Aight, I heard from my Mazda Dealer, that a new MP3 type of special edition Protege will be released in 2003.

Its NOT going to have a MP3 player, so I don't know if that is what the name will be, but there will only be 150 of them released in Canada (unknown about the States). Its going to come in a supposdly, "nice orange" color to what I've been told.

So whats so good about it, other than being Orange, and 150 of them?

Well the 2.0L is still the same, but Mazda has done what we want.

They added a Turbo. Yeah baby, you heard me. Turbo Protege! Man on a 2.0l that should bring it close to around 190hp. I'm hoping thats the case... cuz I'll be the first on the list for one of these baby!!

 

Haven't heard of this yet...sounds great! Keep the MP3 player though...

 

it would be nice if we could order the Turbo separatly for those of us with the ES/MP3/P5's

 

Yeah, i'm guessing they'll have more to order seperately after they release these babies... but I wouldn't mind one... thinking of orange I think of the Ballistic Protege...

 

Keeping fingers crossed, Mazda6 is just awsome.
Let's see what P5 will look like?

 

I work at a Mazda dealership in MISSOULA MONTANA and own a MAZDA MP3 bought it as soon as it came off the truck. Anyhoo the new version is supposed to be called the SPEED 3 as is MAZDASPEED 3. Our Sales managers went to the Mazda intro and saw the car it is orange and resembeling the MP3. There is also rummor of a speed 6 that is supposed to be a turbo 2.3 liter possicly with all-wheel drive !!!!! OOOOHHH YEAH!!!!
Oh yeah and I forgot the SPEED 3 IS supposed to be a turbo and rated at about 170hp. I think that is a little under rated...

 

Is is going to come in automatic ? Or staying Manual ?

 

NOW WAIT A MINUTE!!! you mean that dealers will blow smoke up your "you know what"???? wow...what a surprise!

but on the bright side....IF the mazda community show enough interest....if enough letters get written....enough feed back to the right people/places....you CAN get what you ask for! it just has to show as a bottom line profit for the big guys....thats all.

 

Yes that is what I was told. They said they saw The actual car at the Mazda Dealers introduction. The one new car manager we have is a total new MAZDA PRODUCTS JUNKIE. He also told me that the P5 amd the Protege are going to come with the new tiptronic Auto stick. And that the P5 may come with leather as a option very soon...

 

All dealers don't do this? I know my Dodge one does ;-)

 

Hey what's up in missoula. I just moved from there a year ago. Does Matt{sloth} still work in the service department? If so tell him that Ry said "whaz up"! I miss that place huge! Enjoy the mountians for me{long walks up Blue Mountian, play a little folf and you know the rest.}and drink a MOOSE DROOL, YEAH

 

Hay it's always good to hear from someone else who lived or lives in MISSOULA. GREAT town. How do you like your P5. My buddy that works with me has one and he loves his. What do you think of the AEM shorty intake. My buddy would KILL for a yellow one.I love my MP3 though it's a ton of fun. My buddy and me and two other guys are going to HOT IMPORT NIGHTS in SEATTLE. So a P5 an MP3 and two WRXs are going. It's going to RULE!!!

 

when's HIN in Seattle?

 

so the new protege5 will have different body style with our p5???

 

Yes, built on a completely new platform co-developed by Ford & Mazda. This new "Focus platform" will carry the next Focus, Protege, Volvo 40-series, plus probably a few others. Sounds like the base engine will be the 2.3L 4-cyl. that will first show up in the Mazda 6.

This is the last year of the true, all-Japanese Protege.