Would you buy a MAZDASPEED2?

Would you buy a MAZDASPEED2?

  • Total voters
    454
  • Poll closed .
maestro said:
MS version of the 2 would be a great replacement for my P5. I'd shell out cash for one.
Click to expand...

Bingo!

I drove a Mazda 3 rental for a month, and while it's a nice car, and technically superior in nearly every way to the P5, I hated it. I hated it for all the reasons it sells well. I love my P5: it's light, by todays standards; it has amazing steering feel; it has a great suspension for a stock econobox; brakes, shifter, headlights, steering wheel, all are very good for the low price point, and all are little things that provide huge drivers satisfaction, and tactile sensation. Yes, it's a vibey little underpowered runt, but that somehow translates as 'visceral', and 'engaging', unlike the 3 or any other economy car. Apparently there are a TON of like minded people: when I was shopping around for a replacement for my old Suby, the P5 receives an insane amount of rabidly devoted reviews, on sites like KBB, and elsewhere.

So what would I like in a Speed 2? I want another P5 in spirit, a worthy successor to the P5 crown of maximum fun and utility in a minimal package; a car that is 'visceral' and 'engaging', that feels right, and makes me smile when I get in, even if I was just driving an $80k sports car. What else?


1) A firmer, lower suspension. Duh.

2) Yank-your-eyeballs-out brakes.

3) 185-200hp. It's big bro has what, 280hp? Yeah, pony up. :D Minimum would be 170hp, though. And please, no zoom-zoom-boom, that goes without saying.

4) Kick ass headlights. The P5 had exceptionally good headlights in 2002; so good, other car enthusiasts were asking how they could make their model's lights as good as the P5. Do it again. It's safer, and fastAr! But please, make em last longer than a year? ;)

5) True sport seats. No recaro BS, that's expensive. Just throw some good seats with great lateral support, sized for anyone but (obese, lardass) Americans. Or Samoans. Or Tongans, definitely no Tongans in that test pool, please. Check the 1st gen WRX seats for reference, they were pretty damn good. And don't worry about sales; lardass beefcake Americans won't be cross-shopping the 2 with their SVT Raptor, anyway. :D

6) Options. Limited slip diff; short shifter; rsb, etc. Maybe make an AutoX Package, with all that stuff thrown in.

7) Cheap. Under $20k. Please?!

8) Forget green. I mean, sure, rock the 'it's a performance monster that gets 38hwy, blahblah' angle, but don't purposely go green with electric nonsense. It's a MazdaSpeed, ferChristsake! It's small! It's light! Chuck it! Oh, and it's easy on the wallet, too!

9) Lastly, make it raw. Don't eliminate the connection between man and machine. Ever drive an old 911? You feel the gears snick, the motor humming, the wheels turning. The P5 has some of that.


GIVE US MOAR!!!!!
 
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Know what would be awesome? AWD! You could so get into the rally game that way!! :D (hahah just watched Xgames and so many fords!! :D )
 
I do think and hope that they go awd. being how the fiesta is the new sponsored rally car at x games. With Fords and Mazda's partnership of course it could happen. But the fiesta is fwd and that is lame, + i think wider wheels would be sweet.
we need more zoom zoom on those dirt roads baby!
 
psyco-joe said:
I do think and hope that they go awd. being how the fiesta is the new sponsored rally car at x games. With Fords and Mazda's partnership of course it could happen. But the fiesta is fwd and that is lame, + i think wider wheels would be sweet.
we need more zoom zoom on those dirt roads baby!
Click to expand...

There were some pics of some new mazda patents floating around here somewhere. It was a patent for an electric hub/motor that is mounted at the wheel. What if Mazda used these for the rear of the Mazda2 to make AWD and keep light package? Flick a switch, and you are in 4wd.

If Mazda is to make a MS2, it's price target should be ~$17k

I can just envision a whole fleet of these zooming around the track in the new MS2 spec class!
 
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psyco-joe said:
I do think and hope that they go awd. being how the fiesta is the new sponsored rally car at x games. With Fords and Mazda's partnership of course it could happen. But the fiesta is fwd and that is lame, + i think wider wheels would be sweet.
we need more zoom zoom on those dirt roads baby!
Click to expand...

I wish they made a AWD Fiesta for the public.... D: it would be awesome.
 
the public won't support a awd fiesta because ford ppl don't care about fun. but we do ! (dance)
 
Just looking at the line up mazdaspeed have,what other company can give so much to hard working middle class people and make them feel like royality? None. The msp2 would be good idea. Good mpg, compact size, and reliability is plus for me. Oh yea, speed is nice too.
 
psyco-joe said:
the public won't support a awd fiesta because ford ppl don't care about fun. but we do ! (dance)
Click to expand...

They won't support it because it would be expensive. With all the go-faster goodies, the turbocharged MS3 and its cousins, the Focus RS and Focus ST already cost near as much as their Subaru counterparts. With AWD, they'd cost more, weigh more (than the competition) and probably not be as fast.

The Mazda2 is already sweet handling because it's so light. I would rather they focus on giving it a bit more oomph to go with the sweetness than burden it with more weight and make it cost $25k.

I too, want a faster Mazda2... but I want it to be cheap. :D
 
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the weight will go up but with its not like its going to be fat at the end of it. it should still be able to handle well if they lower it a bit to give it a better center of gravity. remember we are talking about a mazdaspeed2 so of course it is going to bring up the price a bunch but it should still end up being less the the MS3 so I think it would be in the range of 17k to 20k. not to much to ask imo.
If you want cheap, fwd, then stick with the regular mazda 2. :)
 
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First of all, I'm lovin' the FANTASTIC FEEDBACK as well as all the VOTES so far...PLEASE keep the responses rolling in...Thanks! (2thumbs)


poison said:
Bingo!

I drove a Mazda 3 rental for a month, and while it's a nice car, and technically superior in nearly every way to the P5, I hated it. I hated it for all the reasons it sells well. I love my P5: it's light, by todays standards; it has amazing steering feel; it has a great suspension for a stock econobox; brakes, shifter, headlights, steering wheel, all are very good for the low price point, and all are little things that provide huge drivers satisfaction, and tactile sensation. Yes, it's a vibey little underpowered runt, but that somehow translates as 'visceral', and 'engaging', unlike the 3 or any other economy car. Apparently there are a TON of like minded people: when I was shopping around for a replacement for my old Suby, the P5 receives an insane amount of rabidly devoted reviews, on sites like KBB, and elsewhere.

So what would I like in a Speed 2? I want another P5 in spirit, a worthy successor to the P5 crown of maximum fun and utility in a minimal package; a car that is 'visceral' and 'engaging', that feels right, and makes me smile when I get in, even if I was just driving an $80k sports car. What else?


1) A firmer, lower suspension. Duh.

2) Yank-your-eyeballs-out brakes.

3) 185-200hp. It's big bro has what, 280hp? Yeah, pony up. :D Minimum would be 170hp, though. And please, no zoom-zoom-boom, that goes without saying.

4) Kick ass headlights. The P5 had exceptionally good headlights in 2002; so good, other car enthusiasts were asking how they could make their model's lights as good as the P5. Do it again. It's safer, and fastAr! But please, make em last longer than a year? ;)

5) True sport seats. No recaro BS, that's expensive. Just throw some good seats with great lateral support, sized for anyone but (obese, lardass) Americans. Or Samoans. Or Tongans, definitely no Tongans in that test pool, please. Check the 1st gen WRX seats for reference, they were pretty damn good. And don't worry about sales; lardass beefcake Americans won't be cross-shopping the 2 with their SVT Raptor, anyway. :D

6) Options. Limited slip diff; short shifter; rsb, etc. Maybe make an AutoX Package, with all that stuff thrown in.

7) Cheap. Under $20k. Please?!

8) Forget green. I mean, sure, rock the 'it's a performance monster that gets 38hwy, blahblah' angle, but don't purposely go green with electric nonsense. It's a MazdaSpeed, ferChristsake! It's small! It's light! Chuck it! Oh, and it's easy on the wallet, too!

9) Lastly, make it raw. Don't eliminate the connection between man and machine. Ever drive an old 911? You feel the gears snick, the motor humming, the wheels turning. The P5 has some of that.


GIVE US MOAR!!!!!
Click to expand...

Along with many other posts in this thread...You Hit the Nail on the Head...Mazda, are you listening??? ;)


mazdadude said:
There were some pics of some new mazda patents floating around here somewhere. It was a patent for an electric hub/motor that is mounted at the wheel. What if Mazda used these for the rear of the Mazda2 to make AWD and keep light package? Flick a switch, and you are in 4wd.

If Mazda is to make a MS2, it's price target should be ~$17k

I can just envision a whole fleet of these zooming around the track in the new MS2 spec class!
Click to expand...

The electric hub/motor AWD idea is definitely an interesting one but I agree that the PRICE has got to be irresistible ($16K ~ $18K) and the performance has to be BEST IN CLASS. A MS2 Spec Class is a given! (thumb)

Keep it simple...I believe Mazda can make the MS2 a success if they just KEEP IT SIMPLE...The Mazda2 is already a great platform, just enhance it so that it becomes an AMAZING PERFORMANCE VALUE...Mazda, people will LOVE YOU FOR IT! :D
 
Antoine said:
First of all, I'm lovin' the FANTASTIC FEEDBACK as well as all the VOTES so far...PLEASE keep the responses rolling in...Thanks! (2thumbs)




Along with many other posts in this thread...You Hit the Nail on the Head...Mazda, are you listening??? ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks, I hope they are listening. Every automaker goes through the same dilemma: the oddball suby's gathered a devoted following, despite fantastic levels of ugly. Why? Because they put the money into a kick ass drivetrain, and Joe '20 something' Shmoe could afford a relative rocket for the first time in recent automotive history. But then the automaker reaches a crossroads: keep pleasing the small-but-rabid fan base, or reach out to the other 95% of the population. Subaru made their choice, and alienated the very people who 'made' Subaru succeed. Same with Scion and the Xb.

To Mazdas credit, it seems like the MS3 is as raw as the 1st gen, at least according to reviews I've read. If they can make the MS2 even more tactile and primal, they'll pull all kinds of enthusiasts over from other disenchanted fan bases, like subaru.




The electric hub/motor AWD idea is definitely an interesting one but I agree that the PRICE has got to be irresistible ($16K ~ $18K) and the performance has to be BEST IN CLASS. A MS2 Spec Class is a given! (thumb)
Click to expand...

If they put AWD in the MS2, it'd need to be very much performance oriented, definitely not something you activate manually. Liscense Subaru's AWD? :D

Keep it simple...I believe Mazda can make the MS2 a success if they just KEEP IT SIMPLE...The Mazda2 is already a great platform, just enhance it so that it becomes an AMAZING PERFORMANCE VALUE...Mazda, people will LOVE YOU FOR IT! :D
Click to expand...

Yup. Put the money in the drivetrain and suspension, skip the wazoo creature-comforts. Again, the P5 stands out: a very functional and basic interior, but also pretty damn stylish and nice (for what it is, and compared to anything else in its class at the time; the seats are the exception, they're comfy but too flat).
 
zuku26 said:
first should come a Mazdaspeed cx7 then Mazdaspeed2
Click to expand...

Sounds like the answer to a question no one asked, like the Cayenne Turbo and X6 (YAAA, let's see how fast we can move 6000lbs off road and through corners! Eat this, Sir Isaac Newton!).
 
poison said:
Sounds like the answer to a question no one asked, like the Cayenne Turbo and X6 (YAAA, let's see how fast we can move 6000lbs off road and through corners! Eat this, Sir Isaac Newton!).
Click to expand...

Well I wouldn't put a MS CX7 into a class with X6 and Cyenne turbos..
I was looking more at a true competitor to the Jeep SRT8, Chevy Trailblazer SS ect.
As for the MS2. There really isn't a "very" small car segment for performance minded cars. The only ones that come to mind are the old Suzuki swift Gts and mazda 323 GTX!!!
 
niky said:
Mazda could make a pretty good go of it by stuffing the 2 liter MZR in there with the MX-5 internals and cams... 170 hp would be more than enough in a car as small and light as the Mazda2.

Too bad it wouldn't work from a green marketing point of view. A direct injection turbo 1.5 would be nice, but would be more expensive than a naturally aspirated 2.0.
Click to expand...

Not sure if you guys got the same car over in the States - but here in Oz, Ford shoe-horned an MZR 2.0L into the previous shape (boxy) Fiesta and called it an XR4. The XR brand is the Ford equivalent of Mazdaspeed. Seeing as Ford has already done this, I think that the Mazdaspeed 2 should be small capacity Forced Induction engine.

I would love to see a supercharged version of the Mazda 2. I think that this would truly set it apart from any other car. It could be clutched so that it only activates at WOT, and would allow overall fuel consumption to be reasonable. I think that an LSD would definitely be a requirement in this case.

It would be great to see this come to life!(thumb)
 
Yeah turbo is a must. :)

I agree they should keep it simple as that is one thing that makes the car good but the Fun factor is what mazdaspeed is about.

my estimate was high and probaly over exaggerated. cuz they would not want the ms2 and ms3 in the same price range so it would be maybe 15k depending on how much they add to it of course.
 
psyco-joe said:
Yeah turbo is a must. :)

I agree they should keep it simple as that is one thing that makes the car good but the Fun factor is what mazdaspeed is about.

my estimate was high and probaly over exaggerated. cuz they would not want the ms2 and ms3 in the same price range so it would be maybe 15k depending on how much they add to it of course.
Click to expand...

that's why i think they should make the MS2 more like the MSP was, and go ahead and attack the EVO and STI with a 300HP AWD MS3...
 
I'd love to see a MS2, but from a standpoint of performance, to me my MSP is somewhat of a joke. I mean if i want true power I need 8 cylinders. Not to say it wouldn't be fun to drive and handle amazingly. That's what i do like about my MSP, but that's about it.

I say go for it mazda, you're bound to make your money back on Design and Development with all the youngsters wanting "performance" cars. And those youngsters can get this MS edition of a car since their parents won't get them a MS6 or RX-7.

I'm just an older fellow and if i were to buy this car, I'd be buying it STRICTLY for the MPG aspect, not to try and make it a performance car.....many, many...many other platforms are for that.

I think it would be "cute" though to give the honda's something to compete against again lmao.
 
Performance is Performance and it comes in many flavors...People have different taste and needs...None of which is a "joke"...An MS2 must provide real performance just like any other "performance" car nomatter the powerplant...:)
 
The MS2 would be a great super mini. You could very well see some Mini Cooper buyers shift into a Mazda.
If other cars like the Abarth 500 make it over as well, this market segment could easily take off and Mazda would be well positioned to take their share of it just like they did with the Mazda3.
 
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