There is a Mazdaspeed3 coming to my local event tomorrow. I'll try and get the owner to let me drive it. Hopefully I can come back and give everyone a good evaluation of how it feels. I'll be hunting a good set of tires for it. I might just toss on my 245 kooks if they'll fit.
Mazdaspeed3 AutoX
- Thread starter xelderx
- Start date
I ran my MS3 today against an SRT-4 on Hoosiers. I was on the stock Bridgestones but we were running very close times until the last run when he improved a few tenths and edged me out. I am very happy how well this car performs! I normally run an M3 in STU but I am very tempted to pick up a set of 18" V710s and see how it will do in D Stock.
Ok....I got to take it out for 2 runs.
I'm having to completely ignore the way my Pro5 drives because it is unfair to compare the Mazdaspeed3 to it.
We were able to mount up my FD RX-7 16X8 wheels with the 245/45-16 Hankook RS2 tires. I didn't fool with the pressures in the tires, but that could have made a big difference. It's not a car that you can hop into and immediately nail the right lines. At slower speeds the steering seemed very sharp and reactive although it seemed you had to put a lot of input into the steering wheel. In some of the higher speed sections the steering felt a little delayed. You would have to turn a split second too early and then let the car catch up to what you were doing. It meant I was a little late most of the time getting the car to turn. If there was any way to eek out a little more camber on the front this would help a ton. The car did want to push a little but it was nowhere near as bad as I expected. Trailbraking worked wonders getting the car to rotate...at least until the ABS figured out what you were doing and decided it had other ideas. I think with the right alignment and tire pressures you won't need to trailbrake aggressively to get the car to turn. The car could use a little less turbo lag. With a few more runs in the car I might have been able to line up my acceleration points a little better to where the turbo actually started pulling. When the turbo does spool though you better be hanging on. The acceleration of the car is amazing. Our fast D Stock Integra Type R ran 46.405 on R'comps. I was around 2 seconds slower with the Kooks, but my lines were horrible. With the right sized tires under it and a good alignment I think it could be a locally competitive car. I really need to get a feel for one on R'comps though.
I'm having to completely ignore the way my Pro5 drives because it is unfair to compare the Mazdaspeed3 to it.
We were able to mount up my FD RX-7 16X8 wheels with the 245/45-16 Hankook RS2 tires. I didn't fool with the pressures in the tires, but that could have made a big difference. It's not a car that you can hop into and immediately nail the right lines. At slower speeds the steering seemed very sharp and reactive although it seemed you had to put a lot of input into the steering wheel. In some of the higher speed sections the steering felt a little delayed. You would have to turn a split second too early and then let the car catch up to what you were doing. It meant I was a little late most of the time getting the car to turn. If there was any way to eek out a little more camber on the front this would help a ton. The car did want to push a little but it was nowhere near as bad as I expected. Trailbraking worked wonders getting the car to rotate...at least until the ABS figured out what you were doing and decided it had other ideas. I think with the right alignment and tire pressures you won't need to trailbrake aggressively to get the car to turn. The car could use a little less turbo lag. With a few more runs in the car I might have been able to line up my acceleration points a little better to where the turbo actually started pulling. When the turbo does spool though you better be hanging on. The acceleration of the car is amazing. Our fast D Stock Integra Type R ran 46.405 on R'comps. I was around 2 seconds slower with the Kooks, but my lines were horrible. With the right sized tires under it and a good alignment I think it could be a locally competitive car. I really need to get a feel for one on R'comps though.
Good write-up :thumbup:
Your comments on the steering were right on target with my expectations---when i test drove one a few months back it felt very quick but the steering was no where near as responsive as on my MSP.
I think it will be interesting to see what the MS3 can do in the next few years when people start to play with the setup.....maybe it will create some problems for the ITRs.
<----- Gets to see how his MSP stacks up to a fully prepped ITR this weekend.
Your comments on the steering were right on target with my expectations---when i test drove one a few months back it felt very quick but the steering was no where near as responsive as on my MSP.
I think it will be interesting to see what the MS3 can do in the next few years when people start to play with the setup.....maybe it will create some problems for the ITRs.
<----- Gets to see how his MSP stacks up to a fully prepped ITR this weekend.
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