In the November issue of Road & Track, there is an article titled 10 Hot Cars for under $25,000. The list the following cars:

Acura RSX type S
Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Dodge Neon R/T
Ford Mustang GT
Mazda MP3
Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
Nissan Altima 3.5 SE
Subaru Impreza WRX
Toyota Celica GTS
Volkswagen GTI GLX

The MP3 was last in 0 to 60 and 1/4 mile times. It was first in the slalom, and the fastest around Buttonwillow Raceway Park. They loved the car, especially the styling and handling, but want more power. Oh, and it was the second least expensive car in the group by $485.

 

Personally, I like the WRX more. But I imagine that you car do the same to a Protege5(the one I really want) and kick some butt.

But the MP3 is a killer platform. All it needs its more HP to be a really stuning car (just like the SER Vspec)

 

That's similar to what the article was saying. With the $6000 you save buying an MP3, you can afford quite a few parts to make up the power difference. I like the WRX also, even though it doesn't look as good as the MP3.

 

What about the soon to be here Lancer EVO VII?

 

Me too, my last car was a Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Limited. I loved the all wheel drive, but my wife convinced my to get an automatic with leather interior. Never again.

 

Except they weren't all that supportive, and leather gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I put seat warmers in my other car which helps some, but they're still cold in the winter.

 

Just wait until someone puts a turbo in the MP3 and then we will see if you still want a suby. :P I looked at them last night, parked my MP3 right beside of one and got out. Same color blue almost, I actually liked the styling of the MP3 better. So when the MP3 gets a turbo it will be the car to have if you ask me. Sure the suby still has the AWD thing but so what. :P Maybe that can be taken care of as well.

 

I like the looks of the MP3 better also, but the WRX will still have an advantage in performance even with the MP3 getting a turbo. But the MP3 also won't be in the same price range as the WRX.

 

A WRX will beat any mp3, weather it has turbo or not. Origonally i was a WRX fan and did a lot of research(i still am). I love my P5, but you cant deny that a WRX will eat a mazda for breakfast.

WRX is 0-60 in 5.7, 227 hp, AWD, horizontally opposed engine, 2L, turbo charged bad boy. That car after hitting about 3000RPM's will whip your head back and take off. WRX's have so much potential and the amount of performance that a stock WRX has is amazing. An MP3 and WRX are in no way comparable due to price and performance. MP3's and MP5's have a whole econo thing in mind where a WRX is looking for power and performance. Now dont think im a mazda hater cuz im not, im just saying, dont compare the 2 cars. MP3's and MP5's are awesome cars but arent in the same class as a WRX. Peace..

 

They are not in the same class in stock form. But if you take the money that you save buying the MP3 WITH better looks(My Opinion) and put those savings toward an FS-ZE engine swap and maybe turbo or some very clever tuning, I think that an MP3 could get damn close to the WRX. :P But it has yet to be seen and until someone goes crazy with a Protege like they have been doing with the Civic platform we will not know. I love my car and when I save some money I will start with the mods. This also brings up an idea of mine. How many people would buy parts from a T.V. show like QVC? Wouldn't this be awsome? Think about it...Buy your new turbo system and put it on FLEXPAY!!!!! Blue How many MORE people would be buying parts than are now? Your Thoughts?

 

Actually the FS engines are newer than the BP engines. You are correct though, there are more parts for the BP because there were several factory turbocharged versions.

 

The FE motor is largely unrelated to the FS motor. The bore spacing and deck height are different. Almost no parts will interchange between the engines. The FS engine shares the same bore spacing and deck height as the BP engine actually.

 

wth would you need slicks for on a car running in the 13's? A soft rubber compound tire at the most.. but slicks? How much freak'n torque did that car have I wonder...

 

A little late to add to the thread, but I figured I'd add it for accuracies sake.

The Road & Track article stated that the MP3 was faster "through the corners" at BRP than any of the other cars. As much as I like the MP3, that doesn't mean that it turned the fastest lap times. There are quite a few fast straights on the East Loop where they tested (and where I autocrossed two weekends ago).

While you can make up a lot of time in the corners, I kinda doubt that the MP3 could make up the HP difference on a road course. The typical lap would involve 3 shifts from 2nd to 3rd and back, with a lot of time spent on the gas in 3rd gear. Some of the cars might need even need 4th. 3mph faster through the corners isn't offset by 20 mph slower down the straights.