Mark Ticehurst took the Mazda 3 MPS around Nürburgring’s most infamous track. Simply to see how the Mazda 3 MPS shaped up against what is arguably the most demanding, exhilarating and treacherous 13 miles in the world.
On paper the Mazda 3 MPS is the UK’s most powerful front-wheel drive hot hatch on the market. But just how well would it fare on the track, on its standard road tyres, suspension and brakes? There was certainly plenty of room to test it.
Under the bonnet the Mazda 3 MPS has the same 2.3 litre turbo charged engine as the Mazda 6 MPS. The all‑alloy in line four features high-pressure Direct Injection Spark Ignition technology delivers a blood-spitting 260ps at 5,500rpm and 380Nm of torque at 3,000rpm. The Mazda 3 MPS reaches 62mph in just 6.1 seconds and onto an electronically limited 155mph top speed.
Getting Mark Ticehurst behind the wheel for the challenge was an easy decision. He is a regular within Mazda’s motorsport line-up and was a key member of the company’s successful Britcar campaign. Which may be thought of as an unfair advantage when it comes to pushing the Mazda 3 MPS to the limit. But Ticehurst confessed to be a Ring virgin, only ever lapping the circuit a few dozen times on his Playstation, that is, until now!
It took him a few exploratory laps to understand it. “Madness! It’s just sheer madness out there!” said Ticehurst "I was jousting with everything from Le Mans-spec Porsches to Fiat Multiplas stuffed to the gills with screaming kids. And the bikers! It’s like driving in a swarm of hornets, they are everywhere!” Ticehurst familiarised himself with the track at every opportunity, as knowledge around the Ring is everything.
He was impressed with the car. “It’s all that torque that makes a huge difference. Because it’s such a hilly track, you really need plenty of torque to haul you out of the slower corners and up the steep hills like Bergwerk.
It’s a confidence-inspiring car to drive hard too, it feels tight and compliant requiring only small driving inputs to adjust its direction and attitude. Even after each 12.7 mile lap of arduous torture the car was still fresh and ready for more.” Quite a feat, given his Mazda 3 MPS is running standard road tyres, brake discs and pads.
Ticehurst drove like a man possessed, hurtling the Mazda around the track. His concentration was complete and he achieved a lap time of 8 minutes and 39.66 seconds. Just 4.64 seconds off the lap record!
Ticehurst was elated with his time. “That was just off the scale. I drove it as hard as I could, I wasn’t thinking about the lap time! I think it says a great deal about the Mazda, that I could just get in it and drive it around a circuit that I hardly know and get within striking distance of the lap record. It’s one of the best things I have ever done in a car. Ever.”
For more information on the Mazad 3 MPS & Mazda 6 MPS call Darlington on 0845 112 5001 or Durham on 0845 112 5009 (local rate)