mazdaspeed protege?

[GTIWRX]

so i sit back to read my newest issue of import tuner....and i see this add for this "mazdaspeed protege" This thing is supposedly sporting a garrett t25 ball bearing turbo, with an intercooler...it dosent list any performance figures....anyone know how fast this car will be when it hits the streets?

[GTIWRX]

actually nevermind i found a link to it.....with 170hp thats definately a pretty good platform to start with for mods....i wonder how this car will compare to the sentra se-r
heres the link:
http://www.mazdausa.com/mazdaspeed/m...tege/index.asp

[ScoobySteve]

It should match up very well with the Nissan. The MazdaSpeed Protege is very nice. If I had no WRX and about $20k budget, I'd get one in a heartbeat. In black though, not the orange.

[ebr0t]

i like the look of the new protege's some good power makes em all the more appealing

[WRXin']

I like them too...I think the hatchback/wagon looks cooler than the sedan. Anyone else agree?

[MidKnight]

I actually just got out of a Mazda MP3 to get my WRX... They're great car and that MP3 handles like nothing else, but it's soooo hard to extract good amounts of power from the engine. It's not a strong and it's hard to get boost over 10psi...

That being said, if you line up with a mazdaspeed protege and you hit some twisties, he could very well pull on you in the curves (and quite fast).... however, I would never trade my wrx! i love my baby!

[Evil Imports]

i was at the dealer yesterday with one of my friends, and asked about it, they told me that they were goin to be selling them for like 3,000 over list, i know some cars they car do this with and get away with it, because in 2001 when i bought my type R all the dealers wanted way over sticker, but the type R they didn't make that many of, and this dealer told me he was getting 50 of the mazdaspeed one, i donno, but i like the car but if they are goin to want like 23k for it, they are crazy

[Weapon wrX]

yea..i like the wagons better..but id drive a sedan too..it couldnt pull me away from my wrx wagon tho

[ScoobySteve]

Originally posted by Evil Imports
i was at the dealer yesterday with one of my friends, and asked about it, they told me that they were goin to be selling them for like 3,000 over list., i know some cars they car do this with and get away with it, because in 2001 when i bought my type R all the dealers wanted way over sticker, but the type R they didn't make that many of, and this dealer told me he was getting 50 of the mazdaspeed one, i donno, but i like the car but if they are goin to want like 23k for it, they are crazy

Exactly. For 23k, you can get a WRX with AWD and almost 60 more HP. It was the same deal with the Mini Cooper S. I was seriously interested in the car, acceleration wasn't exactly overpowering, but I loved the handling, Salesman told me there'd be a $2500 mark-up, "desirable vehicle premium" or some such BS. I said, "No thanks. I'm going to go look at the Subaru WRX."

[koyokid]

You definitely don't buy a Mazdaspeed Protege or a Mini Cooper for drag racing. Neither a WRX, but to each his own. But the extra power in the new Mazda must make driving it so much fun. If they make a wagon version, that'll be tight.

[AmSFighter]

From what I read in car and driver (or was it motor trend?...) they didn't lower the compression, so I'm thinking that it's not going to do too well with above stock boost without worrying about breaking something.

[boosted 4]

Originally posted by AmSFighter
From what I read in car and driver (or was it motor trend?...) they didn't lower the compression, so I'm thinking that it's not going to do too well with above stock boost without worrying about breaking something.

If that's the case then that sucks! I really thought that it would be like most any other factory turbo'd vehicle and be able to do a turbo swap, etc. The GT25 is really a small turbo regardless of boost pressure.

Other than that I've only heard raves about the handling capabilities and would be a really sweet car with a big turbo if possible

[STI on order]

cheaper to buy the Flying Miata turbo kit and then add it to the P5.

[wrxallwheel]

From what I readed it's pretty quick. I think it was a automoble magazine. zero to sixty 6.9 and threw the quart at 14.9 93.2
that's faster then a se r. And with a 9 over 4 compression there's still room for more work.

[Billio]

That is an impressive time. I didn't expect it to be that quick. The one article I saw on it had it in the 15s. Also, I think it is only available in the sedan.

On a side note, I just picked up my WRX Wagon Monday and a good friend of mine has had his MS Protege on order for about 2 months. He should be getting it any day. After both cars get broken in, we may do a comparisson. We're both hardcore miata drivers and I think it might be fun to compare head to head and then switch cars and see what we think. I expect the my WRX to be faster in a straight line but I am expecting good things from the handling on the Protege. Both cars will be completely stock for the test.