[Shotimes] Mazda 6 s, ME WANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ron Nottingham]

No, horsepower is not everything.  Just going on the previous 626 (I haven't
seen the new 6 yet), it had an awesome chassis, and always felt better than
the Honda Accord (the Honda had better handling, but lacked a "soul"),
Nissan Altima, Maxima, Toyota Camry, not to mention every US manufacturer's
sedans in this class.  The let down was the power (or lack thereof) from the
little 2.5L six.  If the new 6 is any better in the handling department than
the previous 626, it will be awesome, but getting left behind by sedans that
don't handle as sweet is not too fun in my book.

Talking about BMW's 225hp 3-Series...  Sure, it doesn't have the big hp #'s,
and has only 5hp more than the new 6 s, but it is rear drive, and the
handling is in another league entirely.  I enjoy driving my wife's E30 much
more than I do the SHO, even though it is down some 60hp from the SHO.  It
just has a balance that the SHO will never be able to acquire.  (I know, the
E30 also weighs some 500lbs less)

Mazda tried selling the previous 626 with a lack of hp from the other major
Japanese manufacturers, and did pretty poorly against them.  Even with
accolades from all the major car rags.  If Mazda wants to be included in the
ranks of top selling cars (like the Accord) or even sell in the numbers as
Nissan's Maxima (the previous Max outsold the previous 626 by 2-to-1).  It
doesn't matter how good a car is, as long as it has advertising clout
against it's competition.  It's the old "my schlort is bigger than your
schlort" deal.  Won't matter a hill of beans to Joe "Average" Schmoe driver
if his new 6 s can outhandle whatever when he is lined up against the
something or other at a stoplight, and he gets torqued.  Sure, he may be
having more fun on a mountain road, but deep down inside, he will feel he
has something less of a car, and not enjoy it as much.

But, if Mazda could do something about their hp deficit, and keep the "soul"
of the car, they will have a strong seller.  All Mazda needs to do is match
the outputs of the other cars.

Mazda is the only Japanese maker that has found a way to put a "soul" in
their cars...  Now, if they could just get an engine that matches that
"soul", I may just buy a new one.  The other cars I have driven (Accord,
Max, Altima, WRX, etc) just didn't have that "best friends" feeling.  I get
that from my SHO.  I even got that feeling from my departed M3 :-(  Sure,
speed isn't everything, but it does help sell cars.  Look at what happened
to the Brits when Datsun released the 240Z.  The 240Z had "soul", like the
Brits, but also had more power (plus better build quality).  Playing catchup
isn't fun in the car business.  If Mazda wants to start encroaching on #1,
they need to start playing the game like they mean it.

Ron N. - Dalton, GA
90 SHO

----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald Mallinson" <dmall@mwonline.net>
To: "George Fourchy" <krazgeo@jps.net>
Cc: <shotimes@autox.team.net>; "Noah South III" <raggtopp@comcast.net>
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2002 9:57 AM
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Mazda 6 s, ME WANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


> You know, the previous comment (echoed by several magazine
> writers) is that 220 hp no longer impresses.  I beg to
> differ.  The almost universally loved BMW still makes do
> with 225 hp on most of their vehicles.  I have driven them,
> and they are nice, but my V6 SHO's impress more on the power
> side, or at least as much.
>
> 240 hp in the Altima isn't as fast as it sounds.  Drove one,
> didn't want to trade any of my SHO's for it.
>
> A car is more than HP.  How it makes you feel counts for a
> lot more in my book.
>
> I had a 1983? Mazda 626 Five door (hatch) turbo new.  The
> car was amazing.  I think it was rated at something like 145
> hp, but it would put 200+ hp cars down on a regular basis.
> Way underrated, and a lot of fun to drive.  Too bad the
> clutch kept chattering.  Traded on a 225 hp Mustang.  Very
> fast and fun.
>
> 220hp in the SHO?  Still impressive, and VERY few cars today
> are its equal, almost 16 years after it went on sale!  Still
> today only a tiny handful of motors have the dual intake path.
>
> Take the original V6 SHO motor and put variable valve timing
> on it.....hmmmmmmm  Ford are you still in the car business?
>   Despite their recent campaign to promote the "new" taurus,
> they don't have a decent sport sedan.
>
> I say they go back to Yamaha, make a VVT SHO with the SAME
> intake, none of this plastic cover crap.  Put it in a RWD
> version of the Taurus and look out.  Gosh, they might get a
> good reputation and sell cars.
>
> I guess that is asking too much.  Guess I will just have to
> wait for the new GTO from GM of Australia.  Damn, Ford, what
> are you doing!
>
> Don Mallinson
>
> George Fourchy wrote:
>
> > On Sun, 01 Dec 2002 21:27:24 -0500, Noah South III wrote:
> >
> >
> >>If there was ever a SHO replacement, this is it.  It's even got an 18gal
tank.
> >>
> >
> > Eva says she wants to find me a nice car for when all the SHOs die....!!
> >
> > I picked this one too, from just one picture on a magazine cover.  Looks
good so
> > far.
> >
> > George
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