AWD Mazdaspeed3

[PeterC]

If money is not a factor, you don't lose enough power to make it not worth the benefit of AWD. Don't forget also that you could run a map that doesn't impede 1st and 2nd gear at all...freeing up all that power that we are missing. MS6's run very close to what we run even with the extra weight and drivetrain loss. Then you could easily throw over 300 lb/ft through it and let the AWD sort it out.

Then again, if money was not a factor we would probably be driving something else anyway.

 

[Haltech]

MS3 with AWD would be a badass combo for a true rally racer. Start adding all of the power upgrades and you have a ****** monster on your hands... If it could be done under $6K, i would do it. We could start casing the wrecking yards for volvos.

 

[RODSCALIP5]

Why not just get the new 08 STI and save time/money? Just a question

 

[Haltech]

Why not just get the new 08 STI and save time/money? Just a question

Because Suburus look like ass and their interior sucks. i want a car that can handle as well..

 

[RODSCALIP5]

Because Suburus look like ass and their interior sucks. i want a car that can handle as well..

The 08 STI looks almost identical to the MS3, the interior (JDM at least) has improved and comes with sexy Recaro seats. I believe the STI should handle pretty decently.

 

[mountjonas]

no recaros for the u.s. in the sti.

 

[RODSCALIP5]

no recaros for the u.s. in the sti.

Yeah, it figures. It would make sense to offer them as an option. O.k. back on topic.

 

[chacon101]

I just reread an article in Car and Driver about the new Evo. A direct quote is, "the handling is nothing short of incredible". They have all kinds of computer stuff watching wheel spin to keep you going in the right direction. It would seem that no matter what mechanical parts we add to the MS3, it still wouldn't be able to out handle the new Evo. Don't get me wrong, I am still ALL for making my MS3 put power to all four wheels but I don't think we'll be able to out handle the new Evo no matter what.

So yeah, somebody with the time/money to scout a junkyard, please attempt to get this done and take plenty of pics!! (drinks)

 

[Haltech]

I just reread an article in Car and Driver about the new Evo. A direct quote is, "the handling is nothing short of incredible". They have all kinds of computer stuff watching wheel spin to keep you going in the right direction. It would seem that no matter what mechanical parts we add to the MS3, it still wouldn't be able to out handle the new Evo. Don't get me wrong, I am still ALL for making my MS3 put power to all four wheels but I don't think we'll be able to out handle the new Evo no matter what.

So yeah, somebody with the time/money to scout a junkyard, please attempt to get this done and take plenty of pics!! (drinks)

I have a sneaking suspicion that with coil overs and beefier swaybars, the new EVO isnt going to touch the MS3 in the handling dept. Its nice to see them let the EVO grow up into a great all around car. Something the STI needs badly.

 

[Haltech]

The 08 STI looks almost identical to the MS3, the interior (JDM at least) has improved and comes with sexy Recaro seats. I believe the STI should handle pretty decently.

Yeah it kind of does but its still a suburu and i wont ever own one. The US interior needs more work. It still wont handle like a MS3 esp when i go the coilover route here shortly.

 

[Young Roids]

Just get an Evo...

 

[redspeed]

I think this will be something that we'll see in a couple of years. I don't think any of us is ready to start a project like this and say **** the warranty.

 

[BluMicaR]

Off topic, but re: the terminator thread, are we not allowed to post about street races else the wrath of mod comes and locks/deletes the thread? I just want to know why it got locked - not trying to stir any trouble up.

Back on topic, the spy shots of the new STI look EXACTLY like the MS3 from the outside; IMO Subaru is a cad for thieving our preciousssss. I haven't seen the inside.

I haven't ever driven an AWD car so I don't know WHAT it would be/feel like, but I really REALLY love my MS3 and I don't know if that 'yank the s*** out of me and give me whiplash' catch would go away with AWD. My FWD seems very raw and exciting because under WOT in 1&2 it is really pretty demanding of your attention. Where I live there's a side road that is kind of hilly/bumpy and there's this little bridge about 50-80 yards past this intersection. When I turn onto it I always WOT and by the time I hit the bridge I'm maybe about 60-70. Mathmeticians I'm just guesstimating for description here, so please don't jump on me and say that's too fast and there's no way I do that acceleration. I'm just sayin' from memory. Anyhow by the time I hit the bridge I'm in 3rd and the peak boost is /just/ under way for that gear; there's a little bump where they've at some point repaired the seam from road to bridge to road. I hit that bump and air everytime for what seems like 10 seconds; probably more like 1/2 to 1 second, but after that bump is another and the fronts touch/bump/touch like a plane landing. It's really fun and I have to muscle the steering wheel because it wants to pull/hop this way or that, kind of like a rally race. It's even more fun (horribly dangerous) when there is oncoming traffic. Anyhow - I don't think that kind of experience at the edge of control would be as possible with AWD. Sorry for the extend-a-story, but it took me a while to get to the point. (RTM)

 

[BlackCherry06]

It's all about preference. I prefer a car that puts the power down in a controlled (and controllable) manner. I got more than my fill of wheelspin and torque steer with my 3.5 Altima. I also wore out the factory tires in 12,000 miles.

The biggest advantage for me is when I have to make a right turn onto a busy road from a standstill. I've left so much rubber at some of the corners around Plano from my 3 or my Frontier losing traction in these circumstances, and it's frustrating. My frustration is gone...thank you MS6. Now that I have it, I can only predict that going back to fwd would feel like a sacrifice.

 

[chacon101]

When I had my Tsi AWD, I could rev the engine to 4k and dump the clutch (I very rarely did this though) and I wouldn't lose traction. I could do this even when it was wet out.

In my MS3, you simply can't go all out off the line because of wheel spin. To me, that's the main difference...just not having to worry about wheel spin and being able to just hammer it when I want to.

This car demands more of the driver in order to squeeze out all of it's potential. In a C&D I read that they were having issues getting a good launch on the MS3. After calling Mazda directly, they were told to rev to 2900 rpms and then dump the clutch while power shifting into 2nd and 3rd.

I wouldn't do this to my car EVER unless it was at a drag strip but I am not sure that's ever going to happen.

 

[fastdreams]

A good AWD system is a huge performance improvement over FWD.

In the Audi's I've owned - it gives you so much confidence because it is so easy to drive fast without drama. I still have my 2001 S4 and it drives worlds better than my Mazda, just not as fast because it weighs over 3800lbs.

The '02 WRX I had (tuned to 232awhp) + coilovers would have ran all over my '08 MS3 in most conditions. The MS3 would have an edge in a roll-on highway race - but I hate that kind of bs and prefer to keep it at the track and autocross.

The drawback for me is, and the reason I was happy to jump in a FWD car again; AWD systems are HEAVY + AWD systems have more parasitic loss. I was intrigued by the MS3 because it is 3100lbs and has great handling and braking characteristics and most of all it has a pretty damn good power-to-weight ratio. All of that would change if you made it AWD. It would become a heavier car with less power to the wheels: handling, braking and acceleration would all suffer - and suddenly the MS3 is not such a bright star in my opinion. I would have gotten a different car.
Mazda should stick with what they are good at - good handling, efficient FWD cars, excellent small sports car the Miata, and for gods sake bring back a high-performance RXn with more power!

I considered the MS6 for a short time but reading about the "weird" AWD system turned me off. I have high expectations for AWD.

 

[desperado-c]

A good AWD system is a huge performance improvement over FWD.

In the Audi's I've owned - it gives you so much confidence because it is so easy to drive fast without drama. I still have my 2001 S4 and it drives worlds better than my Mazda, just not as fast because it weighs over 3800lbs.

The '02 WRX I had (tuned to 232awhp) + coilovers would have ran all over my '08 MS3 in most conditions. The MS3 would have an edge in a roll-on highway race - but I hate that kind of bs and prefer to keep it at the track and autocross.

The drawback for me is, and the reason I was happy to jump in a FWD car again; AWD systems are HEAVY + AWD systems have more parasitic loss. I was intrigued by the MS3 because it is 3100lbs and has great handling and braking characteristics and most of all it has a pretty damn good power-to-weight ratio. All of that would change if you made it AWD. It would become a heavier car with less power to the wheels: handling, braking and acceleration would all suffer - and suddenly the MS3 is not such a bright star in my opinion. I would have gotten a different car.
Mazda should stick with what they are good at - good handling, efficient FWD cars, excellent small sports car the Miata, and for gods sake bring back a high-performance RXn with more power!

I considered the MS6 for a short time but reading about the "weird" AWD system turned me off. I have high expectations for AWD.

I think the MS6 AWD adds about 150 lbs. That would put the MS3 in between the WRX and the STi in terms of weight and hp/wt ratio. That might be an interesting niche. As far as acceleration, AWD definitely adds a lot in lower gears, and not just in 1st. Think about the number of times traction control comes on in 2nd and even 3rd if you hit the RPMs right. Also, look at how the
MS6 and the WRX are able to pretty much match the MS3 in 0-60 and 1/4 mile times, despite significant disadvantages in hp/wt.

I'd love to see AWD on the 3 even at the cost of the Wild Child persona. Forget about the Volvo and Axela AWD parts as bolt-ons. The applications they're used in are much lower power and it's probably for a reason. As far as DG, I'm guessing they had to do a fair amount of fabbing to make it work. Even then it's apparently a tight fit to get everything in. They seem to be focused on appearance mods if you look at their website, but maybe they'll campaign it as a rally racer and we'll get to see how their setup works.

 

[x'ed]

A good AWD system is a huge performance improvement over FWD.

In the Audi's I've owned - it gives you so much confidence because it is so easy to drive fast without drama. I still have my 2001 S4 and it drives worlds better than my Mazda, just not as fast because it weighs over 3800lbs.

The '02 WRX I had (tuned to 232awhp) + coilovers would have ran all over my '08 MS3 in most conditions. The MS3 would have an edge in a roll-on highway race - but I hate that kind of bs and prefer to keep it at the track and autocross.

The drawback for me is, and the reason I was happy to jump in a FWD car again; AWD systems are HEAVY + AWD systems have more parasitic loss. I was intrigued by the MS3 because it is 3100lbs and has great handling and braking characteristics and most of all it has a pretty damn good power-to-weight ratio. All of that would change if you made it AWD. It would become a heavier car with less power to the wheels: handling, braking and acceleration would all suffer - and suddenly the MS3 is not such a bright star in my opinion. I would have gotten a different car.
Mazda should stick with what they are good at - good handling, efficient FWD cars, excellent small sports car the Miata, and for gods sake bring back a high-performance RXn with more power!

I considered the MS6 for a short time but reading about the "weird" AWD system turned me off. I have high expectations for AWD.

S4's are cool, but the ms3 will outhandle it any day, even stock. Awd isn't always faster, just more confidence insipring. If it was faster, every race car in the world would run it and not rwd. but f1, le mans, everyone runs rwd. its superior for speedy handling. rwd>awd>fwd.

 

[ALIEN3T]

the race team am workign with runs a FWD car in its class, agianst all kinds fo cars.
sometimes on a track AWD takes alot more hp and some FWD set up right will take them.

the car went to an event with a 100 cars or soo, the only car out fo the whoel feild that beat a 130 whp escort was a 700hp EVo. and there were all typers of tcars there . so sometimes driver and suspension will make the diffrence on the track.

btu AWD woudl be fun. but he love the car the way it is!

 

[Sierra117]

I think this will be something that we'll see in a couple of years. I don't think any of us is ready to start a project like this and say **** the warranty.

LOL, I'd love to go into a dealership for something like this.

ME: My shifter seems really notchy, and I'm having trouble getting into gear. Also, the grinding noise is back.
SERVICE ADVISOR: Have you made any changes, like a short shifter?
ME: No, but I did do an all wheel drive conversion