[ad_1]
With the launch of the Mazda CX-60, many thought the brand was preparing for a full attack in the premium segment with an upcoming rear-wheel drive model and a large performance division. The launch of the Mazda6 RWD sedan was officially ruled out earlier this month and it seems the chances of seeing a resurrected Mazdaspeed family are also slim.
A Mazda spokesperson for Australia recently spoke to the local edition of Which car and there are almost certainly no plans to reinstate the MPS badge. The Japanese manufacturer believes the current and future models are so good and dynamic that there is basically no room for a big performance division. Plus, the projected sales volume is very limited and won’t create a viable business case.
62 Photo
“It would be nice, but the volume would realistically be very small for that,” Alastair Doak, Mazda Australia’s marketing manager, told the online publication. “We have the GT and SP GT specs – we think our car can be driven and handled pretty well, and I think we support ourselves with the look of such a vehicle.”
Rumors have been circulating on the internet for years about the potential of the Mazda3 MPS. It’s rumored to receive a more powerful turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive, although there’s nothing to say if this materializes. The announcement of a new RWD platform from the company Zoom-Zoom fueled speculation again, but in 2020, Mazda says it has no plans to bring back MPS as it moves into the premium space.
The first MPS model was launched in 2007 in the form of the Mazdaspeed3 with a 2.3-liter turbocharged engine, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. That engine produces 255 horsepower (190 kilowatts), sent to the front wheels. The car was notorious for its lack of traction but is still considered one of the most hardcore hot hatches of the early 2000s.
[ad_2]
Source link
