Built under the watchful eye of Mazda Motorsport chief Allan Horsley, the 190kW Mazda3 MPS front-wheel-drive hot hatches will contest the event's 2WD Showroom competition, travelling 2000km over five gruelling days of competition. Targa Tasmania's racing regulations require that the Mazda 3 MPS rally car remain essentially standard. That means both cars are competing with standard audio equipment, power windows and carpets and upholstery intact. This makes it a bit more comfortable for Alister McRae and his co-driver.
necessary safety equipment fitted on the Mazda includs a PCD roll cage, racing seats, five-point harnesses and a fire extinguisher, but the performance modifications are kept to a minimum. The MPS is equipped with upgraded springs and struts, brake pads, a new steering wheel, navigation equipment, cat-back exhaust (cats are still fitted), some additional ducting to cool off the brakes and a revised ECU. Among the competitors in the "Showroom 2WD" class are a Mazda 3 diesel, a Peugeot 206 GTi 180, a Fiat Punto Sport and a Toyota TRD Aurion.
Mazdaspeed3 (Mazda3 MPS) Photo Gallery