Got taken for a blast

[vanilla5]

Weight is everything - ask Colin Chapman (although that could be difficult).

I remember when I stripped out the entire interior of my 93 Charade for cleaning (except for drivers seat and dash) and I took it for a drive. The difference in acceleration, braking and handling was very marked - and the interior of a Charade doesn't weigh much - but if you take even 40 - 50kgs out of an 850kg car you really notice the difference.

I'd love to see what an 1190kg GTI with a 195kg weight reduction feels like.

i've got a shovel!!!

[Wand Weaver]

I thought if you disabled the ESP - you also disabled the torque limitation in the lowest two gears in the MPS.

Obviously, it's not something you'd do on the road (whoever disables ESP for everyday road driving is a bit silly IMO), but if you were doing a trackday, you'd probably do it.

[Adam]

I got a hot lap in a Mazda MPS3 at Oran park with d|ck johnson, now im the type of driver that sticks to the limit and doesnt speed.

Sorry i cant help with the comparison of a polo gti to an mps3

hey missvuks,!! i went to oran park for the mazda drive day too! (assuming thats it). i went in the mazda rx8 previous year and this year, i let the friend in the mps3...

mps3 on the track is mad fun, that is if you don't own it.. otherwise, i can just imagine you having to change tyres every 5 laps cuz even at third gear, you get heaps of wheels spin...but from memory, first and second gear still has quite alot of go in the mps...

but yeh, as some people have said, the interior of the mps3 aint that flashy..

[GT3]

IMO the 3 MPS is a flawed design concept - first, they use an engine with power and torque output far beyond the car's drive train capabilties - then to compensate, they throw in an excessive array of technological aids to restrain it and make it drivable. The end result is a car that's a contradiction in terms, and ultimately ruined by so much technology. Maybe Mazda should have remembered the design principles they used for the brilliant little MX5 - balance and simplicity.