Could be unveiled in December

A new report coming from Australia's Drive talks about the next-gen Mazdaspeed3 (aka Mazda3 MPS) getting an all-wheel drive arrangement.
Apparently this will be Mazda's way of fighting the Volkswagen Golf VII R and other hot models in this class such as the fresh Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. The car's deputy program manager Takeo Mariuchi said the new generation of the Mazda3 uses the same platform as the CX-5 which means it can receive an all-wheel drive variant. He told Drive that "from a technical point of view it's not difficult to install a four-wheel-drive system."
While the previous Mazda3 MPS had a 263 bhp 2.3-liter turbo engine, the power was sent only to the front axle which resulted in a considerable amount of torque steer. If the car will receive all-wheel drive, not only will it have more traction but we expect Mazda's engineers to add even more power.
Earlier this year we heard rumors about a possible December reveal but this piece of information hasn't been confirmed so far.


Source: news.drive.com.au

 

that's a smart move... but does mazda have experience with AWD system?

i can almost see people breaking their transmissions like they were back in the early 2000's when WRX first came to the US...

 

what model is this? and can i get some description of this model , a help would be appreciated a lot...

 

Mazda's frugal 55mpg 4WD commuter - Image 1 of 1

They have the Mazda Carol which is a 55 MPG AWD Micro-mini! Of course its only available in Japan.

 

Lost Cars of the 1980s – Mazda 323 GTX






Mazda has always been an automaker associated with racing and motorsports, from the early days of the rotary engine RX models through today’s Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup series. In the mid-1980s, Mazda even tried its hand at Group A rallying, but to do so it needed to build 5,000 road-going versions of its prospective rally car.
Thus, the Mazda 323 GTX was born. The all-wheel drive hot hatchback debuted in Europe and Japan in 1986, but didn’t arrive on these shores until two years later, in 1988. Though the car’s aggressive looks, performance, handling and all-wheel drive sounded like a recipe for sales success, not many prospective buyers could justify its $13,000 point of entry. In two years, Mazda sold just 1,243 examples on these shores, ultimately leading to the car’s cancellation after the 1989 model year.
During its two-year run here, the 323 GTX gave U.S. buyers a turbocharged, intercooled 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, rated at 132 horsepower and mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Power was sent to all four wheels via a planetary differential that could be locked by the driver, via a dash-mounted switch, for added traction on loose surfaces. The net result was a 0-60 MPH time of around eight seconds, despite the car’s 2,645 pound curb weight.
The 323 GTX was far more than a Mazda 323 with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive, however. Compared to its more pedestrian sibling, the GTX was wider in track, featured a redesigned underbody, and boasted reinforced side sills for added platform rigidity.


Inside, the driver and front seat passenger enjoyed firmly bolstered sport seats, though the rest of the cabin was typical economy car fare. Buyers could opt for digital instrumentation as an option, but most cars were delivered with conventional analog gauges to keep pricing down.
Owners praised the 323 GTX for its nimble handling and tenacious grip on a wide variety of surfaces, as well as for its easily upgradeable power output. Adding a cold air intake, aftermarket exhaust system and a boost controller could bump output by some 50 horsepower, delivering truly impressive performance for the day.
Because most examples were tuned for higher output and then driven hard by enthusiastic owners, finding a serviceable 323 GTX today may prove challenging. Rust can be an issue, as many cars were sold in snow-belt states and used as all weather daily drivers. Transmissions are said to be fragile, but particularly so on cars that were tuned to make significantly more horsepower. Repair parts are getting harder to find as well, which can be expected on a 24-year-old car with limited original distribution.


Mazda originally planned on selling some 2,400 323 GTX models in the United States, but its steep price (roughly 30 percent more than a Volkswagen GTI, which delivered comparable acceleration in stock form) and limited marketing undoubtedly hurt sales. Ironically, the demise of the 323 GTX didn’t discourage other Japanese automakers from launching compact turbocharged all-wheel drive sports cars on these shores, including the Isuzu Impulse XS (sold in 1991 only) and the Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX (which, like its Eagle Talon TSi sibling, was built by Diamond Star Motors in Normal, Illinois).
It’s probably fair to say that the Mazda 323 GTX helped pave the way for today’s compact all-wheel drive performance cars, such as the Subaru WRX STI and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Though the 323 GTX may be gone, its spirit lives on beneath the skin of more modern hardware.

 

ohh.... okay, i do remember see those back then. :D

 

mazda 323 GTX (awd turbo) one of my fave sport compacts from Gran Turismo 2 back in the day.


the new MS3 with AWD should def be a hit. will help attract a range new buyers. probably be more affordable than its counterparts as well... (CLA, STI, Golf R)

 

I wanted one but like it says it was expensive compare to the competition.

Still can find them even though they are rare.

89 Mazda 323 GTX AWD Turbo

1988 Mazda 323 GTX TURBO

 

yah, mazda's were very mysterious cars back then to the general public.

they've come a long way. :)