MPS model??

"Mazda Performance Series"

that was the designation for the MP3. maybe another stock-engine, hopped-up suspension model?

edit: not sure the MSP is in the "MPS" series.

[tonkabui]

damn, the protege is FAT. not phat, FAT. what the hell did they add that was so friggin heavy? kinda negates the whole more powerful engine, doesn't it?

[dugrant153]

3000 lbs... that's Mazda 6 territory!!! (3062 lbs for Mazda 6) O_o...
They must've made a miscalculation of some sort... that CAN'T be right...

Ford Focus 2004 comes in at 2670 lbs (rounding up).

They're coming out with an AWD version?! wow...

[Brian_in_MD]

Edmunds First Drive of the Mazda 3...

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/firstdrive/100599/article.html?tid=edmunds.h..reviews..18.*

[cortez]

Originally posted by dugrant153
3000 lbs... that's Mazda 6 territory!!! (3062 lbs for Mazda 6) O_o...
They must've made a miscalculation of some sort... that CAN'T be right...

Ford Focus 2004 comes in at 2670 lbs (rounding up).

They're coming out with an AWD version?! wow...

Exactly my thoughts. I hope those numbers are a misprint.

I mean, my WRX was 3000 pounds and the thing had a full size spare, a 16 gallon fuel tank, AWD and a turbo with long piping hanging off the side of it.

[StreetPreacher]

Originally posted by tonkabui
damn, the protege is FAT. not phat, FAT. what the hell did they add that was so friggin heavy? kinda negates the whole more powerful engine, doesn't it?

Could have been the components that also make the new car 40% stiffer.

What do you guys think of that trade off? Body rigidity/weight gain

-Sp

[dugrant153]

I'm QUITE sure it's gotta be a misprint. ( the weight)

The tradeoff of stiffness and weight? I would prefer something stiff AND light... but probably something more light than stiff.
I really doubt that they can stiffen up the chassis that much. Also, reviews have talked about how the ride is "not necessarily that firm"... but that could be due to shocks.

[wongpres]

The Mazda3 does weigh more than the Protege. It's essentially a by-product of increasing both rigidity and wheelbase.

But anyways, it's not 3,100 pounds. Here are the curb weights (US-folks can convert it themselves):

Mazda3 Sport (hatch): 1,312kg (MT)
Mazda3 sedan (2.0l/2.3l): 1,230kg (MT), 1,287kg (MT)

[dugrant153]

Mazda 3 Sport (Hatchback) comes in at:
2892.96 lbs. Roughly.

Mazda 3 Sedan (2.0L):
2712.15 lbs.

Mazda 3 Sedan (2.3L):
2837.835 lbs.

I'm a Canadian-folk, but I'm so used to seeing weight in pounds. :D

Thanks wongpres. That clears things up a lot.

[cortez]

So it was a mistake.

2800 curb weight is what I expected out of the 2.3 sedan. That's more like it.

I'm back to wanting one...

And i'd rather have a car that is 200 pounds lighter than 40% stiffer. The difference in weight will be a lot more noticeable.

[Roywhitep5]

the p5 is better.

i wouldnt mind having 144hp on tap, but the p5 has a much better balance of looks and function

and guage pods are totally gay/matrix

[dugrant153]

Originally posted by cortez
And i'd rather have a car that is 200 pounds lighter than 40% stiffer. The difference in weight will be a lot more noticeable.

Doesn't stiffer chassis translate into better cornering?

[cortez]

All else being equal, yes. At the expense of 200 pounds, no.

[mattr652]

I think 2837LB is pretty light for a 2.3L sedan, considering the RSX weighs only 70lbs less.

Curb Weight for the RSX

Manual: 2694 lbs

Automatic: 2771 lbs

Manual (TYPE-S): 2767 lbs (1255 kg)

[bazooka joe]

i look @ the nose of the 3 and i see pt cruiser.....and as i look towards the rear i see matrix. i'm keepin the 5!

[cortez]

Originally posted by mattr652
I think 2837LB is pretty light for a 2.3L sedan, considering the RSX weighs only 70lbs less.

Curb Weight for the RSX

Manual: 2694 lbs

Automatic: 2771 lbs

Manual (TYPE-S): 2767 lbs (1255 kg)

Nah, cars keep getting heavier and heavier. Just because Honda has fattened up their cars doesn't make it better. Look at this months Grassroots Motorsports to see how they compare a 1989 Civic Si vs. a brand new Civic Si on an autocross. The old Civic, even though is so much down on power compared to the new one is a much better performer.

Civics are around 2600 pounds. I used to have a Civic that came in under 2000 pounds! Still these days 2600 pounds is close to the best you can get for a 4 seater, so I was hoping that the 3 would be closer to that, judging from what mazda has done with previous cars.

The 3 at over 2800 pounds is chock full of airbags and accesories, but I guess it's not horrible. It's about the same as the current Protege, so I guess I shouldn't complain much. It's better than 3000 pounds, hehehehe...

[3forme]

Well if it makes you feel better from what I have heard the new GTI with a turbo4 producing close to 200 hp with all the bells and whistles will be close to 3200 lbs. The way I look at it is I drive a 2900lb New Beetle with 155hp, so a 3s with 16o hp, and close to the same weight will be plenty quick for me.

[cortez]

It's not just about the power/acceleration.
My previous daily driver was a WRX. It was pretty fast. It also weighted something like 3200 lbs with driver. You could feel the weight when you tried to take corners fast. You could feel the weight when you used the brakes hard.

Heavier cars are harder on equipment, like brakes, suspension, drivetrain, etc.

Anyway, it's more of a philosophy. I'm not saying that the car will suck because it's heavy. It's just that Mazda used to be better at keeping weight in control because they know how it affects everything. The 3 is not to be a performance car. That is the job of the RX-8 and the Miata and both are pretty light for their "class".

The 3 at 2800 pounds will still be a great car, judging from how Mazda sets their suspension, steering, etc. I can't wait to test drive one.

[spec5protege]

Originally posted by cortez
It's not just about the power/acceleration.
My previous daily driver was a WRX. It was pretty fast. It also weighted something like 3200 lbs with driver. You could feel the weight when you tried to take corners fast. You could feel the weight when you used the brakes hard.

Not to go off topic, but what do you currently drive? I currently drive a wrx and am looking to possibly get something cheaper. Have always liked Mazdas/proteges (my friend has a miata and I had a probe) and am seriously looking at the new 3 as a replacement for the wrx. AWD is great for winter but awd+turbo = expensive! I really don't need that much performance, more of a classy looking, cheaper daily driver is what I'm looking for.

[cortez]

My daily driver is a 93 Protege LX.

It was really cheap, it has the best steering feel of any FWD car I've driven, it handles pretty good (I've just installed springs, struts, sway bars) and it is very good on fuel. It's a fun little car.

I've owned 3 Miatas before (90 Spec Miata, 95 street, 96 street) and right now I co-own another one that is a race car (90 ITA).

I sold the WRX for a bunch of different reasons, but the main one is that I was only using it to go to work and back home and I didn't need a brand new, expensive, 19mpg, WRX for bumper to bumper commute. I figured I would save some money and put it on the race car.

I am also interested in the 3, but I'll probably wait a year or so to have it go through the first year shakedown. I guess I'd rather wait for the used ones. At the same time, I might do the same thing with an RX-8 and keep the Protege for commuting.

[tonkabui]

hmm... with the revised and corrected weight figures. teh new 3 looks to be a winner!