Motor Trend Mazdaspeed Protege Article

[Maniac8888]

Being the prowd owner of an '02 MP5 and a '02 WRX, I can certainly attest to the accuracy of factory numbers for the WRX. I paid $23,500 (all prices USD) for mine new a year ago and put about $1,500 in engine modifications and I can do consistant 1/4 mile times of mid to high 13's. My 0-60 times are always around 4.3-4.5. Not bad for a $25,000 investment and I get AWD on top of that. Believe me I am no competition drag racer. I do it for fun just to see what the car will do. So, it's a fast car and for little money, will haul butt. Just food for thought.

 

[appler]

Hey Sleeper, AWD cars are typically SLOWER on launch than a RWD car. Some wheelspin before hook-up is preferred for the fastest possible drag time. The WRX does not allow this wheelspin w/o brutal, high rpm clutch-dumping to keep it on boil. It is very quick now (even with the low-rent tires that 95% of them come with) but it would be faster if it were just RWD. My father unloaded his WRX after just 10,000mi in favor his second Spa Yellow S2000 because he said the WRX has no soul. After driving it (and a lot of other cars), I have to agree. Great rally car, not a great sports car.

 

[MSpeed]

yup i agree, the car feels very detached from the road

but you have to agree that the potential for tuning is definately there. i wouldnt mind having a 400+ hp AWD WRX

ill sacrifice feel for straight out speed

 

[JasonH]

WRXs are wasted on 90% of the people who buy them. Why? Because they don't drive them like they want to break them. (Neither would I if I was making payments on it.) But, that's when the WRX shines. High RPM launches, full throttle upshifts, hard on the brakes and slamming into lower gears for turns, the WRX really seems to like it like that.

 

[Proto-JB]

WRXs are wasted on 90% of the people who buy them. Why? Because they don't drive them like they want to break them. (Neither would I if I was making payments on it.) But, that's when the WRX shines. High RPM launches, full throttle upshifts, hard on the brakes and slamming into lower gears for turns, the WRX really seems to like it like that.

Well, enough enough rex owners out there drive them hard enough to break their glass trannys.

 

[JasonH]

Well, enough enough rex owners out there drive them hard enough to break their glass trannys.

Not enough for a recall.

 

[APEXistud]

Oh no, not the glass tranny issue again. :bs: I say, if you beat the s*** out of any tranny it will break. It's as simple as that. There are people on the I-Club and people I've met in person who have ripped off a little under a 100 passes with only a boost controller on their car and they've yet to break their trannies. Hmmm....

Anyway, lets now return this post to it's original topic.....

Who cares what Motor Trend thinks anyway.