Motortrend Comparison

[jaman]

I hope this isn't a repeat for all of you but I came across these numbers in the Jan 2002 issue of Motortrend. They were picking the car of the year.


Vehicle----------------- 0-60------------------------slalom
RSX Type-S------------ 6.71------------------------63.9
BMW M3--------------- 4.65------------------------70.0
MP3-------------------- 8.90------------------------64.8
IS 300 Sportcross----- 7.63---------------------------66.5
P5----------------------- 9.37------------------------65.0
SE-R Spec V------------ 7.23------------------------64.5

It is interesting how on a given day even a Protege5 can be better in the slalom than an MP3, or for that matter an
RSX Type-S.

 

[APEXistud]

Correction on the MP3 slalom numbers......SCC has it as 68.4 That would make us MP3 owner second in the slalom, just under the M3. Of course, I'd take any one of the other 0-60 times over the ours anyday.

 

[Jester999]

haha

No offence but i would take the Car and Driver #'s over SCC's anyday, and i dont think anyone would disagree in terms of reliability. HAHA sorry MP3 guys! And doesnt the P5 have a shorter wheel base? later

 

[1sty]

I'd take SCC numbers over car and drive. CAD isnt used to driving tight imports. Also according to Automobile mag the slalom was the second fastest they have ever tested. Only thing faster was the Porsche 911 GT2. Also SCC stated after testing the MP3 that it replaced the Integra Type R for their hadling reference mark.
CAD in the minority on this one. Maybe they need to finaly get their heads out of Honda's and BMW's ass.

 

[mazdamp3_18]

what is it with all the magazines getting such different numbers with our cars... automobiles was far away from that too.... does no one know how to drive this car correctly???

 

[cjstringer]

It all may depend on what type of slalom they have also. Are the cones the same distance apart? I dunno if there is a standard for it or not.
Anyway, I saw we all just autocross and see what type of speeds we can get. If anyone wants long, fast autocross courses, come to Indiana! The one I've been to is fast and long. maybe we could hit the 67+ mark in a slalom.
Just a thought.

 

[P5PCU]

In terms of reliability i would take SCC over moter trend anyday. Motor trend drivers only know how to drive american cars so their results are usually biased or inaccurate. SCC knows what type of cars they are dealing with and have proven in the past to not bulls***. If any import driver takes the word of a DOMESTIC car loving magazine over SCC, they must be out of their mind.

and for those who are still skeptics look at the MP3 compared to the MP5. It makes no sense. The mp3 has 17s with stickier tires, tokico shocks a lower center of gravity and its lighter. The struts on the MP5 are also on the MP3 yet the MP3 has much more. Unless i am mistaken i think motor trend f**ked up.

sorry for the book guys

 

[mazdamp3_18]

well come up to my meet in june and we can find out.....lol

 

[jaman]

Easy Guys

Couple things, Motortrend is not biased towards domestics, they love their Bimmers..

Secondly, the reason I posted this was to show that even "performance" cars, such as the MP3, can do no better than "sporty" cars when the conditions are not ideal.

Also, notice that the SE-R's speed was slower than the MP3, however when Car and Driver tested them in their comparison, the MP3 was a tad slower.

Bottom line, don't look at the absolute numbers of a given performance test, there is always a variance associated with every result.

 

[Jester999]

mags

The main reason ill take the CAD over SCC or any mag for that matter, is that they test the broadest selection of cars, and are know to have the best drivers out there working for them. Also If you take #'s from two different mags, your not testing the car, your testing the driver, with CAD there was a constant driver, and therefor you cant take #'s from every source and use them equally. Ive heard from a couple dealers.. (ok, 3) but they all claim that when they have test driven the cars, and the potential buyers that they feel the P5 has better or tighter handeling. Now i know ppl cant understand that, and i dont really, but you have to realize, that the weight ration, from to back is in favor of the P5 and the wheel base is shorter, so therefore the slalom times would be quicker. And dont quote me on this, its just my logic, and it may be very wrong, And seeing as how i havent driven the MP3 i dont know first hand, but from articals, friends and dealers that have driven both, the CAD #'s would make sence. Jusrt my $.02

 

[Jester999]

whoops

Just realized those were motortrend #'s HAHA im an idiot. Anyone have the CAD #'s? But most of what i said still applies

 

[APEXistud]

Oh god, not another P5 is better than the MP3 post. The p5 is a cool ride, but it does not handle as well as the MP3. Especially in stock form. Those numbers are by far the worst numbers in the Slalom for the MP3. But hell who cares. We still have a dope ride

 

[dolphin]

Jester999,
Please go to the Mazda USA website and compare the dimensions of the P5 and a four door Protege sedan. You will see that the external dimensions for the two cars are the same or so close as to make no difference. The exceptions are the the Sedan is nearly 5 inches longer overall, but the P5 does weigh more.

 

[Jester999]

I retract my statement

Yeah ... i just went to the mazda site, to find out ive been mistaken. Sorry about the other post, i thought the P5 had a shorter wheelbase, But oh well, my dreams have been crushed. Sorry MP3's for the doubt. I have a hard time believing some of the specs on teh mazda site, but ill buy them for now, cause i cant prove differently. I dont see how we have a 60:40 split, that has to be rounded off, I think thats a bit too good for our cars, but i wont complain. Anyway i wouldnt take motortrends #'s anyway (as much as i would like to) I would suggest using CAD's #. MOst money, best drivers = truest results. Later guys, and sorry about the incorrect info.

 

[dolphin]

Jester999,
I just re-read my last post. I am sorry, I did not mean to sound so abrupt.

I generally agree with you about MT vs CAD numbers. The only thing that I would say is that I can usually repeat MT 's performance numbers while some cars I have never been able to match the CAD performance numbers. The car mag that seems to have the most consistant numbers for me is Road and Track. It has been several years since conducted this experiment so I may have to do it again. Of course I am older and slower now.

 

[MP3skaterNC]

i don't know ive driven a p5 before just as hard as i drive my mp3, and it definately had some body roll, it just didn't feel as tight as my mp3.

as for the results, i personally think that motortrend ****** up somewhere, because they're numbers are off from alot of the other magazines numbers, but it doesn't really matter, stop the fighting between protege models, lets just be a big happy family or something like that...

 

[hihoslva]

The only thing shorter about he P5 is the rear bumper - the wheelbase is identical to the MP3 - the MP3 has the Racing Beat suspension setup, of course, and different ECU settings to get 10 extra horses (as far I know this is why you guys get 140 vs. our 130 - there are no hardware changes, right?)

I really can't see the P5 handling better than the MP3, and I own the P5. The only advantage it has is a slightly better weight distribution due to the hatchback design (no matter what the nembers at the website say - 60/40 - f/r for both must be an estimate - there's no way you can add around 75 lbs. to the rear (where the extra weight in the P5 must be) and say that the balance is exactly the same).

And as far as dealers talking about peoples' impressions of handling after test driving the P5 and MP3 - the MP3 is a rougher-riding car, due to the stiffer suspension setup and lower profile 17" tires. This could very easily sway drivers to thinking the P5 "handles" better, when actually they mean that it "rides" better, which is true. The P5 has a better combination of handling and ride quality for everyday driving IMO, especially on rough roads. But the MP3 surely is the performer of the two. I have to trust C&D's numbers for the MP3 in the slalom - it beat the Corvette Z06 and Ferrari (can't remember the model #) - there's just no way the drivers of the two supercars could be that bad, and the MP3 driver could be that good, to throw off these numbers (these cars weren't put head-to-head)- the MP3 rocks, and I love my 5! Who cares about numbers??

 

[APEXistud]

The only thing shorter about he P5 is the rear bumper - the wheelbase is identical to the MP3 - the MP3 has the Racing Beat suspension setup, of course, and different ECU settings to get 10 extra horses (as far I know this is why you guys get 140 vs. our 130 - there are no hardware changes, right?)

The MP3 has the dual stage intake manifold, I'm pretty sure the ES and P5 don't.

 

[hihoslva]

APEXistud, are you thinking I could get the extra 10 ponies by switching intake manifolds? Would this require an ECU re-map/upgrade also?


Any idea of the cost of the MP3 manifold? If nothing else, at least it fits with the schweet manifold cover you guys get.

 

[APEXistud]

I'm not sure if you'd actually get the extra ten hp, but it wouldn't hurt getting the Dual Stage intake manifold. I think Corksport and Mazdamotorsports have access to it. You'd have to look into the ECU pasrt though. I'm not sure how different they are.