- 155 mph high-performance ‘super-hatch’ on sale now
- Turbocharged 2.3-litre petrol engine generates 260ps and 380Nm of torque boosting the Mazda 3 MPS 0-62mph in just 6.1 seconds.
- Priced from £18,995 (on-the-road), with a Sports Aero kit available at £19,495
- Excellent security levels as standard – Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser
- Front, side and curtain airbags, plus ABS, EBD, EBA, DSC, LSD and TCS
- Premium BOSE® audio system with intelligent sound equalisation system
The sensational new Mazda 3 MPS, the fastest, best handling, best braking model in the hugely popular Mazda3 range, is now on sale in the UK, priced from just £18,995 on‑the‑road. Reaching the same heights of handling prowess as the Mazda 6 MPS, Mazda RX-8 PZ special edition and the iconic Mazda MX-5, the Mazda 3 MPS is being marketed in the UK as a single, fully specified and lavishly equipped model.
Highly sophisticated and remarkably refined, the Mazda 3 MPS combines sensationally spirited performance – top speed is 155mph and 0-60mph takes just 6.1 seconds – with remarkable everyday practicality. Encompassing the true spirit of the UK’s favourite sportscar brand, the Mazda 3 MPS appeals to both the heart and the head and will be the perfect flagship for the Mazda 3 range and the Mazda brand in the C-segment.
Each Mazda 3 MPS is mechanically identical, while inside there are MPS-branded sports seats with black leather side bolsters and centre sections in black sports cloth. In addition, customers will be able to choose between four exterior paint colours – with mica or metallic finish.
Mazda 3 MPS healthy waiting list
Mazda UK already has a healthy waiting list for this stunning newcomer and anticipates sales of between 700 and 1,000 units in a full year. The arrival of Mazda’s 155 mph ‘super‑hatch’ will also have a ‘halo’ effect on sales of the Mazda3 range which are expected to reach a total of around 14,000 in 2007.
“The Mazda 3 MPS is designed for a global market and annual production of this model in Japan will be more than 10,000 units in 2007,” commented Mazda UK's Managing Director Rob Lindley.
“In the UK, the sports hatchback market is both well established and more demanding in terms of styling. For this reason we have developed a Sports Aero kit, which includes a larger rear spoiler, two-spoke sports door mirrors and lowered suspension, to enhance the vehicle’s sporting prowess.
“Priced at £500 fully fitted, the Sports Aero kit will be available in Mazda showrooms from March 2007, and we expect around 70 per cent of Mazda 3 MPS buyers will opt for this pack. Over time we expect all Mazda 3 MPS models in the UK to feature the Sports Styling Pack as standard.”
A choice of four body colours will be available – two micas (Black and Cosmic Blue), one metallic (Sunlight Silver) and one solid (True Red) – and every model will sport 18-inch diameter, 7-inch wide 10-spoke aluminium alloy wheels as standard.
Mazda targets User-Choosers with Performance ‘super-hatch’
Refined and sophisticated, the new Mazda 3 MPS is the complete antithesis of the boy‑racer hot-hatch and will give both private and company car drivers the ultimate ‘Zoom‑Zoom’ experience in a compact package – taking the already potent performance of the current range-topping Mazda3 2.0i Sport model to an extraordinary new level.
“The Mazda 3 MPS takes our brand’s Zoom-Zoom philosophy beyond our sports cars and applies that same spirit and performance to a model which has appeal to a much broader audience,” continued Lindley. “The Mazda 3 has always been praised for its driving dynamics, handling and road holding and clearly has a chassis that can handle more power.
“Typical of Mazda’s engineering ethos, the Mazda 3 MPS is a very complete package – not just in terms of its enhanced powertrain and chassis upgrades, but also with regard to its very high level of standard equipment. And alongside sensational performance it will of course retain the accessibility, practicality, reliability and build quality of its sister models.
“British motorists have had a long-term love affair with hot-hatches and our Mazda 3 MPS ‘super-hatch’ will offer them an unbeatable combination of performance, refinement, equipment, value and exclusivity,” concluded Lindley.
The exciting Mazda 3 MPS is Mazda's highest performance hatchback and it gives fleet decision‑makers, company and private car drivers the opportunity to choose an alternative to the performance car offerings from prestigious European marques. With its exhilarating dynamics, practicality and unrivalled performance, the new Mazda 3 MPS is the ultimate expression of ‘Zoom-Zoom’ driving excitement in a sophisticated super-hatch.