08-13-2006, 07:16 PM
Ok, so I just got back from Zoom-Zoom Live, so if anyone cares, here's my impressions:
#1: It was alot of freakin' fun. Say what you want about previous events, but it says alot about Mazda that they'll basically let you beat the piss out of their cars all afternoon.
#2: The Mazdaspeed 6 isn't nearly as cool as you think it is. Ok, maybe I should justify this. it's really cool on paper. Six speed, 270ish hp, direct injection, lots of cool technology. But the one I drove had a heatsoaked intercooler, hothot tires, and a tired clutch. My first run I took easy because I didn't want to look like a jackass, that put me 12 seconds off FTD. The second run was later in the afternoon, I pushed alot harder, the car understeers pretty bad at the limit of the tires, and the one-two shift was completely botched coming off the front "straight". (Basically, I made the shift, but the car didn't like it, so I had to start over.) That put me 4.4 seconds behind FTD, and 2 seconds behind the "goal" time.
#3: The "time match gymkhana" was interesting, and I tore some shit up, putting myself within a half second off the "match" time, and making a Mazda 3 wagon oversteer while I did it. There wasn't a whole lot of pressure, it was just turn the radio up, put the shifter into "d" and hit the gas.
#4: Speaking of putting the transmission in "D", the so-called "manumatics" or "triptronics" have always been a pet peeve of mine. First off, there's that pesky torque converter. But secondly, manumatics won't hold a redline. As you approach redline while accelerating, they'll shift for you, whether you want it or not. This sucks pretty hard when coming up on a corner, because you're just going to have to shift again, and it upsets the car. Well, while driving a CX-7, I had the shifter in "sport" triptronic mode, figuring it would just shift for me, and I'll just keep my foot on the go-pedal. Well imagine my surprise when I hear the rev-limiter. I just sit there, stunned for a second, before I slap the shifter and shift gears. Now, I still hate manumatics, but a six speed automatic with a 2.3 liter direct injection turbo and an honest-to-god-hold-it-to-redline manual shift program has gone a long way to changing that opinion.
Finally, #5: The RX-8.
I've never really liked the RX-8. On paper, I really felt like they were an inferior replacement for the FD. Combine that with crappy torque and terrible fuel economy, and I just didn't really think I'd like it. That didn't stop me, of course, from hopping in one and beating the living shit out of it. And you know what, my mind is changed. I really, really, really, really liked it. Forget the MS6, RX-8 all the way. Rev it up at the start, drop the clutch, about halfway through the front "straight", kick it into second, jam the throttle and watch the car twitch sideways. Lay on that to the corner, drop it back into first, turn the corner and grin as you wind it up, all the way to 9 grand. It brings a tear to my eye just remembering it. I hopped out the first time, (julie kind of stumbled out) ran back to the line, and hopped in again. Never did get to drive the MX-5, but I can probably say I wouldn't have liked it half as much as the 8.
Also -- I really liked the way the Mazda 3 handled. I think the Mazdaspeed 3, with 70ish more horsepower, will be a real hoot.
All in all, It was an awesome time. Crazy fun, for not paying a damned dime.
#1: It was alot of freakin' fun. Say what you want about previous events, but it says alot about Mazda that they'll basically let you beat the piss out of their cars all afternoon.
#2: The Mazdaspeed 6 isn't nearly as cool as you think it is. Ok, maybe I should justify this. it's really cool on paper. Six speed, 270ish hp, direct injection, lots of cool technology. But the one I drove had a heatsoaked intercooler, hothot tires, and a tired clutch. My first run I took easy because I didn't want to look like a jackass, that put me 12 seconds off FTD. The second run was later in the afternoon, I pushed alot harder, the car understeers pretty bad at the limit of the tires, and the one-two shift was completely botched coming off the front "straight". (Basically, I made the shift, but the car didn't like it, so I had to start over.) That put me 4.4 seconds behind FTD, and 2 seconds behind the "goal" time.
#3: The "time match gymkhana" was interesting, and I tore some shit up, putting myself within a half second off the "match" time, and making a Mazda 3 wagon oversteer while I did it. There wasn't a whole lot of pressure, it was just turn the radio up, put the shifter into "d" and hit the gas.
#4: Speaking of putting the transmission in "D", the so-called "manumatics" or "triptronics" have always been a pet peeve of mine. First off, there's that pesky torque converter. But secondly, manumatics won't hold a redline. As you approach redline while accelerating, they'll shift for you, whether you want it or not. This sucks pretty hard when coming up on a corner, because you're just going to have to shift again, and it upsets the car. Well, while driving a CX-7, I had the shifter in "sport" triptronic mode, figuring it would just shift for me, and I'll just keep my foot on the go-pedal. Well imagine my surprise when I hear the rev-limiter. I just sit there, stunned for a second, before I slap the shifter and shift gears. Now, I still hate manumatics, but a six speed automatic with a 2.3 liter direct injection turbo and an honest-to-god-hold-it-to-redline manual shift program has gone a long way to changing that opinion.
Finally, #5: The RX-8.
I've never really liked the RX-8. On paper, I really felt like they were an inferior replacement for the FD. Combine that with crappy torque and terrible fuel economy, and I just didn't really think I'd like it. That didn't stop me, of course, from hopping in one and beating the living shit out of it. And you know what, my mind is changed. I really, really, really, really liked it. Forget the MS6, RX-8 all the way. Rev it up at the start, drop the clutch, about halfway through the front "straight", kick it into second, jam the throttle and watch the car twitch sideways. Lay on that to the corner, drop it back into first, turn the corner and grin as you wind it up, all the way to 9 grand. It brings a tear to my eye just remembering it. I hopped out the first time, (julie kind of stumbled out) ran back to the line, and hopped in again. Never did get to drive the MX-5, but I can probably say I wouldn't have liked it half as much as the 8.
Also -- I really liked the way the Mazda 3 handled. I think the Mazdaspeed 3, with 70ish more horsepower, will be a real hoot.
All in all, It was an awesome time. Crazy fun, for not paying a damned dime.
1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442