Mazda's been putting a considerable amount of stock into its newest entrant to the hot hatch segment, the Mazdaspeed3, or, as it's known in Europe, the Mazda3 MPS. With 260 HP and a 280 lb.-ft. of torque being sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual, you'd assume that it would be a torque-steering mess. A brief jaunt a few months back quelled that notion immediately, but Mazda has its sights set on more than just electromechanical problem solving.
In an effort to solidify its place as the most powerful, agile and competent competitor, Mazda brought three MS3s to Germany and let them loose under the capable hands of a few racing drivers. The goal was to show off the MS3's capabilities and make an attempt at the Nurburgring's track record for whatever class the hatch fits into.
Mark Ticehurst, a 'Ring virgin, was able to come within about four seconds of the lap record, posting a time of 8 minutes 39.66 seconds around the circuit. More shocking than the fact that Ticehurst came that close to the record without any previous experience in either the car or the track, is the considerable amount of traffic he encountered along the way. Our Gran Turismo fantasies of a clean track were promptly quashed after seeing how many bikers Ticehurst was forced to avoid during his laps.
Mazda released an account of the attempt, which is posted after the jump, along with three videos showing the MS3 in action.
In an effort to solidify its place as the most powerful, agile and competent competitor, Mazda brought three MS3s to Germany and let them loose under the capable hands of a few racing drivers. The goal was to show off the MS3's capabilities and make an attempt at the Nurburgring's track record for whatever class the hatch fits into.
Mark Ticehurst, a 'Ring virgin, was able to come within about four seconds of the lap record, posting a time of 8 minutes 39.66 seconds around the circuit. More shocking than the fact that Ticehurst came that close to the record without any previous experience in either the car or the track, is the considerable amount of traffic he encountered along the way. Our Gran Turismo fantasies of a clean track were promptly quashed after seeing how many bikers Ticehurst was forced to avoid during his laps.
Mazda released an account of the attempt, which is posted after the jump, along with three videos showing the MS3 in action.
1 comment:
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