Does anyone know how the autocross lap times generally compare between a Mazdaspeed3 and an MCS?

 

Nobody locally has and equally well prepped speed 3 to compare. 4 local people have them but no one has done more than put race tires on them. Still they are fast, probably faster than the MCS, which is good since they are in DS and the MCS is in GS.

 

How long has the Mazdaspeed 3 been out? I was looking at the results of this year's Nationals to try to find some times, but I think the "Mazdaspeed" entries I found might have been flavours of Miatas, rather than the MS3. Was the MS3 around in 2003?

 

I do not believe so. I think the Mazda 3 has been around for a while but the MazdaSpeed 3 is only about a year old.

 

The first model year for the Mazda 3 was 2004. The Mazdaspeed 3 was introduced almost exactly a year ago.

The M(azda)3 just started gaining traction in HS last year, though.

 

the Mazda 3 was initially classed in GS, and was moved down to HS for the 2006 season.

I think the Speed 3 will be a great DS car if someone actually dials one in.

 

It must be slower than the MCS since it is in DS

 

A Mazda SPEED is a very different animal then then normal Mazda 3. I.e. turbo and is a 5 door.

Straight line, MS3 will raped and pilage a MCS w/ bolt-ons and then some. MS3 Will win auto-x depending on the track.

 

 

I've been watching Scott Thursby run his Mazdaspeed 3 in DS up here in NER this year, and I am impressed.

Always difficult to seperate driver and car, but for Scott to pip Matt and Chang speaks well of both driving and equipment. I would expect the Acuras to get faster as the season progresses...

The last event at Devens resulted in the following top 5 finishing order:

Scott Thursby Mazda Speed 3 56.975
David Gott BMW 330ci 57.069
Chang Ho Kim Acura Integra 57.341
Matt Murray Acura Integra Type-R 58.292
Ed Hondzinski Subaru WRX 58.671

G Stock looked thus:

Joshua Parker Honda CRX 58.059
Louis Waddell Honda Civic Si 58.973
Paul Klein Toyota Celica 59.609
Allen Parker Honda CRX SI 60.404
Ellen Savell Honda Civic Si 61.214
Edward Savage Plymouth Neon ACR 61.65
Stanley Gorham Mini Cooper S 66.505

One data point of course, and many variables - but it supports my consistant impression that this year DS does not overlap with GS.

We shall see what the National Tour brings in a couple of weeks - as there will no doubt be some National caliber MCS pilots running in that event.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Having driven in a few autocrosses, and attended many more, I don't know how to answer you. The courses are so bloody tight, and each one so different, and then you factor in that every driver attacks the course differently, with differing levels of skill.

The only way to truly answer this, is to get both cars, and one driver to flog them both on the course.