Can anyone tell me who did the review of MSP and ...
it did out handle in slalom speed much more expensive opposition - BMW M3, Corvette Z06 and one of Porsches, and was one of the best production cars ever tested in that category.
Can you provide a link to that article please?

 

there is an issue of Sport Compact Car about 3 months ago that did a test drive. If my memory serves me it had a slolum speed of 72 mph which out performed every car ever tested by SCC with the exception of an older 911 turbo i beleive which it tied. If the search ever starts working again look for "SCC", or "Sport Compact Car."

 

Man, you don't ask for much do you?

Okay, Sport Compact Car did the review where they chose it as the best handling production car they'd ever tested. It's in the October issue and seems to be gone from their website. Here are some scans:



The other article was called "Great Grip!" and appeared in Road&Track in June of 2002. It was actually about the MP3 and not the Mazdaspeed Protege.

Enough?

 

cool. I left my SCC 500 miles away but thanks for clearin that up!

 

cool, it helps

thanks again

 

If you want a reprint of that article, visit your local Mazda dealership. Mazda has reprinted, with permission from Sport Compact Car, the article. It is quite informative. I can't wait for the first comparison by the major magazines. With new players such as the lightning-fast but sloppy Neon SRT-4, quick and balanced Focus SVT, and slow and sloppy Civic Si, it should be quite interesting.

 

Maybe you're saying you don't consider SCC a "major magazine", or maybe you just didn't know, but SCC just did a comparo of all the current pocket rockets including the MSP, SRT-4, Civic Si, Focus SVT, etc. Here's the link.

 

I knew thay already did the comparisons b/e those cars.

 

Yep. You guessed it. I'm...

 

it pretty amazing. The SRT-4 neon has over 70 hp and over 100 ft-lbs of torque but on their mountain test track it took over three miles to catch up the MSP. The problem with the neon is that it has nowhere to go. Its already boosting 14psi and is prolly wont go past 280-300 hp w/o building up the engine if its even possible. The MSP however almost beat that sucker and you turn the boost up to 14psi on the MSP and it may eat the SRT-4 alive. Either way there's no better car in the twisties than the MSP

I know that teh neon has gotten better in leaps and bounds for its service record but somethin about a car running 14psi all the time and has dodge written on the side of it makes me think this car may be in the shop more than it should be. Hopefully it won't take us back to the dark days of the original neon and the plymouth peice of crap neon where it had the worst record of that year.

All that said i would still test drive the srt-4 in a second to see if all the hype is true.

 

there's only one problem with this theory. The Mazdaspeed's turbo cannot be turned up. This pretty much sucks... Mazda had a good thing going so it looks like you can buy a nicely equipped ES and drop in a turbo from anyone else and pump up the boost from there. You'll be able to run away from the little Mazdaspeed for the same price. Well in anything but the twisties of course. But hey.. i live in FL and there are no twisties around here. I've already got my Laser Blue ES on order with the Moonroof package and a Flying Miata turbo won't be far behind it. I love how the insurance company works and the fact that I was able to sue and press charges against the drunk driver was a nice little add on there too. I have my first year of college paid for when i got in the fall of 2004 and a new car.

 

there isn't any limitation on the MSP turbo that i know of. Just adjust the wastegate and the boost increases. Its a T25 turbo so it should be good for 15-16psi. The ECU may have built in overboost control but that can be solved with a piggyback or ECU reprogram/replacement. If there is a physical limit on the wastegate you can just buy a new one that has no restriction.

 

how was the SVT before its life was cut short?

 

ohh haha.. i get it.. some of the other posts had said you can't mess with the turbos and i thought that was pretty stupid.. well that makes me feel better.. i thought you couldn't do anything to the turbos at all.. haha

It was an awesome car. I loved the way it handled and it was quicker then my protege. But not quite fast enough and i had the mods done that i could do and i still only managed a 15.4 in the 1/4. But oh well... I love my protege even if it slow.. haha.. But i love the new Laser blue color and the 4-door convenience.. i hated having always to adjust my seat in the focus when people were in the back. Oh well i'll just strap on a turbo after i get the engine decently broken in and see what i can do with a Protege. I do highly recommend an SVT focus for its all around usablilty though. I loved the car but its not a good car to build up.