Can it be?

[yashooa]

A magazine that actually drove the MSP in a realistic fashion.
This is from the "Road Test Results" section in the May issue of Motor Trend page 144.
MzdSpd Protege /03 tested on the date of 10/02
0-60 6.5 secs, 1/4 in 14.9 secs, slalom 68.3 MPH.
Now this does seem to conflict with the 15.8's etc. we have seen being bandied about the other car mags pages.
Perhaps those other Mag's writers should have gone to driving school to compliment their ahem, writing skills with some "Road" skills.
(upyours) (upyours) (upyours)

 

[Newf]

motor trend and car and driver always seem to get the best times. They may have some strange opinions at times, but they can drive at least.

Wonder if this was the preproduction car again....did it have a banner on it that said Mazdaspeed?

 

[yashooa]

hmmm

From what I remember they had a regular Orange MSP and it was a fairly short article. I will have to dig it out. I have 4 yr subsriptions to Motor Trend and Car & Driver. I got them both for 46 dollars through MD. Anderson center for Children. Not bad for 4 yrs of mags on two different publications.
Any who I read the article back then and said, "So what Im getting a 6's." then I saw the MSP in the flesh and man that was it.
I was just browsing through my new issue back to front (like my dyslexic self always does) and the Road Tests are posted back there and I just thought I would see what they got out of dear ol MSP.

 

[Newf]

damn, hook me with that 46 buck deal

 

[murdock_]

ya no kiddin good deal

 

[LaZaBLuEMp3]

well i saw a msp do a 14.7 with a filter, and a different muffler

 

[murdock_]

i did it in 8.7 stock

 

[murdock_]

ya im bored i was just kidding

 

[Limited Edition]

motor trend and car and driver always seem to get the best times. They may have some strange opinions at times, but they can drive at least.

Wonder if this was the preproduction car again....did it have a banner on it that said Mazdaspeed?

C & T television had it on this weekend with that car.
They sure do have some strange opinions. They said the seats is low in quality? :bs: Perhaps, they are. But they sure feel comfortable and look great. They mentioned about the torque steer....whatever.

 

[2K3 MSP]

I remember one of those shows talking about the seats and they commented on the black mesh material...They said it made the car look cheap. I disagree 100%. I love the look of the seats, although they could have used some firmer sides(bolsters??)

 

[perfworks]

why the **** do they keep saying torque steer in these damn articles
ITS FRONT WHEEL DRIVE thats how you steer!
thats where the weight is!!!!!!!!!!
those guys who write these articles must be stuck in the stone ages when rear wheel drive is the way!
punch the gas in any rear drive car and youll see another form of steering .....FROM THE REAR
they are pathetic

 

[Lawerence]

A magazine that actually drove the MSP in a realistic fashion.
This is from the "Road Test Results" section in the May issue of Motor Trend page 144.
MzdSpd Protege /03 tested on the date of 10/02
0-60 6.5 secs, 1/4 in 14.9 secs, slalom 68.3 MPH.
Now this does seem to conflict with the 15.8's etc. we have seen being bantied about the other car mags pages.
Perhaps those other Mag's writers should have gone to driving school to compliment thier ahem, writing skills with some "Road" skills.
(upyours) (upyours) (upyours)

I ran 14.9 stock, it seems like im the only one who's been to a track


As far as the seats, I like the look, but the bolstering isnt very good for hard corners (my old specV seats held you in better).

 

[yashooa]

Interior

I remember one of those shows talking about the seats and they commented on the black mesh material...They said it made the car look cheap. I disagree 100%. I love the look of the seats, although they could have used some firmer sides(bolsters??)

Most of the people that have seen the car love the interior and they especially comment on the material. They all like the look and talk about how clean and nice the MSP's layout is.
I dont get the seat bashing either. Have none of these guys ever had to drive a Pontiac? Most GM seats are like overstuffed
sofa chairs. American cars bring plastic to a whole new level of cheap. But I digress...

 

[yashooa]

Deal

damn, hook me with that 46 buck deal

M.D. Anderson Cancer center for Children has a fund raiser every couple of years. I started buying magazines like this in 1989 when they first called me and I guess they kept me on a list because I get calls from them every so often and I always subscribe. I had 9 , 2 yr subscriptions at one time my wife was freaking out at all the car mags stacking up in the closet. Most of the money goes to the kids and the publisher gives them a very good deal on the magazines to raise money for the hospital.
This was the first time I ever heard them offer a 4 yr but hey for the money I couldnt resist.

 

[funnylittlman]

motor trend and car and driver always seem to get the best times. They may have some strange opinions at times, but they can drive at least.

Wonder if this was the preproduction car again....did it have a banner on it that said Mazdaspeed?

I read the one from SportCompact and yes, it was the Test car. It had "modified" front tires, and no ABS.

Besides that, I believ that it was only stock

 

[flat_black]

why the **** do they keep saying torque steer in these damn articles
ITS FRONT WHEEL DRIVE thats how you steer!
thats where the weight is!!!!!!!!!!
those guys who write these articles must be stuck in the stone ages when rear wheel drive is the way!
punch the gas in any rear drive car and youll see another form of steering .....FROM THE REAR
they are pathetic

Torque steer is in reference to the tendency of the car to pull to one side or the other durring heavy acceleration off the line. The car twists itself around on one wheel, while the other sits still. When a FWD car has an LSD, one wheel is able to hold still while the one that has less slippage can grip for a short time before the differential locks, so if your right front wheel were to break free first, you'd get a jolt from the left front that would pull you to the right quickly durring a launch. I personally prefer the way RWD cars handle, without LSD, too. With LSD, I notice a heavy numbing with tight corners, unless you go far beyond the range of the LSD, which is easy in my older RX-7 TurboII around the twisties. =) Mmm...

Eddie

 

[AGR]

Simply put; and thanks for the thread, yashooa: The MAZDASPEED rocks!

 

[Slipstream]

Anybody see the Car and Driver latest issue with a comparo between the SRT-4, SVT Focus, Spec V, and the MSP? Someone posted about it on VWVortex, but didn't post any of the results (other than the SRT-4 winning ). I'm curious to see how C&D rated things (since there wasn't a Honda or BMW to automatically put in first or second place).

 

[perfworks]

i understand the operation of FWD

i am just comenting on why they continue to focus on torque steer when the majority of the cars have the same problem
its like they are TRYING to find something wrong with the car

 

[RX-KEVIN]

I ran a 15.1 bone stock. 32 degrees helped I think. You just need to light up the tires for a good while