the Mazdaspeed MX5 (miata does NOT appear in the name) is a decent car. It only makes a small amount of power from the turbo.. but I have heard that some prototypes made up to 250hp. The suspension is beefed up a little to cope with the extra 40 hp the turbo makes and it has something most other Miatas don't, An LSD stock.

The downside? It no longer has a perfect 50/50 weight distribution. With the extra weight of the turbo, it has something like 51/49 front rear.

Personally, I like it. I love roadsters, I have always liked the Miata, but I have always needed the extra space of a hatchback. Also, I doubt my spider would enjoy sharing driveway space with another convertable, italian beauties do get jealous.

Mazda builds a decent car, they have the sports car formula down pat with the miata and the RX series. It's not a POS, but it is no RX7 Turbo either. A little tuning goes a long way though.

 

Saw the mazdaspeed6 at the CIAS yesterday. HOT! Turbocharged, as said above, 274 hp all wheel drive. Unfortunately it was on a turney thingie and you couldn't get a good look at the interior. Looks really good though. Mazdaspeed is pretty good.

 

Mazda makes pretty good, reliable cars... think Hyundai except a little more sporty. The Miata and Protege and even the 6 make pretty good tuner cars, and they aren't often used. Sounds like a Tiburon to me. tongue.gif

The Protege is fairly light and quick, especially in the Speed version. They look O.K as well. Same with the Miata. All of Mazda's cars have very good handling.

RX-8 isn't the best car though...

 

i smoked a rx-8 in my tiburon, they are slow, really slow,or this was an auto.? don't know but raced off the line, he took off before i did, but i fly by no prob, do u think they are better then our Tiburon.. i mean is mazda a better sports car then hyundai

 

If I were going to buy one car from Mazda, it would be the Mazdaspeed MX5. The body style of the Miata is ageless

 

I doubt the RX-8 was racing... Tibs are slow. The average quarter mile for all cars made in 2001 is around 15.6. Tibs are below average. RX-8s run the quarter in around 15, and they're RWD...

I've always wanted to tune a Miata. If I can find one low mileage, it may be my next tuner car. 200whp on one of those things and it would fly.

 

its not the car its the driver, ive drove my tibby to the floor broad ever since i got it, had it now for 3 year, i know what a tib can an can't do. ive raced so fast cars in my life, and a RX-8 sure isn't one of those cars.

 

dude rx-8's arent that slow. theres no way he was trying unless you are turbo. look for yourself:
STOCK 0-60 and 1/4 mi.
2003 Mazda RX-8= 5.9 seconds and 14.50 seconds

according to:
http://www.ssmoparmuscle.com/speedcomp.htm

^^that site is fairly accurate, or at least agrees with ever other spec ive seen on any of the cars it has listed. all stock specs

 

the mazda speed proteges are insane on the road courses locally, theres quite a few running in the stock class. the mazdaspeed 6 im not a fan of, mainly because they have had issues with that 2.3 since they first released it, and now it boosted, i see problems in the future for that motor. but i am a huge fan of mazdas, almost everything they make looks sexy imo. contimplated trading in the tib on a 04 mazda 6 with the 3.0 v6 and 5 speed, it was quite a bit quicker then my tibby, but the size i couldnt get past, it feels really big, but it sure had the power to play, i wonder how well they take to mods.........

 

WHAT????????? I cant believe all of you....the mazdaspeed miata NOT FAST!!!!!! that this is fcuking AWSOME, it handles better than anything stock, and it runs the 1/4 in mid to high 14s!!!!!