300-HP, AWD Mazdaspeed3 Shelved, But for Good Reason?

[stageup]

(shocked) What the hooey are you talking about? Not calling you a liar or anything like that, but I have never heard of this. I've been considering acquiring an EVO X GSR, and would love to know how you came across this information.

EDIT: Are you referring to new or used?

rofl where have you been? mitubishi has been BLOWING out 08 stock of evo X's for the last 4 mos.

base evo's can be had for 25 + ttl including 2k factory cash + loyalty + military
i got quotes of 27,900 + ttl for evo X w/gsr package

 

[Matrix]

rofl where have you been? mitubishi has been BLOWING out 08 stock of evo X's for the last 4 mos.

base evo's can be had for 25 + ttl including 2k factory cash + loyalty + military
i got quotes of 27,900 + ttl for evo X w/gsr package

I wasn't aware that the price was in reference to 2008 models. I've never heard of dealerships holding on to unsold vehicles for that long. I'll have to ask around to see if any Mitsu dealers still have a 2008 EVO X GSR left to sell in the northern Virginia area.

And I thought that the GSR was the base package. I was only aware of two trim levels. The GSR and the MR.

 

[stageup]

I wasn't aware that the price was in reference to 2008 models. I've never heard of dealerships holding on to unsold vehicles for that long. I'll have to ask around to see if any Mitsu dealers still have a 2008 EVO X GSR left to sell in the northern Virginia area.

And I thought that the GSR was the base package. I was only aware of two trim levels. The GSR and the MR.

ya
gsr is the "base" yes, u can add the sss pacakge for the hids, wing and sound system.

i doubt there's any left, south coast mitsubishi bought the last 30 evo X's for model year 2008 from dealers.

they just got their shipment of 2010's in, and are selling them for 33,999, so already discounted

 

[eg6motion]

You can have an EVO X GSR for less than 30k which has a far more advanced AWD system than anything Mazda has. Base STI is about 35k, the 40k model has more options and again the AWD system the sti uses is far more advanced.

The base price for the current MS3 is about 25k already. Adding AWD and more power would add to the price pretty significantly.

MSRP vs MSRP... not a 2 year old model still sitting on a lot... Thats (potkettle because a similar MS3 would also be several thousand off MSRP in the same situation. And where are you shopping for MS3's that are 25K MSRP? They are base at 23K.

 

[Stotrupp]

MSRP vs MSRP... not a 2 year old model still sitting on a lot... Thats (potkettle because a similar MS3 would also be several thousand off MSRP in the same situation. And where are you shopping for MS3's that are 25K MSRP? They are base at 23K.

Again an EVO X GSR can be had for fewer than 30k. An AWD +more power MS3 would cost about the same or more as a new EVO X most likely. I would choose an EVO X GSR over an AWD MS3 because Mistu has a lot more experience with AWD and so does Subaru. Ref post 40/41

Even if an AWD 300+hp MS3 was a little less than the EVO/ STI my money would still go towards an EVO/ STI.

 

[SpeedKnight]

My 2007 Speed3GT is paid for. I would gladly trade it in for a AWD Speed3 with seat heaters! My ass freezes in these cold Ohio winters.

 

[ChrisG]

An AWD +more power MS3 would cost about the same or more as a new EVO X most likely. I would choose an EVO X GSR over an AWD MS3 because Mistu has a lot more experience with AWD and so does Subaru. Ref post 40/41

Even if an AWD 300+hp MS3 was a little less than the EVO/ STI my money would still go towards an EVO/ STI.

Exactly. If I'd had $30k to spend when I bought my MS3 (March 08), I'd be driving an STI now. In other words, I bought the MS3 because it wasn't 300hp/AWD. It was the best car I could get with $24k.

 

[oaklandopen]

i think the real question would be if there was an awd platform would that also be an option. meaning, you could either get a fwd, 263hp ms3 as it is now....or an upgraded 300hp (whatever more tq than the 280 now) awd for the obviously higher cost.

if awd ms3 completely took over for the speed3, i probably wouldn't get it at 30k. that's just not in my pricerange for a car with the job and family i have now. buuuuut, if the awd was an option right alongside the fwd, i would still opt for the fwd under 25k.

 

[MrDouble]

If I was looking for $30-35K car which a 300hp AWD MS3 would be, I would take a Evo or STI with all its aftermarket support.

Current MS3 is great because there's no peer in performance value and is cheap to run. Making it a Evo/STI challenger would mean trying to always up the competition, and likely lose to those two, killing the model.

 

[bigdaddy]

the biggest thing that would come out of that would be AWD. That 300 HP isnt that hard to achieve with a few mods that most likely make it all toghether cheaper than a 300 HP AWD model.

 

[Subsparx]

If they made it a limited production similar to the Mazdaspeed Protege's, they wouldn't have to worry as much honestly. The people who are collectors of vehicles like that will end up buying up all the stock they don't sell. Look at the MSP. Relatively expensive for 2003 when it came out, highly competitive and it sold great. Honestly, I would rather see different Mazdaspeed vehicles (or drivetrains, like the AWD focused on in this article) every year than what we have now with large quantaties of the MS3 being sold every single year.

 

[dizzin9]

oh come on mazda, grow some balls and do it!!!!!!!!!

 

[robin2660]

AWD would be nice and all, but thats mainly if you are taking off from the light or on the track.

Or racing around turns on uneven surfaces where you hope one or two wheels connect.

 

[oaklandopen]

they should make an awd just for WRC...

 

[pjo113]

I would be one of the few that would buy a 30k AWD MS3. The problem is that I would only consider buying it in the first gen body style (like the one I own), which is never going to happen. I would never purchase it in that butt ugly new body style. Although it departs from the rotary heritage, I would love to see the 2.3 DISI turbo as an option in the RX-8. I prob. would trade in the MS3 for that car in a heartbeat.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

remember how well the Mazdaspeed6 sold.

Being sarcastic?

 

[Matrix]

Although it departs from the rotary heritage, I would love to see the 2.3 DISI turbo as an option in the RX-8. I prob. would trade in the MS3 for that car in a heartbeat.

AMEN to that, brother. I'd trade my MSP for an MZR-equipped RX-8 immediately.

 

[PCspeed3]

make a new MS miata

 

[mr_mazda329]

make a new MS miata

amen, and equip it with a turbo rotary this time. Around 250bhp

 

[squidmotion]

amen, and equip it with a turbo rotary this time. Around 250bhp

now THAT would be a hoot of a car.... i always imagine how much fun it would be to somehow shoehorn one of these engines into a sprite/MG... or anything small and RWD....

a miata with mountains of torque like that would be a handful, though.