3rd Gen Protege/MazdaSpeed/P5/MP3 General/Maintenance Discussion for 1999-2003.5 Models Only (BJ Chassis)

the Mazdaspeed Protege has landed!

Old Aug 26, 2002 | 09:56 AM
  #16  
silver_p5_owner's Avatar
Protege Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 186
From: Troy, Michigan
silver_p5_owner is on a distinguished road
I was at a local Mazda dealer on saturday and was surprised three times. First they were open on Saturday, second they are definately slated to be a MS dealer and third I was able to talk with a very knowledgable (unbeleivable) sales person who actually got to drive the MS Protege that was in town for the Woodward Dream Cruise. He even had a polaroid to prove it! Although exact information is hard to find about this car's details I beleived him when I asked about Mazda's press release that stated "Delivering an estimated 170 horsepower solidly to the ground" and he replied yes the goal is about 170 WHP, putting net brake horsepower somewhere around 200. He also told me that Mazda upped the ante and has increased production to 3500 units with Canada still getting 10 percent of production. He did not know the split between the Spicy Orange and Black Mica units. He has taken a deposit for the first black one they get and I am on the list for a test drive as soon as a unit is available for that. He said the thing was a blast to drive! BTW, this is all HIS info and may or may not be correct. He seemed very sincere and very aware of the MS development so I have a tendancy to believe him.

Jeff M.
Old Aug 26, 2002 | 10:52 AM
  #17  
Doomer_MP3's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 128
From: Madison, WI
Doomer_MP3 is on a distinguished road
Originally posted by silver_p5_owner
I was at a local Mazda dealer on saturday and was surprised three times. First they were open on Saturday, second they are definately slated to be a MS dealer and third I was able to talk with a very knowledgable (unbeleivable) sales person who actually got to drive the MS Protege that was in town for the Woodward Dream Cruise. He even had a polaroid to prove it! Although exact information is hard to find about this car's details I beleived him when I asked about Mazda's press release that stated "Delivering an estimated 170 horsepower solidly to the ground" and he replied yes the goal is about 170 WHP, putting net brake horsepower somewhere around 200. He also told me that Mazda upped the ante and has increased production to 3500 units with Canada still getting 10 percent of production. He did not know the split between the Spicy Orange and Black Mica units. He has taken a deposit for the first black one they get and I am on the list for a test drive as soon as a unit is available for that. He said the thing was a blast to drive! BTW, this is all HIS info and may or may not be correct. He seemed very sincere and very aware of the MS development so I have a tendancy to believe him.

Jeff M.
The SCC dyno said it put 151hp to the wheels. Its probably more like 175-180hp at the crank...
Old Aug 26, 2002 | 11:27 AM
  #18  
kakarot's Avatar
Protege Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 159
From: Detroit, MI
kakarot is on a distinguished road
Originally posted by silver_p5_owner
I was at a local Mazda dealer on saturday and was surprised three times. First they were open on Saturday, second they are definately slated to be a MS dealer and third I was able to talk with a very knowledgable (unbeleivable) sales person who actually got to drive the MS Protege that was in town for the Woodward Dream Cruise. He even had a polaroid to prove it! Although exact information is hard to find about this car's details I beleived him when I asked about Mazda's press release that stated "Delivering an estimated 170 horsepower solidly to the ground" and he replied yes the goal is about 170 WHP, putting net brake horsepower somewhere around 200. He also told me that Mazda upped the ante and has increased production to 3500 units with Canada still getting 10 percent of production. He did not know the split between the Spicy Orange and Black Mica units. He has taken a deposit for the first black one they get and I am on the list for a test drive as soon as a unit is available for that. He said the thing was a blast to drive! BTW, this is all HIS info and may or may not be correct. He seemed very sincere and very aware of the MS development so I have a tendancy to believe him.

Jeff M.

Hey Jeff, was that at Metro Mazda or Suburban?
Old Aug 26, 2002 | 12:13 PM
  #19  
silver_p5_owner's Avatar
Protege Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 186
From: Troy, Michigan
silver_p5_owner is on a distinguished road
Doomer, Thanks for the numbers. I didn't know any third party had put it on the dyno yet.

Kakarot, It was actually Sterling Mazda, on Van Dyke south of 18 Mile rd. The saleman was Doug. Although my preference would be a turbo'd P5 I just have to try one of the MS's out.

Jeff M.
Old Aug 26, 2002 | 12:34 PM
  #20  
Kirk's Avatar
Protege Newbie
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 38
From: Bethlehem, PA
Kirk is on a distinguished road
There was a Mazda Product Demo in NJ that our Miata club attended, put on by Mazda regional reps, and they stated the MSP would be released in two waves...one now, one in the spring (with a new color added to the lineup). They have to do it this way because if they release them all at once, the production number exceeds a federal mandate that would force stricter emissions control, causing hp to take a drop for tougher emissions tuning. Keeping it in a limited quantity allows Mazda to sidestep this issue. I believe the new color will be Lazer Blue, as was on the MP3, if I remember correctly. I also seem to recall the reps saying that there would be ~1700 cars per wave, so 3500 as a total sounds feasable.
Old Aug 26, 2002 | 01:12 PM
  #21  
Kirk's Avatar
Protege Newbie
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 38
From: Bethlehem, PA
Kirk is on a distinguished road
One thing I can't seem to find: is it going to have any options? Specifically a sunroof?
Old Aug 26, 2002 | 01:35 PM
  #22  
silver_p5_owner's Avatar
Protege Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 186
From: Troy, Michigan
silver_p5_owner is on a distinguished road
Kirk,

The statement of them coming in waves is news to me and possibly good news. The Autumn release did not time itself well with my personal situation. I could get a little more value out of my P5 or coach the wife to become comfortable driving a stick again and keep the P5 for her, picking up an MS in Springtime for me. I don't know if you've seen these press releases at RacingBeat's site or not, but in the Q&A it states that there will be no options available. Of course with the secretive nature of this whole MazdaSpeed endeavor and your news of 2 production waves I guess anything could be possible.

https://www.racingbeat.com/pdf/overview.pdf
https://www.racingbeat.com/pdf/Q_A.pdf
https://www.racingbeat.com/pdf/performance_parts.pdf

Jeff M.
Old Aug 26, 2002 | 03:19 PM
  #23  
Kirk's Avatar
Protege Newbie
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 38
From: Bethlehem, PA
Kirk is on a distinguished road
I hadn't seen those; I'll check em out. Thanks for the links.

I'm thinking of waiting til spring myself. I think this would be awesome in the Lazer Blue.
Old Aug 26, 2002 | 03:58 PM
  #24  
kakarot's Avatar
Protege Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 159
From: Detroit, MI
kakarot is on a distinguished road
Originally posted by silver_p5_owner
Doomer, Thanks for the numbers. I didn't know any third party had put it on the dyno yet.

Kakarot, It was actually Sterling Mazda, on Van Dyke south of 18 Mile rd. The saleman was Doug. Although my preference would be a turbo'd P5 I just have to try one of the MS's out.

Jeff M.

Let me know when you hear back from the dealer about a testdrive. I would definately like to drive one. I knew a couple of people who saw it out and about during the Dream Cruise, but was unable to track it down myself.
Old Aug 27, 2002 | 12:56 PM
  #25  
kore's Avatar
Protege Enthusiast
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 79
From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
kore is on a distinguished road
Which month of Sport Compact Car is this information in? You guys picked it up last week...is it the September or October issue? Let me know...
Old Aug 27, 2002 | 02:04 PM
  #26  
ZoomZoomH's Avatar
Thread Starter
Cripple Fight!!!!
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,944
From: Northern VA
ZoomZoomH is on a distinguished road
Originally posted by kore
Which month of Sport Compact Car is this information in? You guys picked it up last week...is it the September or October issue? Let me know...
October issue. Subscribers usually get the next month WAY earlier than the newsstands.....
Old Aug 27, 2002 | 02:41 PM
  #27  
rick77f's Avatar
Protege Newbie
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5
rick77f is on a distinguished road
It's here

For those of you in southern California, Beach Mazda in Huntington Beach has a Mazdaspeed Protege on the lot. I have no details on it.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
jaketemp14
Mazdas For Sale or Wanted
3
Jan 30, 2012 07:55 PM
msp03
3rd Gen Protege/MazdaSpeed/P5/MP3
36
Aug 7, 2007 02:51 PM
Bruce95fmla
3rd Gen Protege/MazdaSpeed/P5/MP3
43
Apr 6, 2002 05:07 PM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:53 AM.