Mazda3 MPS 2016: rumors and more rumors

The most sporty version of the Mazda3 is taking its time, or at least the engineers at the Japanese firm don’t agree on the sea of doubts that the development of such a special vehicle entails. The previous generation MPS featured a 265 hp engine, and this set the bar very high for a possible successor, so what have they come up with for the Mazda3 MPS 2016?

Well, although it may seem crazy, Yosuhiro Aoyama, director of sales and marketing at Mazda, commented in an interview that the company needed more powerful turbocharged petrol engines and that this would form an important part of its future progress. However, he pointed out that Mazda already had a high-performance diesel engine, so they were considering whether to fit it in the new Mazda3 MPS.

Diesel? Competition in the C segment is betting on turbocharged petrol engines, with power outputs ranging from 250 to 400 hp. Mazda’s course towards making a correct decision seemed mistaken, and they finally realised that opting for a diesel powerplant in a high-performance compact would be a mistake.

This was happening in the summer of 2014, when new details began to emerge about the engine and performance of the new Mazda3 MPS. As expected, it would be based on the third generation hatchback, including a more aggressive body kit, larger wheels and high-performance tyres (nothing unexpected for a car of these characteristics).

As for the engine, a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder block that would reach 300 hp. Although one might expect a bit more power considering the displacement, 300 hp lives up to its segment and the average power that this represents. From another perspective, the Audi RS3 Sportback delivers 367 hp from a 2.5-litre TFSI engine, while in Stuttgart they have pulled out all the stops and scored a point by extracting 380 hp from the 2.0-litre engine of the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG. And for madness, look at the Volkswagen Golf R400.

And when would its final appearance be? In this case, everything remains rumors. Australian media suggest that the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, held in September, could be the event chosen by Mazda for its presentation, and that its arrival at dealerships would be delayed until the second half of 2016, reaching the market as a 2017 model. In any case, the wait would be long from its presentation as a pre-production model until its sale as a finished product.

In addition, other rumors such as a possible all-wheel drive system are starting to emerge, and this could be a new leap within the segment, aiming at the biggest ones, which left front-wheel drive for the less powerful versions and fitted all-wheel drive to improve performance and control, which is logical considering the power figures these compact sports cars operate at.

Source: CarBuzz, WorldCarFans