Mazda

[enemy-ace]

While this article isn't directly Champ Car related it is nice to see that CC is establishing a partnership with a company that is very proactive in North American racing.
Good on Mazda!

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/36137/

[JohnSSC]

They certainly seem to be putting words and actions forward. Glad to see any manufacturer do something like this in the US.

[mountainstar]

It is an amazing opportunity for drivers. It is a clearly defined path to champcar or sportscars supported all the way through the ranks provided one can win the championship. It is just what we need to get some good american drivers moved up to champcar.

[Snrub]

It's crazy how involved Mazda is getting. Come on Mazda, you know you want to badge the engines in CC.

Frankly I can't see how there is a business model for supporting low level series so heavily. I hope there is.

[paul-collins]

Originally Posted by Snrub

Come on Mazda, you know you want to badge the engines in CC.

No they don't. Mazda does not badge engines. It's their corporate stance. (Think about it - Cossie built Atlantics motors based on the Mazda 6 engine; Star Mazda running rotaries...)

They might commission a new engine instead of designing it in-house, though. (See the new turbo I4 in ALMS for an example.)

If Mazda were to get on the engines, expect them to be new designs.

[Snrub]

Is that truely their corporate policy? With a few exceptions beyond rotary engines, Mazda's strength has never been engines. When they retooled Atantics they needed a new engine that would cost less, be less reliable and not be based on the Toyota 1.6L. The 2.3L was an obvious choice being that it's in a number of Mazdas (3, 5, 6). I'm not sure on this one, but I know it is possible for anyone to get a 260hp version of the 2.3L (eg. for a Caterham Seven). The 2.3L is a "world" engine (Mazda origin) and is used in Ford's. Is it possible that Cosworth simply upped the power a bit on an existing design. Mazda doesn't seem to be nearly as rotary focused as they once were, but theoretically a turbo 2-rotor could work in a CC.

[mountainstar]

How about a turbo 4 rotor?

Check your eardrums at the door.

[chemhead1]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

How about a turbo 4 rotor?

If it means getting to hear the equivalent of 18 or so 1991 Mazda 787B's echoing around the skyscraper walls of Long Beach....

...bring it on.

[norman-normal]

I think two things will happen before 2009 Mazda will have a small high HP car on the market with Cosworth mods and CC will have a race at Lagoona Seca.

[Snrub]

^ So when you see the Mazdaspeed3 with 263hp, the first thing you think is that it needs more power?

I'd like to see a new Mazdaspeed Miata with 200lbs less and with the aformentioned engine or similar.

I'd really like to see a turbo RX-8. Any engine that blows out that much heat needs to catch some of it. I think direct injection would be particularly beneficial on a rotary. Heck it's been experimented with since the 60s! They need to do something about improving the exhaust ports. Perhaps semi-peripheral exhaust ports (tiny perpherial ones to improve flow, but not adversly effect overlap). They need to drop all of the cat iron parts and go all aluminum to really get the most from the rotary weight advantge.

It's interesting how many people know what the 787B is. Pick some other random Le Mans year name a car.

I suspect that if something happends to San Jose we'll see CC back at Laguna. Given all of the political contriversy that may have some likelyhood.

[norman-normal]

[QUOTE=Snrub]^ So when you see the Mazdaspeed3 with 263hp, the first thing you think is that it needs more power?



Not me Snrub, Mazda like all, or nearly all, the car makers want an increase for next year. I'm just wondering how much currency the name 'COSWORTH' has, or how much Mazda thinks thinks it has.
If used, I think the Cosworth tag would be on a 4 cly as used in the Atlantics. The tie in should not be ignored.

[JohnSSC]

Well the name "Cosworth" worked wonders for the Cosworth Vega....

[norman-normal]

I will let some of our British fans reply to that absurdity

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Well the name "Cosworth" worked wonders for the Cosworth Vega....

John that glass is half empty as always

The cosworth engine in the vega was actually quite good and put out 180 hp before being strangled by poor emissions technology at the time.

Cosworth has a long history of producing great engines. However at the time I don't see the tie up as mazda is heavily pushing it's mazdaspeed brand. However I could see cosworth developing parts for mazdaspeed. As I understand it you can get all the parts from cosworth to modify your 2.3 mazda motor into a streetable formula atlantic motor with close to 300hp.

[JohnSSC]

My point was that then, as now, to the average car buyer the name "Cosworth" means little. "Mazdaspeed" actually (imho) has more street cred.

[deadsquirrel]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

My point was that then, as now, to the average car buyer the name "Cosworth" means little. "Mazdaspeed" actually (imho) has more street cred.

Ask a Brit, and they'd rather have a Cossie to a Mazda

[paul-collins]

True enough, but you have to ask, where does this series reside?

[Snrub]

Exactly. I'm sure if you asked 20 random people where I live what Cosworth is you might get one who knew. If you ask people what Mazdaspeed was, they could atleast make an educated guess.