Road & Track Article - B*tch Session...

[Woody]

The July 2002 issue of Road & Track has an article called, Factory Furious. It is a review/shoot-out of four pocket-rockets. They are: the Focus SVT, Civic SI, new Tiburon GT, and Sentra SE-R Spec V. My only real complaint is, why didnt they include the P5 or MP3 ?

I dont know if they have something against Mazda, but I did see that a Miata was the only Mazda that they have listed in their performance table that they publish every month.

My only other thought was that they drew a line of minimum hp line in the sand of 160 hp. Now I also realized that they did not include the Acura RSX either. My only thought on why they did not include the RSX is perhaps because the RSX prices out over $20,000, and it looked to me like the cars they did test were all under $20,000. But boy was I disappointed they did not include either the MP3.

Despondently yours,

- Woody

 

[ZoomZoomH]

if you look closer in the prerequisites they probably also only accept 2002+ model years. MP3 is a 2001 LIMITED edition, so it won't be included in the comparison

 

[redwagon02]

And they used the Protege5 in a wagon/hatchback comparo.

 

[gb5mx]

Road and Track

Considering that the previous issue of R&T had a front-cover story about the RX-8 and a review of the MPV and a preview of the Mazda 6, I don't think they have anything against Mazda.

As much as I like the Protege5, I have to think it would be a bit outclassed by some of the other cars in the test... especially in terms of acceleration. At least they didn't include a Subaru WRX, I would hate to read another Subaru gush-fest.

It seems to me that the Civic Si hasn't been a huge hit for Honda... it's the first time in years that a Honda hasn't dominated the comparison tests. I see many of them sitting on dealer's lots around here in the Bay Area and few, if any, on the street.

The Ford dealers are asking for mark-ups on the Focus SVT... I give them another few weeks before they give up and start selling them for real. With all of the incentives on the standard Focus ZX-3, these mark-ups really increase the spread between buying a Focus and tuning it oneself or buying the SVT and having it all done for you.

 

[APEXistud]

I think once the new SI has some real aftermarket parts. It will gain more popularity. I've seen quite a few in my area. If you think about it, the SI has a lot of stiff competition this time around.

 

[Woody]

REDWAGON02,

I recall an article on 3 sport wagons in one of the rags this year, but I thought it was done by Motor Trend - I think the title was "Band Wagons" (Had pictures of a drum kit in the back of the cars.) Do you know what issue that Road & Track did the P5 review in?

GB5MX,

I don't think I've seen a single new Civic Si on the road up here. I would not trade my P5 even up for either a Focus SVT or Civic Si. Really. IMHO they are both butt-ugly cars. In the Focus series I think the hatchback (read SVT) is the worst looking of all of them (the station wagon isn't actully too bad). My wifey and I test drove a Focus wagon at one point - we were not impressed. And the interior was plenty goofy. Ford designers have this thing about big geometric shapes. (Ever notice how the 2nd gen Taurus's have a reoccuring egg shape all over the place?) But no, I guess R&T isn't anti Mazda in general.

This has probably been said about a million times, but our P5's shine in cornering, not acceleration. I was looking over some numbers in a recent issue of Motor Trend, and beleive it or not they have our P5's a tad faster thru their slalomn than the "hot" new RSX (type S I think its called). But I think that's why we all seem to cry about more hp - we know the handling is stellar - 20 to 40 more hp would make the P5 top dog in any category. Really the more I read car mag comparisions. I just can't find a more fun car for the money. If I were to "upgrade" to something remotely in my budget, say $30,000+, I would gain on acceleration (Acura TL, Lexus IS, BMW 3 series, etc.) but for the most part I would loose cornering speed. In the couple cases were I would gain slalomn speed, it would be so small as to hardly matter.

So far anyway, I convinced you can not buy more car fun for the money than the P5.

Thanks for the replies guys.

- Woody

 

[2002VividYellow]

I personally don't see the P5 in the same league as the SVT Focus & Civic SI.

The SVT Focus is basically a tuner car thats limited edition made by the SVT group of Ford with all the goodies & R&D behind it. The P5 is a standard production wagon with some body effects & increased spring rates. If anything the MazdaSpeed Protege should be added to this comparison when its available!
!

 

[gene in cincinnati]

2002VividYellow, I would have to agree. The P5 is ANYTHING BUT a pocket rocket. 0-60 in ~9.5 seconds is REALLY slow these days.

I think most people get the cars because of the great looks and handling, but I personally did not get it for it's pocket rocket abilities. It's more of an anti-pocket rocket.

 

[Woody]

About the time I bought the P5, I was going to test drive a SVT just to be sure I wanted the P5 before laying down my money (even though I think the Focus is ugly). I made 4 phone calls to the major Ford dealers in the Metro (Mpls - St. Paul). None of them had a SVT license to sell them. So yes, I would say the SVT is a limited availability car.

Gene,

IMHO the P5 does a lot better on "roll-ons" than acceleration from a dead stop. Its a lot like a sport bike that way - you need to keep it rev'd high to get the best performance. Maybe I got lucky, but I spanked a new Eclipse GT on an on-ramp last week. It connects one highway (I94) with another (I394) - it is a fairly tight turn at near highway speeds, and you kind of do a 280 degree turn - 2 available lanes. Anyway, we came in at about the same speed - about 50 mph - I was behind him in the same lane - then the tight turn started - I took the outside lane and blew by him - left him behind. I test drove a new Eclipse when they did the redesign, and they have pretty impressive zap - the thing is I beat him by hugging the turn tighter than he did. Each to his own, but I tend to think of the P5 as a budget performance car. The added versatility is only a plus for me.

But I mean you are right - we are only going to out accelerate a few cars from a dead stop. That's what I was trying to say.

- Woody

 

[gene in cincinnati]

Woody, I had the same experience. It's almost as if 1st gear is completely useless. I love the sweet spots in 2nd and 3rd gear!

 

[redwagon02]

REDWAGON02,

I recall an article on 3 sport wagons in one of the rags this year, but I thought it was done by Motor Trend - I think the title was "Band Wagons" (Had pictures of a drum kit in the back of the cars.) Do you know what issue that Road & Track did the P5 review in?


- Woody

Sorry, I don't.

 

[Woody]

Gene,

Yup. Even with the mods I've done 1st gear is only adaquete. The fun starts in 2nd and 3rd gear on.

- Woody

 

[sundevilMP5]

yeah i still wouldn't trade my P5 for a civic or focus...as for our car being included...right now i don't think it belongs...maybe if mazda would throw a turbo on it could compete...i've seen one civic here in az...it was dropped and looks much better then stock but still looks ugly...but the sad part is that there's probably more aftermarket parts for the civic already then there is for the P5...

 

[TexP5]

I agree with the first gear as useless conversation...I want to see a comparo that does a 30-70mph test. I don't know if it is real, but it sure feels like the P5 is quick in that range. I believe that you could stomp an Eclipse on a ramp for two reasons, the car is pretty quick at speed, and more importantly our suspension/wheels/tires package rocks. You can take a long off-ramp at 80 without blinking. The Eclipse guy would be wetting himself trying to hang with you.

I live close to a freeway and routinely drive the on and off ramps at really high speeds with no drama whatsoever.

(before y'all rag me...I only do this when the ramp is clear and conditions are dry!!!)

 

[banned bandit]

i know what you mean...there is this tight onramp near my work and the recomended speed is 40 km/h on a 270 degree turn...my record is 78km/h with some tire screach

 

[Woody]

If there isn't traffic close by, I hit the ramps more and more aggresively - I have not hit the limits of the car on cornering yet. A couple times I thought "Oh no - too fast, I'm in trouble", but sure as sh*t the car just keeps hugging the corner - no problem.

- Woody

 

[makeminemazda]

Hey Woody,

Next time you are cruising around the Twin Cities and you see another yellow P5 make sure you wave. Chances are it will either be me or my brother. Then we will know who you are! I'll be watching for you at the 94/394 Interchange.

 

[Woody]

MAKEMINEMAZDA,

I just posted some photos of mine under photos/videos - "Woody's P5".

I'm in Robbinsdale. There is a yellow one off of Noble in either Robbinsdale, or Golden Valley. That's not you is it?

- Woody

 

[makeminemazda]

Nope...My brother and I live about 3 miles apart in Eagan. He works in Eagan and I work in Bloomington. That is where you are most likely to see one of us. Oh yeah - wave if you see one of the all white 10th Anniversary RX7 turbos also. There's even more of a chance that will be me. You see even less of those than you do yellow P5s these days. Zoom zoom...

 

[Woody]

MAKEMINEMAZDA -

My son lives in Eagan, so I get down there from time to time. My P5 has lettering on the side "PROTEGE5". I just posted pictures in the "PHOTO/VIDEO" section.

- Woody