Mazda MAZDASPEED3

• Dynamic performance: The MazdaSpeed3 is the sports compact that will blow performance expectations away.
• Distinctive styling: The MazdaSpeed3 offers the perfect balance of elegance and athleticism, appealing to those seeking a tasteful sports compact with the body and soul of a sports car.
• Impressive acceleration: The MazdaSpeed3's dynamic 2.3–litre direct–injection turbocharged engine sets the bar for performance in its class, with more horsepower and torque than most of its competitors.
• Stellar handling: The MazdaSpeed3's rigid chassis design and fully independent sport–tuned suspension provide responsive and exhilarating handling characteristics.
• Progressive technologies: Direct fuel injection and high–level torque management systems help the 2008.5 MazdaSpeed3 realize its full power potential.
• Enthusiast features: The MazdaSpeed3 is equipped with features that attract the serious performance seeker, with a 6–speed manual transmission, limited–slip differential and impressive 18–inch wheels with performance–rated tires.
• Safety features: The MazdaSpeed3 boasts a comprehensive array of safety features, including: six standard airbags; Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with traction control system (TCS); anti–lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD) and brake assist; whiplash–reducing front headrests; Triple–H reinforcements in the floor, body side and roof that enhance frontal and side crash protection.

Overall, the MazdaSpeed3 design is befitting a high performance model, characterized by boldly flared front fenders and the effective use of strong edges on the hood and other elements, yet without exaggerated styling cues. Instead, the focus is on creating a refined presence that owners can take pride in.

• Dual heated power exterior mirrors
• Xenon high–intensity–discharge (HID) automatic headlamps and front fog lights
• Unique 18" alloy wheels with performance–rated tires
• Unique, sporty design body–coloured grille, bumpers, side sill extensions and rear roof spoiler
• Triple–H construction and side–impact door beams
• Tight, uniform gaps between body panels
• One–piece body side stamping
• Stainless steel sport–tuned exhaust including large–diameter tailpipe with silver finisher
• Rear window defroster and fixed–interval rear window wiper/washer

• Leather–wrapped tilt and telescoping steering wheel and leather shift knob
• Unique meter set including tri–mode electroluminescent gauges with red night time illumination
• Steering wheel mounted audio controls and cruise control
• Unique interior trim details
• Air conditioning with automatic HVAC controls, clean air filter and rear seat heater ducts
• Sport–type reclining bucket seats with unique high–grade cloth upholstery
• Sport–type reclining bucket seats with unique high–grade cloth upholstery
• Two–stage power door locks with remote keyless entry, retractable key and panic button feature
• Front and rear power windows with driver's side front auto down feature
• Intuitive instrumentation and controls
• Subtle in–cabin illumination
• Functional and convenient storage
• Rear 60/40–split folding seat with rear centre armrest
• Cargo area amenities

• 2.3L direct–injection turbocharged 4–cylinder MZR engine with 263 horsepower and 280 lb–ft of torque
• 6–speed manual transmission
• Large diameter power–assisted 4–wheel disc brakes with ventilated front discs
• Tuned independent front strut suspension
• Tuned independent multi–link rear suspension
• Torque–sensing Limited–Slip Differential (LSD)
• Larger diameter front and rear stabilizer bars
• Variable power–assist rack and pinion steering

Under the hood of the MazdaSpeed3 is a modified version of the MZR 2.3–litre DISI Turbo that powers the highly regarded MazdaSpeed6 and CX–7. This 4–cylinder direct injection gasoline engine is engineered to deliver high performance at all speeds, along with low exhaust emissions and excellent fuel economy.

Generating 263 horsepower and a serious 280 lb–ft of torque, the MazdaSpeed3's dynamic turbocharged unit brings unrivalled power and a new dimension to the Mazda3 family.

The 2.3–litre DOHC 4–cylinder MZR engine in the MazdaSpeed3 generates 263 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm and a formidable 280 lb–ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm. The combination of direct injection and an intercooled turbocharger provides accessible power at almost any point in the engine´s rpm range. Introducing direct injection to a turbo application allowed Mazda to circumvent the most lamented drawback of more conventional turbocharged engines – poor low- and mid-range torque – while still meeting strict exhaust regulations. Both fuel mixture loading efficiency and torque are increased by injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber. An electronic throttle and an electronically–controlled turbo boost system deliver a balance between refined, linear acceleration and the more aggressive response that accompanies the relatively high torque that is produced at lower speeds by the direct–injection engine.

Mazda´s MZR 2.3 DISI Turbo injects fuel into the cylinders at pressures as high as 11.5 MPa; there is an internal cooling effect when fuel that is injected directly into the combustion chamber at high pressures vaporizes inside the chamber, improving the loading efficiency of the air–fuel mixture. This can increase torque by up to 10 percent at approximately 3,000 rpm, compared with a conventional manifold injection type turbo engine, making powerful, easy–to–control torque available across a wide range of engine speeds. This high power and easy–to–use flat torque curve is attained by the use of a single–scroll turbocharger.

The internal cooling effect within the combustion chamber increases the fuel charge volume under initial acceleration, causing a linear increase in rotation speed of the turbocharger´s compressor blades. As a result, the turbocharger provides boost effect soon after the accelerator is pressed (at approximately 2,500 rpm) assuring excellent response at low to mid–engine speeds.

Direct injection of an atomized spray of fuel into the combustion chamber causes a very fine fuel mixture to form around the spark plug, reducing the risk of misfire. This allows the ignition timing to be retarded, making it easy to maintain the temperature of the exhaust gases – the higher temperature means that the catalytic converter heats up more rapidly after the engine is started for greater efficiency. Moreover, effective boost is made possible from low through high speeds using a single–scroll turbocharger, which is light in weight and simple in construction. The thermal capacity of the exhaust system is thereby greatly reduced, minimizing harmful emissions and allowing the MazdaSpeed3 to meet strict ULEV emission regulations.

Because the internal cooling effect within the combustion chamber improves anti–knock characteristics and boosts fuel economy without sacrificing low–end torque, the MZR 2.3–litre DISI Turbo engine can adopt a relatively high compression ratio for a turbo engine (9.5:1), contributing to improved fuel economy.

The form and materials used for the respective engine components are optimized to bear the added load and heat of the increased output. The cylinder block and cylinder head are optimally shaped to increase their strength; in addition, cross drilling between the block liners and between the valve bridges on the cylinder head improves cooling efficiency. All moving parts have been made stronger and more rigid. The crankshaft is made of steel, and the diameter of the crank pins is increased. Connecting rods are also made of steel, and the shape of the rods optimized. Full–floating pistons are used with increased–diameter pins. The shape of the radiator fan blades have also been optimized, the capacity of the electric fan motor increased and a flap function added to the fan shroud controls airflow to the radiator. These measures greatly improve the radiator´s cooling performance at all engine speeds. Additionally, the large lower grille in the front bumper serves as an air intake for the radiator.

The development team also took great pains in the tuning of the MazdaSpeed3´s engine and exhaust systems in order to optimize torque output, reflect its performance nature and enhance the Zoom–Zoom driving experience. Tuning of the exhaust system focused on sounds in the low frequency range to produce a throaty, aggressive note when accelerating from a standing start or from a low speed; tuning of the engine sound focused on the mid frequency range to produce a pleasing linear sound at higher engine speeds. The rear bumper of the MazdaSpeed3 houses a diffuser and incorporates a large–diameter tailpipe with a silver finisher for a sporty, distinctive appearance.

To increase driveability in this powerful front–wheel drive car, high–level torque management strategies were implemented to help transfer the MazdaSpeed3's considerable muscle to the ground effectively. Intake volume and boost pressure–controls suppress sudden torque peaks, assuring smooth, linear torque delivery. Additionally, the amount of torque developed from first through third gears is electronically controlled to ensure appropriate power delivery, minimizing torque–steer and wheel–spin.

The system also takes steering angles and vehicle speed into account when determining how much torque should pass through the driving wheels. Torque control is linked to the steering angle, and the stiffness of the left and right drive shafts is balanced with the angles optimized to control torque steer. The MazdaSpeed3´s standard limited–slip differential also minimizes wheel–spin on the inner wheel during hard cornering for smooth, predictable power delivery.

6 speed manual transmission:

A six–speed manual transmission gives the driver interactive control over the MazdaSpeed3's considerable power, while still contributing to a smooth ride and excellent fuel economy. This transmission uses a wide gear ratio setting to exploit the muscle of the turbocharged engine, and offers the rapid ‘snick–snick’ shifting that performance enthusiasts look for.

The MazdaSpeed3 employs the same 6–speed manual transmission introduced in the 2006 MazdaSpeed6. When designing the transmission, Mazda engineers used wide gear ratios to fully exploit the wide torque band of the direct–injection turbocharged engine. They chose low gears for strong acceleration and high overdrive gears for effortless high–speed cruising, providing the driver with full control over the vehicle's considerable power, while still contributing to a quiet ride and optimal fuel economy. In this manner, they established an ideal balance between responsive shifting for more aggressive manoeuvres, and smooth gear changes for a more refined drive. A compact three–shaft design made it possible to keep the overall length the same as for the 5–speed manual transmission used in the Mazda3.

First, second and third gears utilize triple–cone synchronizers. Combined with a double–cone synchronizer for fourth gear, these serve to ensure flawless synchronization timing, thereby minimizing shift effort and balking, maximizing shift lever feel, and establishing an ideal balance between responsive shifting and smooth gear changes. Synchronizers act like clutches to speed up or slow down a gear that is being shifted to, and are therefore very efficient at slowing the gear set to allow quick, clean shifts at high rpm. Double–cone synchronizers have two friction surfaces to effect this gear acceleration, and triple–cone synchronizers have three friction surfaces; the greater the friction surface, the easier the transmission is to shift. In addition, double–cone and triple–cone synchronizers are smaller in diameter than a single–cone synchronizer, allowing the transmission to remain more compact – a valuable weight–saving component.

In order to have the MazdaSpeed3 take full advantage of its turbocharged engine, the Mazda development team gave extensive consideration to the chassis, optimizing the stiffness of body assemblies, tweaking the suspension characteristics and brake performance to complement the vehicle's front wheel drive platform and impressive power.

Along with adding rigidity to parts of the body, the suspension and brakes were tuned to optimize performance and handling characteristics. The result is superior handling stability with consistently accurate, linear response and a sophisticated ride, regardless of road surface. The brakes demonstrate outstanding stopping power and consistency, which contributes to a more confident driving experience.

Steering

Responsive and direct steering control is an important component of the overall handling characteristics of any vehicle, and an even more crucial element in the more highly interactive driving experience sought by sports compact enthusiasts. The MazdaSpeed3's electro–hydraulic power–assisted steering (EHPAS), with electronic controlled hydraulics, provides its driver with a feeling of nimbleness and responsiveness to steering inputs, with almost nonexistent lag between steering input and the vehicle´s reaction to driver demands, as well as minimal kickback to the steering wheel from road imperfections. An electric motor, not the engine (no horsepower loss running the pump this way), is used to drive a hydraulic pump to better respond to vehicle speed and steering input for a more tailored control of steering assist.

The steering system also features engine–rpm sensing variable power assist; the level of power assistance varies according to the engine speed – power is boosted at lower speeds, and reduced at higher speeds. This has the advantage of requiring less input effort from the driver while ensuring precise, agile steering feel, making parking and manoeuvring far more comfortable than with a conventional power steering system.

Suspension

The MazdaSpeed3 shares the same underpinnings as the Mazda3 Sport, from which it is built; however, in order to support the additional horsepower and torque of the MazdaSpeed3´s engine, modifications were made to the front and rear suspension systems to have it complement the higher output. Both the MacPherson strut front suspension and multi–link rear suspension are sport–tuned, with higher coil spring rates and larger diameter stabilizer bars than the Mazda3 Sport. Dampers also have a higher damping force on the MazdaSpeed version; piston speed on both jounce and rebound is approximately six times faster at low speed and about 1.3 times faster at moderate speed. Combined with the reinforced coil springs and stabilizer bars, this produces a 60 percent improvement in roll stiffness in comparison to the Mazda3 Sport.

The MazdaSpeed3's MacPherson strut–type front suspension system employs a four–point rubber mounting system to provide linear steering, handling precision and straight–line stability. Large front dampers with 35 mm diameter pistons feature built–in rebound springs, optimized to suppress wheel bounce when cornering for stable, sporty handling and ride comfort. The multi–link rear suspension design (based on the Mazda6) gives larger–car handling characteristics and improved performance.

• Engine immobilizer anti–theft system
• Anti–theft alarm system
• Variable–intermittent rain sensing windshield wipers
• Front airbags with dual–stage activation, belt–use sensors, driver's seat position sensor and passenger seat weight sensor
• Front side impact and front and rear side curtain airbags
• Three–point safety belts for all seating positions with height adjustable front shoulder belts and front pretensioners with force limiters
• Crushable brake pedal design
• 4–wheel anti–lock brake system (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD) and brake assist
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with traction control system (TCS)
• Whiplash–reducing front headrests

In addition to its safety role, a rigid body structure is elemental to ensuring that the MazdaSpeed3 provides a dynamic driving experience, taking the same Zoom–Zoom spirit common to all Mazda vehicles to new performance heights.

In addition to an effective front crash management system, the MazdaSpeed3´s rigid unibody incorporates Triple–H construction: H–shaped structures in the roof, floor and side structures are designed to increase body rigidity, contributing to better handling, lower levels of NVH transmission (noise, vibration and harshness) and increased crash protection. MazdaSpeed3´s body structure is further optimized for safety by utilizing Mazda´s Advance Impact Distribution and Absorption System (MAIDAS), built around the Triple–H structure, which delivers a safe and stout passenger compartment that resists impact deformation and disperses impact energy in all possible crash scenarios. It uses the strength of the Triple–H structure to dissipate energy, yet still provides a solid, impermeable structure during a side impact. By finding more than one path for the energy in a crash and diverting it to the roof, floor and side structures, MAIDAS helps the MazdaSpeed3 absorb energy away from the occupants and keeps the chassis from collapsing.

In the event of a collision, engine, transmission and suspension crossmembers are designed to break away from mounting points and move rearward to maximize crushable space. In a collision severe enough to force the lower body structure into the driver footwell area, the MazdaSpeed3´s crushable pedal design deploys impact energy away from the area and prevents pedal intrusion that could cause a foot, ankle or lower leg injury. Energy absorbing ribs incorporated into the interior trim on pillars and roof side rails lower the risk of secondary impact head injuries.

In addition to its safety role, a rigid body structure is elemental to ensuring a dynamic driving experience. To complement the higher–powered engine used in the MazdaSpeed3, and to aid in channelling its formidable energy to the pavement, it was necessary to enhance the already rigid body design shared with the rest of the Mazda3 series. For the MazdaSpeed3, engineers added local reinforcements to the Mazda3 Sport's five–door body in order to create a structure rigid enough to withstand the demands of both the turbocharged engine's 263 horsepower and 280 lb–ft of torque, and the more spirited manoeuvres of enthusiast drivers.

A standard anti–lock braking system (ABS) provides additional assurance; the system works by pulsing the brakes at a high rate of speed, while individually monitoring each wheel for lock–up. At the moment that wheel lock–up occurs, a tiny amount of brake pressure is released to that wheel in order to encourage it to rotate again. This system is beneficial in that it aids in maintaining directional control during hard or panic braking, helping the driver steer out of hazardous situations with confidence, even on unpredictable road surfaces. The ABS is augmented with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD) and brake assist. EBFD works by measuring braking force versus traction and allocating brake force to wheels that have the best grip for stopping before the ABS system activates. This advanced system helps to reduce the braking distance by using the precise level of brake modulation for confident stopping and optimum occupant comfort. Brake assist senses panic or emergency braking and applies full brake pressure, even if the driver does not, for enhanced stopping ability.

The braking system works in synergy with the MazdaSpeed3´s Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with traction control system (TCS) to exhibit an outstanding level of active safety. The Dynamic Stability Control system is designed to activate when the vehicle is taking a turn too quickly for the road conditions. DSC compares the driver's intended direction (from the steering wheel angle) to the actual vehicle path. If the system senses understeer or oversteer, it applies braking force, and reduces engine torque if required, to correct the situation.

Traction control systems generally come in one of two primary systems: an ABS–based system, or an engine management system. Both systems use the ABS wheel speed sensors to determine if there is wheel spin (wheel speed greater than vehicle speed). The MazdaSpeed3 system uses engine management to reduce the amount of power output by reducing fuel, ignition timing and throttle position to reduce wheel spin. This system is superior to systems that use the ABS brakes to slow down the spinning wheel – ABS systems have a tendency to be very jarring in their operation and can overheat the brakes if used for extended periods of time. The MazdaSpeed3 TCS deals with the problem of the engine supplying too much power for road conditions right at the source; when wheel spin is detected, the TCS simply reduces the engine´s power output until the wheel spin stops.

Standard side–impact airbags deploy from the upper side of the front seats to protect the thoracic area of the driver and passenger. The side and front airbags are very similar – they both deploy rapidly, but are also very quick to deflate. Front and rear side curtain airbags are also standard in the MazdaSpeed3, deploying from the headliner area and offering enhanced head protection during side impact collisions. Once deployed, the side curtain airbags remain inflated a little longer than the front airbags in order to protect occupants in the event of a rollover, as well as from broken glass or other debris.

The MazdaSpeed3's steering column has tilt and telescopic adjustment, to optimize driver control and help keep the driver in the most effective position for airbag deployment. After airbag deployment, the steering column collapses horizontally instead of axially; in addition, impact–absorbing trim on the steering column minimizes injury to the driver´s knees.

As a further line of defence in the event of a collision, there are two industry standard safety features inherent in the MazdaSpeed3´s three–point seatbelts: pretensioners and force limiters. A pretensioner is an actual pyrotechnic device that is activated in a severe impact when the airbags are deployed. This device takes up the slack so that the belt keeps the seat´s occupant in place. On the other end of that is the force limiter, a deformable cam that lets a little slack out of the seatbelt at the end of its travel to prevent upper body injuries.

Specific actions undertaken to deliver optimal body rigidity in the MazdaSpeed3 include:

• A reinforced front cowl member is joined directly to a plate in the top section of the front shock/damper mount. This ensures rigidity similar to a car fitted with strut tower bars, preventing deformation of the front suspension towers and maintaining correct suspension geometry.
• In the lower body, a large closed section member is employed to reinforce the floor tunnel, reducing flex between the front and rear axles and improving the torsional rigidity of the entire body.
• At the rear, a gusset introduced at the bottom end of the rear suspension towers restrains the tendency of the tower to displace inwards and maintains the correct suspension geometry under all cornering loads.

Special attention was also paid to achieve aerodynamic performance that would support stable straight running, lane changing and overtaking at high speeds. A variety of flat underbody parts were employed to reduce drag from air passing underneath the MazdaSpeed3, with a resulting low drag coefficient of 0.32.

Additionally, an intelligent auto light system constantly evaluates the surrounding environment with upward as well as forward facing sensors and automatically turns the full headlight package on when it gets dim outside. The addition of a forward facing sensor allows more intelligence – for example in a tunnel – and will turn on all lights.

The MazdaSpeed3 is also equipped with an automatic rain–sensing windshield wiper system, which completely automates wiper control based on rate of rainfall, resulting in less driver distraction. This system senses the windshield's infrared reflectivity via a sensor on the window. If there is water on the windshield, the beam of light changes – reflecting less back to the receiving sensor – and letting the computer know to turn the wipers on.