In this day and age, power comes at a premium. From pricey electric bills and rolling blackouts to rising oil prices and $3-a-gallon gasoline, power and the means by which we obtain it have become especially costly. For the typical American buyer who’s out to purchase a new car, the average transaction price now hovers around $29,000. Finance that debt over five years at a reasonable 6.0-percent interest rate, and you’re looking at roughly $560 per month. Ouch. So if you want some muscle under the hood but don’t want to empty the bank account, what can you do?
Happy to say there are some rides out there that offer maximum muscle for minimal moola. These mini-musclecars deliver levels of power and performance that belie their pennywise price tags. In this frugal and fast field, no two vehicles deliver more bang for the buck than the veteran Subaru WRX and the newcomer Mazdaspeed3. The rally-bred all-wheel-drive WRX received significant upgrades for 2006-notably a 230-horsepower turbocharged flat-four-while the all-new front-drive Mazdaspeed3 has entered the arena with a force-fed inline-four whose direct injectors help kick out 263 horses. Best of all, they both start for under $25,000. To find out which one is best at terrorizing the tarmac, we subjected both vehicles to the hilly roads and commuter highways in and around Los Angeles as well as a full day at the test track, the latter including myriad laps on a demanding autocross. Which electrifying econobox delivers the strongest current for the least currency? Plug in and find out.
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AC/DC It’s hard to believe the Subaru WRX made its U.S. debut five years ago. In car years, that period represents almost a full generation-in the Subie’s case, one that includes two face-lifts, a couple nose jobs, and a heart transplant. The WRX’s new-for-2006 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four utilizes an 8.4:1 compression ratio and 13.5 psi of maximum boost to pump out 230 horses at 5600 rpm and 235 pound-feet of torque at 3600, useful upgrades compared with last year’s peaky 2.0-liter, which put out 227 horses at 6000 and 217 pound-feet at 4000. To cope with that extra oomph, Subaru reworked the WRX’s chassis, fitting it with additional aluminum suspension bits, a quicker 15.0:1 steering ratio, bigger 17-inch wheels with 215/45 Bridgestones, and a more robust brake system with four-piston front and two-piston rear calipers, the rears squeezing larger 11.3-inch discs that are now vented.
For this shootout, we opted for the entry-level TR, which, at $24,620, stickers for $1000 less than the standard WRX. Fresh for 2006, the TR replaces many of the standard WRX’s plusher accoutrements with those more Spartan items, such as black side mirrors, manual climate controls, and plastic inner door handles. This is not to say that the TR is a penalty box, as it still comes with A/C, an 80-watt CD stereo, keyless entry, and power mirrors/windows/door locks. Our tester sported the $579 Premium Sound Package 1 that adds spiffier speakers and a subwoofer, bringing the bottomline up to $25,199.
While 25 large gets you into the base WRX, at the Mazda showroom, it puts you behind the leather-wrapped steering wheel of a nearly loaded Mazdaspeed3. Starting at $22,835, the Mazdaspeed3 Sport comes replete with just about everything you could ask for in a car, including automatic climate control, heated seats, and six airbags. For those who want more in their ultrazoom 3, there’s the $24,550 Grand Touring trim, like our tester, which sweetens the pot with auto on/off Xenon headlamps, LED taillamps, a Bose stereo with six-CD changer, partial leather seats, a security system, and rain-sensing wipers. Our True Red example, brilliant enough to out-red a fire engine, also had the $1750 DVD-based navigation system, an option that raised the tally to $26,300.
Under the hood of the ‘Speed3 resides a 2.3-liter direct-injection turbocharged inline-four that, with help from a high 9.5:1 compression ratio and 15.6 psi of maximum boost, cranks out 263 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque at only 3000 rpm. The sole tranny is a slick-shifting six-speed manual that routes the 2.3’s prodigious ponies and pound-feet via a cone-type limited-slip differential and an ingenious torque-management system that minimizes torque steer by varying the bleeding of the wastegate, the sensitivity of the electronic throttle, and the power delivery when turning. Compared with a standard 3, the ‘Speed3 rides on a firmer suspension with 60 percent more roll stiffness and 18-inch alloys shod with summer Bridgestones. The brakes, too, are improved, utilizing larger front rotors and more aggressive pads.
Live Wires Down 33 horsepower and 45 pound-feet of torque to the Mazdaspeed, the 3140-pound WRX TR still managed to smoke its more powerful and equally heavy rival from 0 to 60 mph, posting a sports-car time of 5.6 seconds, nearly a half second quicker than the ‘Speed3’s 6.0. Equipped with an all-wheel-drive system that uses a viscous-coupling locking center differential to distribute power 50:50, the WRX was simply able to put down a superior launch, the result of all four wheels responding to a violent 5000-rpm clutch drop. Launching the Mazda, on the other hand, required a low-rpm drop of around 1000 rpm and, because the torque-management system cuts torque under full throttle in first and second gears, short-shifting at 6000 to achieve the best time. With the torque-management system off-duty in the upper gears, the Mazdaspeed was able to put down full power past 60 mph, catching up to the Subie at the quarter mile with a time of 14.3 at 99.4 mph. Once the ‘Speed3 gets going, look out-Mazda claims the hot hatch can hit 155 mph, although we weren’t able to verify this. While a smidge quicker at 14.2 at 97.4 mph in the quarter, the WRX just can’t keep up as speeds reach triple digits, falling 0.5 second behind the Mazda at 100 mph.
The WRX also trailed the Mazdaspeed in every handling test we conducted, evidence that the Subie’s softer suspenders, while providing a more supple on-road ride, were too spongy to match the taut dampers and springs on the 3, which still delivered a ride pleasant enough for everyday commuting. Through the slalom, the WRX posted a speed of 63.4 mph, well behind the Mazda’s 68.6, a pace that betters that of the BMW 330i, Infiniti G35, and Jaguar XK. Around our figure-eight course, a telling test of handling and braking, the WRX clocked a time of 27.1 sec at 0.64 g average, again no match for the 3’s 26.6-second at 0.69g average. Circumnavigating the skidpad, the Mazda held on for 0.86 g of lateral grip-better than that of a Lexus IS 350-once more outgunning the Subie’s stickiness of 0.80 g. And although the WRX wears snazzy red-painted calipers that use three times the number of pistons, it was the Mazdaspeed that offered superior brake feel and performance, halting from 60 to 0 mph in 111 feet-only a foot on top that of a Z06-a substantial 12 feet shorter than the Subaru. In defense of the WRX, grippier summer rubber, rather than the mud-and-snow tires it wore, would make a perceptible difference in these tests, as would a stiffer suspension.
The real beauty of the Mazdaspeed is that it shines just as brilliantly on the road as it does at the track. From steering feel and gearbox precision to body rigidity and cabin comfort, the ‘Speed3 is a notch above the WRX, which comes across dated and a bit cheap in comparison. Close a door on the Subie, and the trim pieces shudder against one another, a far cry from the Mazda’s, which shut with a quiet solidity. Throw in features unavailable in the Subaru-a thumping Bose stereo, a nav system, Xenon headlamps, and curtain airbags, to name a few-and the Mazda quickly proves it’s the most dazzling of the two. Better yet, for relatively similar money-less if you don’t need directions or ear-piercing audio-the Mazdaspeed3 delivers that dazzle at a relative bargain. It’s the most electric of this duo. Plug it in and play!
1st Place: Mazdaspeed3 Grand TouringAccomplished chassis, luxury-car elements, and a refined, gutsy powertrain make this Mazdaspeed the best ever and best here.
2nd Place: Subaru Impreza WRX TRBrisk acceleration, all-wheel-drive traction, and a chassis capable of more can’t compensate for a lack of refinement and fewer grins at the wheel.
Neil G. Chirico
These amped-up compacts are priced for entry-level (read: younger) performance-minded buyers. Autocrossing is a challenging and cost-effective way for them to play with their new toys in a safe yet competitive environment.
We put them through a Sports Car Club of America-style autocross course with AMCI professional test drivers Gary Thomason and George Doganis at the wheels. Both compete in SCCA solo contests, and each is a multi-National Champion and esteemed winner of the “Driver of Eminence” award. These guys know what it takes to evaluate a car for its competitiveness-and drive it to win.
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No matter who was at the wheel, the Mazdaspeed3 was faster than the Subaru, devouring the course about a second to a second and a half quicker on our one-minute, 20-second course. Grippy tires, quick, accurate turn-in, and predictable, confidence-inspiring suspension tuning make the Mazda fast right out of the box.
Nevertheless, both drivers saw the Subaru as the better choice for autocross competition. The WRX has a smooth, linear torque curve (as opposed to the Mazda’s peakier power delivery) that benefits it during low-speed corner exits. The Subaru’s all-wheel drive is also a plus. Our test cars’ stock mud-and-snow-rated tires diminished its lap times, as it oversteered in some corners while understeering through others, with too much body roll.
Many of the WRXs in SCCA’s Solo 2 competition run in “Street Touring,” which is broken into four separate classes (the Mazdaspeed3 has yet to be classified) to cover many different vehicles and levels of modifications. Since most WRX buyers tune their rides, ST has become one of the SCCA’s fastest-growing categories. George and Gary agreed that, with a stickier tire than on this tester and other modifications allowed by the rules, the WRX is their choice among this pair.
Europe leads the mini-muscle chargeBy Angus MacKenzie
Mini-muscle is a way of life on the other side of the Atlantic. It’s not just the eight-buck-a-gallon gas; when you live in places with streets originally designed for pedestrians and the occasional horse and cart, the last thing you need is a big car. And despite those gas prices, small is getting faster all the time: In the past five years no fewer than eight small cars-and we’re talking Toyota Corolla-size or smaller here-have been launched with engines boasting more horsepower than an early 1980s Corvette. These days, you’re just not a player in Europe unless your hottest hatch packs at least 220 horse and can run 150 mph on the autobahn.
VW’s 250-horse R32 is headed our way (MT, August 2006). But why should those Europeans have all the fun? Here are five more mini-musclecars we’d like to see.
Audi S3What’s under the hood? A 265-horse turbocharged version of Audi’s FSI 2.0-liter four that drives all four wheels through a close-ratio six-speed manual.
Fast? Audi claims it’ll hit 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, and it’s limited to 155 mph.
Why we want it: It’s classier than a Golf, and with a lighter four under the hood instead of the R32’s V-6, it should handle better, too.
Could they sell it here? Sure. But VW Group is worried about hurting R32 sales, so a U.S. launch is not likely in the short term.
Ford Focus STWhat’s under the hood? Volvo’s 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo, pumping out 221 horses and driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual.
Fast? Autocar reports 0-to-60 mph in 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 146 mph.
Why we want it: Sublime chassis, wonderful steering, and torquey engine.
Could they sell it here? The second-generation Focus has not been certified for the U.S. And the ST would probably cost almost as much as Mustang GT.
Opel Astra OPCWhat’s under the hood? GM’s 2.0-liter turbo four, which gives 236 horses. It drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual.
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Fast? 0-to-60 mph takes 6.4 seconds according to Autocar; top speed is 143 mph.
Why we want it: It’s cooler, edgier, classier-looking than the Cobalt SS; the sort of small car GM needs here right now.
Could they sell it here? They might. The next Saturn ION is rumored to be based on the next-generation Astra. The ultimate Ion Redline, anyone?
Opel Zafira OPCWhat’s under the hood? Exactly the same engine/transmission combo as the Astra OPC. This is a mini-minivan for dads who love to drive.
Fast? 0-to-60 mph zips by in 7.2 seconds; top speed is 144 mph.
Why we want it: Are you kidding? Who wouldn’t want a genuine seven-seater that blows the doors off a V-6 Mustang?
Could they sell it here? Probably not this version. No reason the next-generation Zafira OPC couldn’t be redone as a Saturn.
Renault Megane Renault-Sport CupWhat’s under the hood? Renault’s 225-horse turbo four, which drives the front wheels through a close-ratio six-speed manual.
Fast? 0-to-60 mph takes 6.1 seconds; top speed is 142 mph.
Why we want it: Not the best chassis of the bunch, but the avant-garde styling is way cool, and you get Alonso-style F1 cred into the bargain.
Could they sell it here? No. Not until Carlos Ghosn decides to relaunch the Renault brand in the U.S.
Three hot mini-musclecars heading our way
BMW 135i: Stuff Munich’s new 300-horse twin-turbo six into a baby BMW, and you’re bound to get a great driver’s car in the spirit of the old 2002Tii. It’s rumored for 2008.
Dodge Caliber SRT4: Detroit’s first modern mini-musclecar arrives early next year, with 300 horsepower under the hood and a claimed 0-to-60-mph time comfortably under 6.0 seconds.
Volvo C30: (At right.) Initial U.S. version will have 218 horses, but rumors are already swirling of a storming 256-horse version of the 2.5-liter turbo five used in the Focus ST. Let’s hope it shares the same chassis tune, too. Due 2007.
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This post was last modified on November 22, 2024 4:33 am