For the 2009 SEMA Show Mazda is playing it low key, but that doesn't mean the two vehicles on display are any less cool. Sure there aren't LCD screens galore, nor is there any 600-hp twin-turbo V8 under the hood, but Mazda's two modified 3 models are clean and performance oriented – just the way enthusiasts like them.
Both cars get a Crystal White Pearl paint job with some faded gray graphics, reminiscent of the style first shown on the Mazda 787B that won Le Mans in 1991. Many of the remaining exterior details get black paint, including the grille inserts, side mirrors, fog lamp bezels and the roof. The front headlamps also get a black treatment. Then both cars have been outfitted with a set of 19×8-inch forged aluminum wheels straight off the RX-8 with a set of 225/40/19 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires.
The Mazda3s with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder was then shipped over to Mazda's World Challenge racing partner Tri-Point, which installed the company's turbo kit to boost power to 250-h thanks to a Garrett GT2871R turbo.
The front brakes have been upgraded to those of the MazdaSpeed3, with rear brakes coming from the Mazda5. Suspension duties were outsourced to KW, with a Tri-Point rear stabilizer bar.
With the MazdaSpeed3 already finely tuned from the factory, only an AEM air intake was added for a gain of 20-hp. Along with the same exterior changes and wheels, a KW suspension was also added but with new suspension mounts for camber adjustability. The brakes were also upgraded to Stoptech units – the same used on the World Challenge cars.
We'll be sure to track these cars down at the SEMA Show and bring you more photos.
More:
SEMA 2009: Mazda to Show Custom MazdaSpeed3 and Turbo Mazda3s in Vegas on AutoGuide.com
