Mazdaspeed 3 Montana

• Redesigned for 2010
• Europe gets a 260-hp, 2.3-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
• Top speed of 155 mph
• 6-speed manual transmission
• Standard limited-slip differential
• Oversized disc brakes
• Race-tuned sport suspension
• North American Mazdaspeed 3 debuts at the 2009 New York Auto Show

Introduction
Launched in 1968 as "Mazda Sports Corner," Mazdaspeed is synonymouswith high performance. The company's high-performance tuning divisionstarted as an in-house racing division competitive in the famed 24hours of Le Mans race series. Mazda assumed fullcontrol of the division in the late 1990s and tasked Mazdaspeed withbuilding consumer-oriented performance models. The first car introducedto the North American market was an upgraded Mazda ProtégéMP3 with increased engine power. It was followed by the Mazdaspeed MX-5Miata. The success of those models led to the Mazdaspeed 6 (basedon the Mazda6) and Mazdaspeed 3 (based on the Mazda3).

The all-new 2010 Mazda 3 MPS is the European-spec variant of theupcoming North American 2010 Mazdaspeed 3, which is set to debut at the2009 New York Auto Show. The all-new 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 is aperformance-oriented 5-door hatchback. A product of Mazda's famedMazdaspeed unit, the factory-upgraded vehicle is based on the redesigned2010 Mazda 3 model. Dissimilar both mechanically and aestheticallyfrom its sibling, Mazda says the race-tuned Mazdaspeed 3 is one of thefastest front-wheel-drive compact cars on the road today.

For more information:

• See2010 Mazdaspeed 3 Pictures
• Browse other Mazdamodels
• Readmore Previews

...

Click here to read the rest of the article at JDPower.com