Mazda is undoubtedly one of the most interesting car manufacturers today. At one point, they offered humble hatchbacks, sedans and RWD sports cars to mainstream buyers, but now they’re making big strides into the premium segment. They aim to compete with the biggest players in the luxury car segment, with the new CX-90 leading the charge. They are also determined to keep the internal combustion engine alive and are working on some very clever technology to make this possible.
If there’s one thing everyone knows Mazda for, it’s their highly celebrated performance cars The Cosmo, the RX family, and of course the game-changing Miata. While most of these are well-loved and veer dangerously into overrated territory, the same couldn’t be said for some of Mazda’s other performance cars, like the short-lived Mazdaspeed 6.
- Four cylinder turbo
- Manual transmission
- AWD
- Model: Mazdaspeed6
- Engine/Engine: 2.3 liter turbo four cylinder
- Power: 270-274 hp
- Engine torque: 280 lb.-ft
- Transmission: Transverse front engine, AWD
- Transmission: 6 speed manual
- MSRP: $27,995 (base when new)
- Excellent performance numbers
- Mandatory manual transmission
- Quite affordable
- rare
- Slightly spartan interior
- Just a body style
The Mazdaspeed version of Mazda’s mid-size sedan
The Mazdaspeed6 appeared for the 2006 model year. At its core, the Mazdaspeed6 was a first-generation Mazda 6, which was a perfectly normal, humble mid-size sedan with some surprising talents. Mazda designed the Mazdaspeed6 to further exploit these talents, with a massively powerful engine and improved performance in every way imaginable.
Mazdaspeed was the name of the Japanese automaker’s in-house skunkworks performance car department, similar to AMG or Nismo. They designed accessories and performance parts, and were also the team behind the iconic 787B LeMans racer, which is, to this day, the only rotary-engined race car to win the 24 Hours of LeMans. Its proper arrival in the United States came in the form of the Protégé, a compact performance car. Alongside the Mazdaspeed6, Mazda also produced the Mazdaspeed3.
From the outside, it was clear that the Mazdaspeed6 was no ordinary Mazda 6. Mazda took great care to update and change almost every aspect of the exterior, to make sure the driver and everyone around them knew this was something special. The front end was much more aggressive, with larger air intakes. Instead of adding some kind of hood, Mazda opted to raise the hood line to go along with the powertrain. The sides featured prominent ground effects, flared wheel arches and a unique alloy wheel design, while the rear featured an aggressive spoiler and rear bumper with twin exhaust outlets on both sides. While the design of the first-generation Mazda 6 didn’t exactly wow everyone when it first came out, it’s actually aging quite well.
Unfortunately, the Mazdaspeed6 only lasted until the 2007 model year, and there was no direct replacement. Although the second-generation Mazdaspeed3 used the same powertrain and produced roughly the same kind of power, it lacked AWD. The Mazdaspeed6, despite being a mid-size sedan, its performance figures put it in competition with compact performance cars, such as the Golf GTI and R32, the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, the Mitsubishi Evo and also the Subaru Legacy GT . In Japan, Mazda sold the Mazdaspeed6 as the Mazdaspeed Atenza, while Europe got it as the Mazda 6 MPS.
A robust four-cylinder turbo engine powered the Mazdaspeed6
Only one powertrain was available on the Mazdaspeed6. It’s a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, also called the MZR DISI. DISI means direct fuel injection, of course. For the 2006 model year, the engine produced 274 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, while for the 2007 model year, power was reduced very slightly to 270 hp due to stricter emissions regulations of the time Numbers like this on a mid-size sedan like the Mazda 6 were very rare, and not many cars at the time had numbers like that.
The numbers speak for themselves: 0-60 took less than six seconds. Hot hatchbacks only recently started hitting numbers like this, and that was truly impressive back in 2006, and still is today. Meanwhile, top speed is 151 mph if the electronic cruise control is engaged. Without the cruise control, there are claims it can reach 165 mph. That’s more than most BMWs with their 155 mph speed limiter.
In order to put all the power down, the Mazdaspeed6 came standard with AWD and an intelligent torque distribution system, which could split torque 50/50 between the axles if the driver so desired. AWD definitely helped the Mazdaspeed6 put down the immense power, and it’s a shame the smaller Mazdaspeed3 never got the AWD system. Power gets to the wheels through a mandatory six-speed manual transmission, and a limited-slip differential handles power delivery to the rear wheels. Fully independent front and rear suspension as well as front and rear sway bars were standard fare on the Mazdaspeed6.
The Mazdaspeed6’s interior wasn’t all that special
Opening the door to the Mazdaspeed6 reveals an interior that doesn’t make it very clear that this is the higher-performance version of the Mazda 6. The interior of the Mazda 6, while well done, wasn’t particularly special, and it didn’t . pretend to be something you weren’t. Aside from the bucket seats, the interior of the Mazdaspeed6 was pretty standard fare.
A normal three-spoke steering wheel, a normal gauge cluster with an unorthodox font and red illumination, and a very normal-looking central control stack with a small information display on top, three climate vents , radio controls and climate controls on top. the lowest point. The center control stack only has the shifter and parking brake.
Although this was the top-of-the-line Mazda 6 model, it had its own sub-trim levels. The Sport model featured a cloth interior, while the Grand Touring model added leather upholstery, keyless start, and DVD-based navigation and a panoramic sunroof could also be specified. HID headlights, a Bose sound system, automatic climate control and cruise control were also standard.
In terms of reliability, Mazda’s non-rotary cars have always been pretty good at this sort of thing, and the Mazdaspeed6 is no exception. It does have some ticking time bombs though. Many owners say you shouldn’t modify it or try to find one that doesn’t have modifications, as modifications to the Mazdaspeed6 can ruin its reliability. The 2006 cars had problems with the rear differential mount, which can break if you throw the car too hard.
The VVT chain is also prone to problems, so make sure the owner you’re buying the car from has replaced it, or budget for a replacement after you buy it. Owners also recommend changing the engine oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles and using only high quality synthetic oil. The Mazdaspeed6 seats five and its trunk offers 12.4 cubic feet of space. That’s slightly less than the regular Mazda 6, due to the AWD system. The AWD system is also responsible for the Mazdaspeed6 losing the ability to fold the rear seats entirely.
Mazdaspeed6 values will almost certainly increase over time
Mazdaspeed6 production numbers were very low. Most people believe that the total global production was around 13,000 units, with around 8,000 of those coming to North America. While Classic.com values the entire 20-year-old Mazda 6 at around $11,000, a good Mazdaspeed6 will set you back between $15,000 and $18,000.
It’s still pretty affordable, but between the Mazdaspeed6’s incredible performance numbers and exclusivity, now is the time to buy. The Mazdaspeed6 definitely has the makings of a future classic, and you should pick one up before the prices skyrocket.