Road and Track test of the MZ6 0-60

[timba24]

The new European Focus ST

most important thing you said european

 

[Mazda3]

The car tested was pre-production...as already mentioned by wrongpress. All these reviews are nothing more then glorified press releasing. As you've said time and time again, we'll all be waiting until the mags actually see some real cars and get them in-house to do actual testing, instead of at sanctioned mazda events for the press.

I don't care if it was pre-production. Did they or did they not time the car at 5.5sec?

Can someone scan the article, the mag isn't on the shelves yet where I'm at.

 

[crossbow]

I just read the Car and Driver article. Its somewhat negative. Though they felt it was faster then mazda's 0-60 quote, they felt the car wasn't very nimble, and its primary trait was understeer. (Even with AWD helping out)

I kid you not, they said mazda should think about making the Z in Zoom-Zoom lowercase. =/

I think the MPS is greatly hampered by its wheel selection size. It really needs some 8 inch wide rims with 245/40 or 45 rubber. 215/40/18 or (215/45/18 whatever it is) is much too thin for the weight of this vehicle and its really showing in the handling and cornering of the car.

 

[Da 6]

so the 18 inch rims aren't even 8 inch wide? anyone have weights of them yet or is that still to early too?

 

[Mazda3]

Any chance of someone scanning the Road and Track article?

 

[genericuser]

I think the C&D article made some valid points though. Basically nobody has had the chance to get their hads on a test car and they flat out said that. I thought the whole tone of the article was just "we took the car for six laps around the track and this is what we have to say based on that.. we're waiting to give our final opinion on this once we get our hands on one."

The last line was kinda snarky though. I didn't really appreciate that.

 

[PR5Matt]

The third option is buying a used Merkur XR4Ti from MPNick built and tuned to roughly 270RWHP.

Bad idea dude...

 

[crossbow]

I really didn't understand the last line. The sentence before it was very praising...and then they told mazda to change the Z to a z. I mean thats really insulting I think, at least to mazda.

And I do agree, these are all preview articles...though understeer has come up in most of them...though that could just be the drivers inexperience with a particular track...it does take a few laps to get your bearings and get warmed up, so right when they were getting the hang of things, they gotta pit.

 

[Da 6]

eh...did they ever say that the 6s plow? I have a vid(that I can't decode and load here) from MT or C&D where they mention that the mishelin polits were terrific! I'l review the vid again...

 

[crossbow]

Here is the C&D short blurb (once again, not a review, only the end of the article tests the car really).

http://www.3dluvr.com/crossbow/incoming/Mazda/page1.jpg
http://www.3dluvr.com/crossbow/incoming/Mazda/page2.jpg

Here is the "quoted" article that says 0-60 in 5.5 seconds from R&T. As usual with such arguments, the important bit was left out. You know, the bit about the speed not being tested, and just something that "mazda said". R&T has been disappointing me greatly lately with their misquotes on various vehicles.

http://www.3dluvr.com/crossbow/incoming/Mazda/page3.jpg

Even though the article was press release candy covered goodness, they also point out the excessive understeer bias. This definitely isn't a track car, just a relatively quick Grand Tourer which fits about dead smack in the middle of all the competition. Not enough utility to be as useful as a hatch, not enough luxury as a G35, not enough performance as an evo...but dead smack inbetween all of them in regards to its overall place.

 

[Super Matty P]

scans of SCC mag and MotorTrend

These are the scans from MotorTrend and SCC mag.



you're welcome.

 

[Mazda3]

These are the scans from MotorTrend and SCC mag.



you're welcome.

Thanks for the scans guys!!

The R & T quote of 5.5sec 0-60 makes you wonder if they mis-quoted or if someone from Mazda told them something they weren't supposed to.

My sources at Mazda have said that the 6.6sec 0-60 is conservative on purpose. I personally think the 0-60 will be under 6sec even if it is 3600lbs. My sources also indicated that a MS6 would be released to the press after the Toronto autoshow in February. Which means if the test it in Feb. we won't see any times in print until April at the earliest. Unless they release one in the U.S. sooner.

 

[Da 6]

article I read at friends(same as scanned above) said 3500lbs

I wonder how the self sensing snow setting works?

 

[wongpres]

Here's MazdaUSA's specs & features sheet on the Mazdaspeed6 (weight is listed):

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/pdf/specs_features/veh_specs_MS6.pdf

And although I've posted the pricing press release, here's the pretty PDF pricing sheet for US-spec:

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/pdf/pricing_update/2006_MS6_pricing_update.pdf

 

[Da 6]

s*** the rims are 7 wide! RX-8 rims might prive better results if you decide to stay 18's

 

[crossbow]

Ya thats what we've been discussion da6 . The wheels/tire combo for the 6 is too thin for its curb weight, which is probably why all the reviews are quoting understeer as the car's primary trait.

This of course is easily solved with aftermarket wheels/tires...which should be one of the first mods that anyone gets for this car...especially since no one seems to like the look of the stock rims anyway!

 

[Mikey444]

I got a european car magazine, they are saying it is very quick to start slipping on the front end of the car, no doubt the weight. 260 to the wheels, 0-100 km/h in 6.6 seconds, they are not bitching a lot of the weight but hint it lacks torque for the engine size with a turbo.

 

[obender66]

I got a european car magazine, they are saying it is very quick to start slipping on the front end of the car, no doubt the weight. 260 to the wheels, 0-100 km/h in 6.6 seconds, they are not bitching a lot of the weight but hint it lacks torque for the engine size with a turbo.

That's another example of journalist bias. STI has 300 lb ft out of 2.5 or 120 lb/ft per liter. Did anybody complain that it lacks torque for engine size with turbo?NO!
MSP6 280/2.3 has 121.7, which is MORE than STI output per liter.....but these wankers don't get it...

 

[crossbow]

I don't understand why they didn't say the MPS didn't have enough torque...thats like the whole point of the motor. Lots of low end power which trails off in the upper rpms. Maybe they got to drive the car after everyone else thrashed the living hell outta it .

 

[Da 6]

so it was lower case "z" by the time it got to them?