STi vs Mazdaspeed 6

[bulldog8]

I have an 04 STi and my buddy just bought a speed 6 AWD and about 274hp. I know that the speed 6 weighs more but why is that car so much slower than mine?

Kind of funny b/c all of my friends (who don't know **** about subaru's) thought that this would be a comparable track car but it is just so much slower.

[jhess]

thats a good question, the only thing I can think of is the way the transmission handles the power and applies it, they are nice cars but you are right they are pretty slow, my wrx beat one last week

[NY_04WRX]

6speed vs. 5speed?

and i wouldn't under estimate that weight difference, probably 3-400lbs

[wrxtreme06]

maybe he didnt know how to drive.
my mom had a ms6 and it felt pretty damn fast whenever i drove it. then again i've never driven an sti so i cant really compare the two

[wrxtreme06]

6speed vs. 5speed?

and i wouldn't under estimate that weight difference, probably 3-400lbs

the speed 6 and sti are both 6 speeds

[timber]

2004 STi ~3250 lbs @ 300 (rated) hp
2004 Subaru Impreza WRX and STi spec page

you didn't state what year MS6 but ~3600 lbs @ 274 (rated) hp

and you wonder why the MS6 is slower

[DTR rex]

How is this not obvious?

The STI makes 26 hp more and weighs over 400 lbs less. That combination makes for a pretty big different in a cars performance.

[Micah]

How is this not obvious?

The STI makes 26 hp more and weighs over 400 lbs less. That combination makes for a pretty big different in a cars performance.

+1

100lbs=10hp=.1sec qtr mile

[bulldog8]

even with that weight difference the 06 speed 6 does 0-60 in 1.5 seconds slower than my stock STi. That has to be more than the few hundred lb and hp difference.

there has got to be something else to this or does weight make that much difference. Could it have something to do with the weight distribution of the car?

At this 1.5 sec difference from 0-60 my STi should be 650lbs lighter with the 26hp difference.

[Micah]

even with that weight difference the 06 speed 6 does 0-60 in 1.5 seconds slower than my stock STi. That has to be more than the few hundred lb and hp difference.

there has got to be something else to this or does weight make that much difference. Could it have something to do with the weight distribution of the car?

It likely has more to do with the driveline losses through the drivetrain, and a bit with the "loose nut behind the wheel".

A guy I used to know "Bigg Tim" on the Mazda forums baseline dyno'd at 220whp/270wtq

A stock MS6 ran 13.5 @ 99mph - Stock Speed6: 13.5 @ 99 - Mazda Forums

Here's another link to Baseline and modded numbers - Speed6 Dyno numbers - short video - Mazda Forums
271whp/307wtq on 91 octane with mods (baseline - 240whp/267wtq).

My friend Sean has a MS6, and it's very nice inside - not as fast as my WRX, but he is stock. The MS6 was never meant to compete with the STI, it was meant to compete with the Legacy GT.

[Vez]

The MS3 has the same engine as the MS6...but a lot lighter. I thought that's why they were faster. A better race would be against the MS3, yes?

[wrxtreme06]

the ms3 has limited 1st and 2nd gear though.. so unless it was from a roll then probably not haha

[bulldog8]

yeah that's true but i was just honestly expecting somewhat of a similar feeling. I knew it would be slower and a much inferior car to the STi but i didn't think it would feel like i could launch mine in 3rd and beat it

[Micah]

The MS3 has the same engine as the MS6...but a lot lighter. I thought that's why they were faster. A better race would be against the MS3, yes?

Definitely yes. I went for a Mazda fun run last year with my WRX and there were a few MS3's with us. They're pretty quick, especially from a roll. The interior is a bit overdone for my taste, but it's still nice.

[John M]

The MS6 has trouble making its rated power because of its horrible TMIC design. With only a grille-facing duct to bring air to the IC, it ends up being an inter-warmer most of the time.

Before going with the whole duct system, they really should have made it a fenderwell intercooler since they just had to avoid a hood scoop. All the turbo cars of the 90s had 'em in the fenderwell with no trouble.

My LGT is about to prove the single biggest advantage it has over the Mazda -- a proven upgrade path