Rumor about the original design of the MSP and why so many bugs now

[70]

yeah, well, ya learn something new every day. since I (obviously: ) don't know how the car was developed fill me in please, I'm interested.

Yeah, its been covered quite a bit on this board alone.

A quick run down for you, the MP3 was in development in 1999 to try to start the Mazdaspeed brand in the US, however because of the lack of power, Mazdaspeed Japan wouldn't back it. So, the car was released in mid-2001 as a 2001 model and labeld MP3 because of the stereo in the car. Mazda also released the Protege 5 at the same time as a 2002 model.

If you understand what Mazdaspeed is about (a solid blend of handling, power and looks), then you will understand the marketing move to bring Mazdaspeed to the US (competition for TRD which had been here for years, and the rumors of NISMO and STi coming).

The MSP was in development from 2001, shortly before the MP3 was released. They were working on the turbo design up through and past the initial release date. They used the MSP as the launch vehicle for Mazdaspeed in the USA and took the Mazdaspeed name in a slightly different direction than the JDM version of the same entity (US version builds whole vehicles as where the JDM version sells individual parts in order to make a total package car).

The move to bring Mazdaspeed to the US was an attempt for Mazda to garner some share of the performance market...

That's the basic idea. The MSP was never going to be a two door anything. The Protege platform has been a sedan since day one of the the first generation when it replaced the 323 sedan in 1990. The 323 sedan was based on the popular 323 three door hatch which pulled its ties from the GLC...And now the Mazda3 is carrying on the torch of that blood line.

Mazda is very traditional in that manner. Just like the Mazda6 is carrying on the 626 platform which has gone through a number of revisions and name changes as well since the '70s.

As for the Lincoln connection of your story, I don't think the head of Mazdaspeed USA had any ties with Lincoln before he became a part of Mazdaspeed.

 

[girth]

Most of these changes were supposed to have been made near the end of 2002 and the speed department didn't have time to properly trouble shoot and big find/fix the new version.

As everyone has already said, it's BS....and here's another reason why. My car was manufactured in July 2002....so if they were still "making changes near the end of 2002", the MSP wouldn't have came out until the end of 2003. Or maybe I just own one of the prototypes then?(freak)

 

[murph1379]

It's obviously bulls***, but is it so implausible to think that mazda might want to make something that could compete with the STi's and the EVOs?

I hear the speed RX-8 won't even have a turbo???

 

[FSDET]

i heard the msp was orignaly planned to be a minivan

 

[shaolin]

The Mazdaspeed RX-8 is still under wraps, but it's been confirmed by many sources it will be supercharged and be in the 360 HP range.

 

[Grip & Drift]

A quick run down for you, the MP3 was in development in 1999 to try to start the Mazdaspeed brand in the US, however because of the lack of power, Mazdaspeed Japan wouldn't back it.

almost correct... but the MP3 was infact the true blue Mazdaspeed version from Japan. what happened was Mazdaspeed USA.. did not think it had enough power.. due to the SRT-4 being in the works.. the WRX out already and the EVO coming out soon (we all know it was not meant to compete with those 2 from the get go anyway) so they did not want to release it as a Mzdaspeed USA car.

so waht they did was have Callaway cars (famous for their work on the Corvette) design a turbo kit, and then they went to Racing beat, and that company designed the suspension system, and exhaust kit. they contaced Sparco for some interior enhancements, and thus the american Mazda speed was born.

now about a month after the car was released... Mazdaspeed Jpn found out they were doing more work to it.. and keeping it as the mazdaspeed car. They were not to happy about it... but instead of being jerks.. they designed a new aerodynamics kit to provide better lift reduction for the higher output motors, and put in their own inter stuff instead of sparcos.

thus the 2003.5 hit the delears as the final version


oh and that thing about them using a millenia S motor is nonsense.. since it is a V6 with a roots type supercharger.. no turbo. so that says its BS in all its form =)

 

[Drmdriver03]

Whats a Mazdaspeed?

 

[jersey_emt]

Ummmm...riiiiight.

Closed before things get out of hand even more