I'm guessing they sell enough for it to benefit CAFE values for Mazda. Or they just need a price leader to get young people in the showroom. I certainly would pick a 2 over a Versa or Yaris.
The Golf is a *much* shorter vehicle, like 8 inches shorter in wheelbase. That alone should save a few hundred pounds, and VW has the added advantage of having a smaller, less complex engine and less in the way of "luxury" accoutrements. Also 400 hp requires much beefier suspension, brakes, etc., etc. True, the R has…
I'm not sure the poor margins on the 2 are paying any bills for Mazda, but otherwise, yes, it's specced-out versions of their mid-size vehicles.
"Any money spent on cars, is money wasted." No question that the dealership model is a racket, but are you sure this is the language you want to use? Cars can be a valuable investment, because you can use them for gainful employment. And so can renting an apartment, because it can allow access to gainful employment.…
Agreed.
Your nationalistic post piqued my curiosity, so I have read that the Wright supercharger drive replaced the French unit used by R-R to good effect. New metallurgy improved break-in and corrosion resistance. Bendix carb replaced SU. And Packard produced the two-piece cylinder head, which R-R could not do at the time. I…
The sportiness has a lot to do with the setup. The 4A-GE is a Cosworth BDA clone with a ton of character. The 1NZ-FE? Not much. Plus, the Fx16's gearbox has shorter ratios and the suspension is setup to encourage Scandinavian flicks. It's just a really entertaining car to drive. The xA? Not so much, although I like…
Easy. Really easy. Car is super light, engine is super small (1.2?), highway speed is super low: 55 mph.
I've heard of this mod but have never seen it. I would imagine that understeer would be slightly "enhanced". The Lancia V4 definitely fit as well, and Saab seriously considered it. But they were already all-in on the Triumph engine.
I had to laugh at this listing. The seller admits to frame rust but doesn't supply undercarriage photos and can't (?!?!) lift the car. A buyer would have to be insane to purchase this without a PPI and frankly an MGA priced less than five figures is almost always in need of full restoration immediately.
The engine had plenty of torque. I don't see that as a shortcoming. It was not especially tunable, but there was lots of room for improvement. Saab got 150 hp out of it for rally use, and up to 240 hp with a turbo. The big limitation was U.S. emission regs, which hit just as Saab starting using the engine.
The engine bay was not badly designed. It was designed to accept Saab's 2-stroke. And the Ford V4 was not the only engine that would fit. Lancia's V4 would fit just fine. Saab didn't have the cash for the expensive Italian motor.
This is off of Subaru's website. Perhaps you can parse this: "The Driver's Control Centre Differential (DCCD) allows the centre differential locking of the WRX STI to be dialed in and adjust its handling. It adjusts both an electromagnetic multi-plate transfer clutch and mechanical locking of a Limited Slip…
I was referring to your statement, and I quote: 'all AWD is terrible without lockup'. As for Honda's system being junk, it does work inasmuch as it does, under some conditions, apply power to the rear wheels. You get marginal benefit, and frankly that's all you are paying for anyway. Is it disingenuous to call it AWD?…
I wouldn't call it terrible. Just "not as effective in certain conditions" and also "not as expensive". The STI setup, with LSD front and rear diffs and two center diffs (electronic and mechanical) is the most proactive but it's also easily the most complex and most expensive. It also hurts gas mileage and curb…
Well, many MR2 drivers had snap oversteer issues. The oversteer threshold is quite fine on these cars so many owners lacked the practice or knowledge to control it. With stock suspension and tires, it's very controllable and not a problem. I'd be wary of driving the SC in the wet, however.
They are. Or, at least, they were. The turbo setup, lifted from Buick, was especially prone to detonation in the V8. The ECU retarded timing to combat this, but it was slow, so the acceleration times were all over the map. Today's much better fuels let these cars run a lot better.
Oops, Raphael got to this a long time ago... delete my past posting. Yesterday I saw both a Mitsubishi Wagon (Delica) and a...Sigma. Strange day.
Nissan Stanza Wagon (JDM Prairie). Nice find.