2010 MazdaSpeed3

2010 MazdaSpeed3

Episode 2911
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

A few years back, Mazda nominated their capable Mazda3 Hatchback for the factory tuner game. They badged this sporty compact the MazdaSpeed3. The result was a killer combo of practical presence and unyielding performance. It was a true street racer at an affordable price. Well, now it’s take two for the MazdaSpeed3, as we wonder… what more can this little hot hatchback deliver?

The impression is immediate. Mazda’s 5-door 2010 MazdaSpeed3’s cartoonish presence makes the outgoing model look almost tame by comparison. And it’s the grill, with its leering mouthful of black plastic gills surrounded by swept-back cat-eye lighting that gets your attention and keeps it.

The most purposeful new front feature is a functional hood scoop that blasts the Speed3’s intercooler with fresh air. Rear styling is also more aggressive for 2010, with narrow, protruding taillights, more angular rear hatch, larger spoiler, and oversized dual exhaust tips. The RX-8 R3-inspired 18-inch alloy wheels are now shod with wider high-performance Dunlop tires.

But powering this front-drive, grocery-getting outlaw is the same direct injected, 263-horsepower 2.3-liter turbo four as before. Likewise, torque remains at an ample 280 pound-feet, all channeled through the Speed3’s only transmission, a very appropriate six-speed manual.

Gearing in second through fifth gears is taller for 2010, while a limited slip diff remains standard. Hard launches in the Speed3 still proved tricky, however. Too much throttle and the front wheels shudder; too little and it all bogs down. But making pavement connection has improved over our 2007 test, with the new tires, revised driveshafts and updated torque management electronics reducing torque steer in a big way.

In fact, our 0 to 60 time of 5.2 seconds is over a second quicker, with a similar improvement for the quarter mile at 13.9-seconds and 102 miles per hour. Short stops were never a problem with the Speed3: 60 to 0 in a fine average of 123 feet with a solid, vibration-free pedal. Plus, for 2010 Brake Assist has been added.

Through our long slalom, the MazdaSpeed3 again exhibited a more manageable amount of torque steer with less tendency to push at each apex. You still need to squeeze rather than stab the throttle for best control; but manage the gas well, and this little hatch rewards you with pure exhilaration.

We did notice that during the high speed lane change, the electro-hydraulic steering seemed to lose boost, going from light to very heavy in an instant. The previous generation Speed3 had a stiff ride, especially on rough roads. The new Speed’s strengthened body structure and suspension tweaks; stiffer springs, higher damper rates, and revised front stabilizer bar still leave most of the shock absorption to the comfy, high-bolstered seats.

They’re mostly black cloth, but the headrests and bolsters are trimmed in black leather and there are red highlights everywhere around the cabin.

The dash has a new-found flow, drawing the eye down the center stack to the brightwork around the shifter. The switchgear layout has been revised, and the digital display has moved to a shroud under the windshield.

Door sills, floor mats, and aluminum pedals are all unique to the MazdaSpeed3. A new LED turbo boost gauge between the tach and speedo is standard, as is Bluetooth and six airbags.

With our car’s Tech package, there’s also a 10-speaker Bose sound system, full-color navigation, and push-button start.

The back bench offers a reasonable amount of room for two adults, but not for three. But it’s impressively versatile. With the 60/40 seats up, there’s 17 cubic feet reserved for cargo. Folded flat, that figure swells to a useful 42.8 cubic feet.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the 2010 MazdaSpeed3 are 18 city/25 highway. On our mileage loop, we bettered both, managing 26.1 miles per gallon of premium. With an Energy Impact Score of 16.3 annual barrels of oil, and a Carbon Footprint of 8.7 tons of CO2, the MazdaSpeed3 falls right in line with the Subaru WRX.

As ever, the 2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3 is priced to move, with a base of just $23,945. The Tech package adds $1,895 more. Mazda’s frisky MazdaSpeed3 continues as one of our all time favorites.  For 2010, in some ways - more refined, in others - more ferocious, but always entertaining. And, we might add, for a factory tuned hot hatchback, extremely affordable and even practical. Buy one and you’ll be grinning like a Cheshire cat, too!

Specifications

  • Engine: 2.3-Liter Turbo Four
  • Horsepower: 263
  • Torque: 280 Lb Feet
  • 0-60 MPH: 5.2 Seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 13.9 Seconds @ 102 MPH
  • 60-0 MPH: 123 Feet
  • EPA: 18 MPG City/ 25 MPG Highway
  • Mixed Loop: 26.1 MPG
  • Energy Impact: 16.3 Barrels Oil/Yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 8.7 Tons/Yr
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance 1

2024 Audi RS 7 Performance

Up For Grand Touring Around A Racetrack

Episode 4329
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

In recent years, Audi has done an increasingly better job at merging luxury, high tech and sportiness equally into all of their vehicles, but that doesn’t mean they all have the same priorities. So, if you’re wondering what this car is all about… well, it’s right there in the name, the Audi RS 7 Performance!

First and foremost, the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance is absolutely fantastic looking. A gorgeous car from all angles. But this posh performer is a lot more than just a visual treat. Under its silky skin lies a menacing sounding V8 that delivers insane amounts of power and, as we discovered, a gloriously intoxicating driving experience.

RS elements added to Audi’s S7 five-door coupe include new aero treatments with a matte gray finish and silver 21-inch Audi Sport wheels. Those silver wheels are wrapped with 275 Continental summer performance tires and allow for seeing plenty of the enormous brake rotors with black-painted calipers. Up front, there’s a wide grille inhaling all kinds of air and headlights with uniqueness that’s pure Audi. This five-door coupe with frameless door windows speaks a true hardtop design.

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Now that we’ve gotten that out of our system, time to hit the corners of Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway, and it’s been quite some time since we’ve had anything here or on any road course that exhibited this much body roll. It didn’t matter what drive mode we had dialed in, it just liked to roll. You could sense that soft suspension in our acceleration runs too. Bystanders got a clear view of a lot of its hardware, thanks to major rear-end squatting as it exploded off the line. Those explosions resulted in a quick 3.7-second trip to 60 miles-per-hour and full quarter-mile runs of 11.9 seconds at 118 miles-per-hour. Fast indeed, though we’re sure both times would improve in warmer temps than our 40-degree test day.

Drive modes have been recalibrated and shifts by the eight-speed Tiptronic in Dynamic Mode are quick. Indeed, noticeably quicker and firmer than in the RS6 wagon we tested just a few months ago without the “performance” treatment. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard.

We’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners.

The driving force for that acceleration is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 cranking out an additional 30 horsepower from the standard RS 7 thanks to installing bigger turbos. That makes for a 621-horsepower rating, with an even more impressive boost in torque from 590 to 627 lb-ft. And Audi was kind enough to remove a little sound deadening material so we can appreciate it even more through the optional RS sport exhaust system.

For what is really a Grand Tourer built for blasting you away on luxurious adventures, the RS 7 performance is amazingly track capable. Steering is very direct with great feel, and all four wheels are engaged in the process. They’re connected to a new mechanical self-locking center differential that is not only capable of handling the additional power but is lighter and quicker to respond. Chassis software has been recalibrated to make it all work together seamlessly. There must be some serious engineering wizardry happening in the RS-tuned air suspension as we’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners. Brakes were truly phenomenal too; there was some significant nosedive happening, but no wandering or fading no matter how hard we worked them.

And yes, it’s hard to call this actual work, considering this work environment is far from hostile. Absolutely nothing has been compromised when it comes to delivering the luxury car experience you expect from a six-figure Audi. Whether it’s the fabulous real metal, leather, and detailed woven carbon-fiber materials or the fine stitch-work and the always impressive comprehensive digital gauge display, the RS 7 performance feels truly special inside.

2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Dash
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Shifter
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Seat
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Trunk
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Engine
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Dash2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Shifter2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Seat2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Trunk2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Engine

The front seats were supremely comfortable and were only mildly bolstered yet held us in place just fine out on the track. Plenty of room for rear seat passengers too, and there’s even a great 24.6 cubic-feet of cargo space with hatchback versatility. Less practical is all touchscreen all the time for just about every cockpit control.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 14 City, 22 Highway, and 17 Combined. That’s a below average Energy Impact Score of 17.5 barrels of yearly oil use with 8.8 tons of CO2 emissions.

Pricing starts at $129,490, and Audi knows they have a good thing going with the RS 7 performance; so much so, it’s now the only RS 7.

So, could they have just made the RS 7 better instead of tacking “performance” onto the name? Sure, but there’s just something about adding performance to a car name that draws people in. And when it backs it up by delivering more actual performance, well, that’s what we call a win-win. We’d be happy to run some victory laps in the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance anytime.

Specifications

  • Engine: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8
  • Horsepower: 621
  • 0-60 mph: 3.7 seconds
  • EPA: 14 City | 22 Highway | 17 Combined
  • Transmission: 8-speed automatic
  • Torque: 627 lb-ft.
  • 1/4 Mile: 11.9 seconds at 118 mph
  • Starting Price: $129,490