2007 Mazdaspeed3 Preview

These different methods of power control help to make the

Unfortunately, cool see-through hood is not available. (Photo: Mazda Canada)

Mazdaspeed3 a very quick car: 100 km/h passes by in just 6.1 seconds, which is commendable in this segment. The really impressive bit comes from its astounding mid-range acceleration: 50 to 100 km/h (30-60 mph) in third gear, takes an eye-opening 4.2 seconds, and the typical flexibility test, accelerating from 80 to 120 km/h (50-75 mph), takes just 5.4 seconds. Like many high-end supercars, the Mazdaspeed3 sports flat underbody panels to reduce drag from air passing under the car, lowering the overall coefficient of drag to just 0.31, despite the wider fenders, big tires and roof-top spoiler. This means that that this little hatchback doesn't run out of steam until 250 km/h (155 mph)!

While

A 250 km/h, 247 horsepower, 280 lb-ft of torque hatchback for under thirty grand. What a bargain! (Photo: Mazda Canada)

performance is one of the defining features of the Mazdaspeed3, the other will definitely be its price. The Mazdaspeed6 surprised North Americans in this regard, with a bargain window sticker at just $35,995 despite its high quality and strong performance. It's difficult to think of a faster or more practical family sedan than the Mazdaspeed6 for the price, but how will the Mazdaspeed3 stack up? While we know North America won't miss out, we don't know when it'll arrive and how much it will cost. Our best guess is that it will undercut the $30,000 mark, which might sound a bit expensive for a compact hatchback, but in many respects it's an even better deal than the 6. Remember, at that price it would offer 247-horsepower for 200-hp VW GTI money, not to mention the fact that it would undercut the base Subaru Impreza WRX by nearly $6,000. By the looks of things, the new king of sports compacts is the Mazdaspeed3.

Preliminary Specifications:

Price Range (estimated MSRP): $29,995 - $34,495
Body Type: 5-door hatchback
Layout: front-engine, FWD
Engine: 247-hp, 280 lb-ft of torque, DOHC, direct injection, turbocharged 2.3L I-4
Transmission: 6-spd manual
Performance (0-100 km/h): 6.1 seconds
Top Speed: 250 km/h (155 mph)
Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS, BA
Tires: 225/40 ZR 18
Fuel Consumption (mixed): 9.7 L/100 km
Competitors: Acura RSX Type-S, Audi A3 2.0T / 3.26 V6, Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged, Honda Civic Si, MINI Cooper S, Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V, Subaru Impreza WRX, Saturn ION Red Line, Toyota Corolla XRS, Volkswagen GTI, Volvo S40 T5
Website: www.mazda.ca