New Big-Boy Toy - Vroom!

[shreddermon]

New MazdaSpeed 6 GT in Velocity Red Mica. 270 turbocharged hp, all wheel drive, 6 speed stick, nice wide and flat torque curve. 0-60 in the mid-5s. Vroom, baby, vrrooom.

[Psh511]

nice...love the mazda 6...both interior and exterior

[shreddermon]

My wife said it looks like a big red penis car.

Then I reminded her that she picked the color.

[MBreinin]

I'll see your Mazda and raise you a 6 speed AWD 2.5 liter boxer with 340 HP and 345 ft. lbs. of torque....and that is just a little stage 1 reflash.

[shobet]

Do Subaru have change the suspension setup for the US cars, my friend had an WRX STi and it stuck to the road like shit on a blanket? Mind you, every bump in the road used to loosen your fillings.

[thetroy]

Good thing you have that huge wing to keep downforce on the rear end while you're on your way to the grocery store!

[MBreinin]

Good thing you have that huge wing to keep downforce on the rear end while you're on your way to the grocery store!

Damn right!

[shreddermon]

Nice Subie, dude. Those WRX's are way too small for me and my kids, though.

Oh, and I'll gladly give up a little high-strung beehive power for a torque curve that peaks at 3k RPMs and is flat as Kansas farmland from 2.5k RPMs on.

[zeegler]

Nice Mazda Shreddermon!! I'd love to have one of those. How's it handle?
We have a P5, and it's like a damn go-kart. I just wish it had a little more grunt.

[MBreinin]

Nice Subie, dude. Those WRX's are way too small for me and my kids, though.

Oh, and I'll gladly give up a little high-strung beehive power for a torque curve that peaks at 3k RPMs and is flat as Kansas farmland from 2.5k RPMs on.

Bah! That's why they are kids. Mine are lucky I didn't get a Z06 and make them ride out back like a couple of R2D2s!

The Subaru is not particularly high strung, being a boxer with 2.5 liters it has an enormous amount of low end grunt. Much less high strung than and Evo, for example. The boxer mated to a small ball bearing turbo means it is pretty much cooking at any point. But, the torque peak is a bit higher than the Mazda, although I am sure the Scoobie Doo is geared lower. I thought about the Mazdaspeed 6 and the 3, liked them both...but in the end I went with the STi because I have wanted one for years, and coming from a quick and luxurious crusier....I felt the need for a nimble, brutal little beast. Now I just have hold back the temptation to go to continue modding it.

Mike

[shreddermon]

Handling is very sweet. Some of the car mags criticized the MS6 for the suspension being too stiff, but I just don't feel that at all. I mean, maybe the early builds on the '06s they tested were like that, but my '07 is firm but not harsh at all. Maybe they changed things with the '07s, not sure. And the AWD sure makes transitions feel different, even on dry pavement - it corners like on rails. Cool stuff!

About the only thing I think that should be better is clutch feel. The earlier MS6s were notorious for harsh clutch engagement. I test drove an 06, and that one was like a freakin' on/off switch. No transition play in there at all. ...Mazda did 2 TSBs to fix the harsh feel of those earlier ones, but mine was built with the newest-spec clutch. So it feels a lot better in comparison, but I wouldn't consider it "great", either. ...A minor issue, though.

[shreddermon]

Yeah, Mike, I know what you mean about a small turbo spooling quickly. This is my first turbo car, but I don't feel any "lag" at all. Not one iota. When the turbo's spooling up at 2k-ish RPMs, and you're hitting near-peak torque as low as 2.5k, you ain't missing any low-down grunt at all. Heck, my old car - a 3L V6 - had more of a power lag down low.

[MBreinin]

Yeah, Mike, I know what you mean about a small turbo spooling quickly. This is my first turbo car, but I don't feel any "lag" at all. Not one iota. When the turbo's spooling up at 2k-ish RPMs, and you're hitting near-peak torque as low as 2.5k, you ain't missing any low-down grunt at all. Heck, my old car - a 3L V6 - had more of a power lag down low.

Yeah, small turbos are nice...but they run out of breath up top. The factory '07 tune on the STi was terrible though. People are having cows because they are like a lightswitch. Subaru did some major reworking for '07 to meet the new emissions standards and to avoid a gas guzzler tax. As a result the ECU would hold closed loop until 4k, which made things very unpleasant as it would transition from anemia to ass hauling in a violent manner. Subaru released a dealer reflash, but it sucked. I just went with the Cobb AP Stage 1 flash and it cured all of the evils...as well as adding a nice extra 40 HP and 45 ft. lbs. of torque. However, from a factory standpoint it was a major boo-boo. I love the AWD though...nothing like a car that can be launched hard in the wet!

I have a pile of turbo cars, they are fun.

Mike

[danastas]

Nice Subie, dude. Those WRX's are way too small for me and my kids, though.

Oh, and I'll gladly give up a little high-strung beehive power for a torque curve that peaks at 3k RPMs and is flat as Kansas farmland from 2.5k RPMs on.

I'm 6'3 and my WRX fits me better than my big VW wagon. Of course, you're right about the kids. Tight space in the back.

I talked to guys that race WRXs, and they swear the hatchback is a much better drive around the oval than the sedan. I don't know why.

All Subarus have very high clearances, so although these are fast as hell, handle well, I would say a Mazda RX-7/8 would have much better road hugging capabilities. The Subarus are about 1.5x higher than any other sports car.

[mattsmusiccenter]

Hey... that's not a Jackson or a Charvel. What the heck???