MazdaSpeed3 Unveiled in New York
Mazda unveiled the zippy MazdaSpeed3 at the New York Auto Show this morning, a new variant of the popular compact that should appeal to those wanting a bit more zing with their zoom-zoom.
Fans of the old Mazda 323 GTX, ubiquitous Civic Si or beloved Dodge SRT4 should be happy to see that this beast comes well-sorted with performance bits, including the high-performance 2.3-liter DISI Turbo engine and six-speed transmission from the just-shipped MazdaSpeed6. It also gets an improved visual aerodynamic treatment, fog lamps, interior changes, four-wheel ABS, 18-inch custom wheels and a new limited slip differential.
Sadly, those hoping for an AWD monster Mazda to take on the WRX and Evo will be a bit dissapointed. While the MazdaSpeed 3 will produce more than 250-hp — Mazda mentioned in their news release today that the “final horsepower numbers will be available closer to launch” — the vehicle will only be available as a FWD model. It’s still great news for Mazda fans, and will likely give the new VW GTI and Dodge Caliber a run for their torque-steering money.
Check out the official MazdaSpeed3 site or AutoBlog’s post (which also includes the full text of the news release) for more info. – [Jeff James]
