Tech & Auto
The 6 Quickest Sports Cars Mazda Ever Made
By ANDREI NEDELEA
RX-7 FD
Built from 1992 until 2002, the RX-7 FD saw a lot of attention from tuners, especially after some movie appearances, like in the “Fast and the Furious” series.
With a 13B-REW twin-turbo rotary engine under the hood that Mazda upgraded in 1996 to produce 276 horsepower, the RX-7 FD is the most extreme Mazda road car ever.
RX-8
Although it was introduced when the RX-7 was discontinued in 2002, the RX-8 wasn’t a direct replacement as it was designed to be less powerful and more affordable.
Powering the RX-8 was a twin-rotor rotary mill called Renesis, which came in two- and four-port configurations that had 192 and 238 horsepower, respectively.
Miata (MX-5)
Known in the U.S. as the Miata, the MX-5 model has accumulated millions of sales over its four versions, making it the most popular roadster in history.
The latest Miata is the fourth generation, known as the ND. It has a 2-liter engine with 181 horsepower that can push the Miata to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds and then to 136 mph.
MazdaSpeed 3
The MazdaSpeed 3, known worldwide as the Mazda 3 MPS, was only available for two generations, the first running from 2007 to 2009 and the second from 2010 until 2013.
Both were front-wheel drive and had a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which made 263 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.
MazdaSpeed 6
The award-winning engine that powered the MazdaSpeed 3 was in the larger MazdaSpeed 6 sedan, but it was improved to provide the car with 274 horsepower.
Despite being bigger and heavier, the MazdaSpeed 6 could go from 0 to 60 in 6.2 seconds. Unfortunately, the MazdaSpeed 6 proved unsuccessful against rivals like Mitsubishi.
Mazda 3 Turbo
The Mazda 3 Turbo has much of the original MazdaSpeed 3’s appeal but features new improvements, like the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
Capable of producing 250 horsepower, the Mazda 3 Turbo can accelerate to 60 mph in under six seconds, matching the more powerful MazdaSpeed3.