![]() ![]() That is, take what started as a good thing with the MP3 version of the car, and add 30 horsepower (from 140 hp to 170 hp). MazdaSpeed's first mission: Add about $5,000 worth of fangs to the fun little Protegé. Which brings us full circle, to the $19,980 MazdaSpeed Protegé and the resurrection of the MazdaSpeed brand, an essentially stillborn skunk works that has knocked off a few special-edition cars in the past but is now charged to be the company's speed-freak fixer, akin to what BMW does with its M Division, albeit for a decidedly rubber- rather than leather-soled audience. Subaru learned just how effective such guerilla tactics can be when sales of its WRX utterly changed the average Subaru aspirant from tweedy college professor types to their 25-year-old recently graduated male students. Also, if you're smart about it, as Mazda is, you don't make too many of your one-off hot cars-say, 2,500 a year per iteration. Interestingly, the latter may be the cheapest approach of all, at least in the case of Mazda, which already had endemic engineering know-how. Still, getting the buzz among young buyers these days requires either cute design (read VW), expensive marketing or excellent street cred. Golf and Mitsubishi Lancer, neither of which, in base trim, have much going for them once you get past the glam ad campaigns.Īnd the logic of a Mazda that starts by selling small, inexpensive cars to young buyers who can afford them-and eventually sells larger, plusher sedans like the excellent new 6i and 6s-makes eminent sense. , Dodge and Chevy, as well as expertly youth-aimed products, the And that competition includes the likes of Honda, Stack up the newest Protegé versus the competition in the same, $15,000 ballpark, and Mazda spanks all comers for handling and a high fun factor. And Mazda truly has the chops in this arena. We actually think a niche player like Mazda might grow fatter by doing what it seems to do best, which is to sell spirited, small cars that appeal to younger buyers who are generally on a tight budget. Torque-steer, wing on the back, inscrutable audio controls.īut Mazda cannot live by sporty cars alone, right? Well, maybe wrong. Superbly balanced handling, quick motor, ironed-out interior. (The new RX-8 may well live to be as influential, and there will be a reborn RX-7 down the line as well.) The cute Miata convertible is the best-selling sports car of all time, and the RX-7 was one of the best-loved sports cars in recent history. In the 1970s and 1980s, and BMW of late, being small doesn't mean you can't make a big impact. , by comparison, sold nearly 1.8 million cars (including Lexus) to American buyers in 2002.īut as we've learned from other, once small carmakers, like Mazda and Mazdaspeed enthusiasts looking for a rare sport compact car should consider a Mazdaspeed Protege like this one listed for sale in Miami, FL, at Sport Cars Miami.Last year the Japanese firm that's controlled by Ford Motor-Ford owns 33% of Mazda-sold only 258,213 cars in the U.S. With just under 25k miles shown, it’s no surprise this now-rare Mazdaspeed car’s interior shows little signs of wear. Inside, the cabin is finished in black with grey trim accents. The car’s 170-hp turbo-four engine is coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission. Mazdaspeed badging, parts and accessories.Other upgrades for the Mazdaspeed Protege included: This particular example stands out with its striking yellow paint and still sports the model’s distinctive 17-inch Racing Hart alloy wheels and updated rear spoiler. The Mazdaspeed Miata, Mazdaspeed6 and Mazdaspeed3 soon followed before Mazdaspeed-branded models ended in 2013.Įvery Mazdaspeed Protege, or MSP, was powered by a 170-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, boosting the little Protege’s power output by 30 hp over the standard model. In fact, this sport compact car was the first Mazda to wear the Mazdaspeed name, debuting in North America for the 2003 model year. ![]() This 2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege for sale features just over 24k miles on its odometer and represents a low-mileage example of a rare Mazdaspeed model. The 2003 model year (MY) Mazdaspeed Protege was quickly followed by the 2003.5 MY edition, which was highlighted by a revised rear spoiler. Before the Mazda3 and its Mazdaspeed variants, there was the Protege, which spawned a Mazdaspeed Protege version for just one year. ![]()
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