I read it too. Mazdaspeed 3 will be sold for $23000. It is isn't going to compete with the sti and Evo. Maybe the WRX Once again awd vs fwd is comparing apples to oranges. It WILL be faster and have better handling than a STOCK wrx though. Note I said stock with stock tires *lol*. The Mazdaspeed3 will also smoke all it's other "bigger brothers" like the Mazdaspeed Protege, Mazdaspeed Miata, Mazdaspeed 6, and the RX8.

But realistically, the mazdaspeed 3 was made to compete against the Focus, RSX-S, Cobalt SS supercharged, Mini Cooper S, Sentra Spec V, Civic Si, and the now defunct Neon SRT-4 (which of course will be replaced by the new 300hp Caliber SRT4). As of writing, the Mazdaspeed3 will smoke all of the above stock for stock. For under $23,500, the only car that will be remotely close to the Mazdaspeed 3 will be the new Caliber SRT4. Nothing else will come close (stock). The Caliber is going to share the upcoming Evolution "World" engine.

I'm even thinking of getting one... The Mazda that is hehehehe.

 

The Mazdaspeed3 is gonna be awesome! I really like the way Mazda sets up the suspension in their cars, wuz gonna look into getting a Mazdaspeed6 for a daily driver (prices are pretty good now, under MSRP) but maybe I'll wait to see the MS3s when they come in. I do expect it to beat a WRX stock vs stock.

 

0-60 in 6 seconds?
great value though- nice handling cars for the price-




aloha from the summit of *-^-mauna kea-^-*