Time to hit the track!
Of course, the point of going to Mosport was to push the car's limits and defy the laws of physics. Despite the rain, I managed to evaluate all the handling, sprinting and braking characteristics of Mazda's pocket rocket.
My main observation was that the car is surprisingly sharp. It did take me a couple of laps to get my driving tighter and become fully aware of all the dynamics involved, not to mention attacking corners in lower revs to prevent wheelspin, but overall, the Mazdaspeed3 proved to be remarkably balanced and precise.
Braking manoeuvres were quick and linear, even on wet tarmac, and the pedal never felt spongy or anything. Torque steer at full throttle has been considerably reduced, further increasing precision and making the little kart easy to drive for almost anybody.
With a relatively-affordable price of $32,995, the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 is definitely a wise choice in a unique market segment. Sadly, the only thing missing is all-wheel drive.
photo:Matthieu Lambert
Of course, the point of going to Mosport was to push the car's limits and defy the laws of physics. Despite the rain, I managed to evaluate all the handling, sprinting and braking characteristics of Mazda's pocket rocket.
My main observation was that the car is surprisingly sharp. It did take me a couple of laps to get my driving tighter and become fully aware of all the dynamics involved, not to mention attacking corners in lower revs to prevent wheelspin, but overall, the Mazdaspeed3 proved to be remarkably balanced and precise.
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| With a relatively-affordable price of $32,995, the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 is definitely a wise choice. |
Braking manoeuvres were quick and linear, even on wet tarmac, and the pedal never felt spongy or anything. Torque steer at full throttle has been considerably reduced, further increasing precision and making the little kart easy to drive for almost anybody.
With a relatively-affordable price of $32,995, the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 is definitely a wise choice in a unique market segment. Sadly, the only thing missing is all-wheel drive.
photo:Matthieu Lambert
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