We know CX-7 owners do not get a lot of attention from Mazda aftermarket performance companies and can often times be overlooked when it comes to performance parts that would otherwise be considered a standard offering for DISI engine Mazda vehicles.
With that said, CorkSport is happy to provide a little love for the CX-7 family with the release of the all new CorkSport Mazda CX-7 Air Box.
Designed specifically for the Mazda CX7, the CorkSport CX-7 Air Box for CorkSport SRI provides protection from the hot underhood air of the engine bay while adding additional access to ambient air temperatures, resulting in greatly reduced temperatures in and around your SRI for less heat soak and more power.
The CorkSport Mazda CX7 Cold Air Box for CorkSport SRI connects to the air induction scoop and can be further modified with an additional opening that can be connected to piping leading to the fenderwell.
The CX-7 Air Box is easy to install allowing customers to quickly upgrade their SRI and get the added advantage that comes with a CAI without the pressure drops inherent to longer intake piping.
For more information or to purchase today, please visit our online catalog at www.corksport.com
Product Release! CorkSport Mazda CX-7 Airbox August 28th, 2012Derrick Ambrose
CorkSport is pleased to announce the all new CorkSport Short Shift Plate designed specifically for the Mazdaspeed 6!
CorkSport’s Mazdaspeed 6 Short Shift Plate has been designed to provide a 33% reduction in shift throw for more spirited driving. The unique design of our shift plate provides maximum benefit to Mazdaspeed 6 drivers by changing the geometry at the shifter end to remove the feeling of synchros where it is most noticeable, in gears one and two, and bolts directly to the car eliminating the need to bolt to the factory or an aftermarket counterweight.
Unlike some of the other shift plates on the market today, because the CorkSport Mazdaspeed 6 Shift Plate installs on the shifter end of the transmission, it eliminates any possibility of binding or rubbing on the shift links that shift plates installed at the transmission end may cause. It also makes installation a breeze, taking just 15-20 minutes install, allowing for customers to quickly transition back and forth between the factory shifter to short shifter if they so desire.
Made from precision machined steel plate with a powder coated black finish, the CorkSport Mazdaspeed 6 Short Shift Plate is built for lasting durability and good looks. It comes with all the needed hardware, full color installation instructions, and is backed by CorkSport’s full two year warranty.
The CorkSport Mazdaspeed 6 Short Shift Plate is available at www.corksport.com
Product Release! CorkSport Mazdaspeed 6 Short Shift Plate January 13th, 2020Derrick Ambrose
When CorkSport set out to develop a Cold Air Intake (CAI) we took several things into consideration. First and most obviously, we wanted the CAI to make more power over stock and allow for free-flowing air into the intake chamber. The factory intake overall on the Mazdaspeed 3 is chock-full of poor bends and choke points. Just by changing the filter section, you can get a large increase in horsepower and when coupled with an aftermarket turbo inlet pipe that runs between the intake section and the turbo, the increase is even greater.
The new Stage III CorkSport Power Series Cold Air Intake does just that by replacing the factory airbox with a cold pipe intake system to dramatically reduce intake restrictions and provide an impressive improvement in power throughout the entire engine’s RPM range. During initial testing the CorkSport Stage III Cold Air Intake for 2010+ Mazdaspeed 3 saw a 10-12% increase in power and torque when tested against the stock intake system.
Next, we thought about the best intake system to run in all weather conditions and came up with a system that is convertible between a short ram intake and a cold air intake. This gives customers an optimal set-up for their intake system year-round. During the warmer months, a cold air intake can be run which will suck air from the fender liner instead of the hot engine bay where a short ram intake would be situated. While testing, we saw differences of up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the moderate climate of the northwest. This could be higher in other parts of the country that hit much higher temperatures. While driving the engine bay is not much warmer than outside but while you sit the engine bay becomes very warm. Moving the intake to the fender liner pulls air that is not in the engine bay so the air is much cooler.
Then during the cooler rainy and snowy months, you can switch out your CAI with the Stage I or Stage II SRI intake just by quickly and easily removing a pipe and moving the filter location. With the SRI set-up the path to the turbo is greatly decreased and there is almost no chance of sucking up water during the wet months making it ideal for cold, rainy weather.
Finally, we compared our product to the competition on the market. We purchased a popular competitor Cold Air intake and did a head-to-head test, of their intake against ours on the dyno. We also attempted to verify the competition’s claims of a 33hp gain. The below graph shows the results. The red line is the Stage III Corksport Cold Air Intake with Turbo Inlet Pipe, green line is the Corksport Cold Air Intake without turbo inlet pipe and the pink line is the popular competitors Cold Air Intake.
Notice the peak power is almost the same between the CorkSport’s two intake set-up’s but there is a massive increase in mid-range power and torque with the optional turbo inlet pipe. If you look at the competitor’s results compared to the Corksport intake, you will notice the lines stay together for a while before diverging slightly in the mid-range and top-end. Both intakes show improvements over stock but the CorkSport Intake shows slightly more mid-range and upper rpm power and torque.
The Corksport Stage III Intake that comes with optional turbo inlet pipe shows the most gains overall being at some points 7% more efficient than the popular competitors. The turbo inlet pipe is also not offered by the competition making the upgrade to the full system a perfect choice for those that want the most efficient system posible. At no point could we duplicate the +33hp gain or roughly 15% improvement claimed by this competitor.
The CorkSport Cold Air Intake can be purchased as a standalone performance part and includes our precision machined MAF housing made from billet aluminum with included air straightener, durable dry flow air filter, mandrel bent aluminum cold pipe and custom reinforced silicone connectors. It is also available as an upgrade kit for current customers with a CorkSport Stage I or Stage II Short Ram Intake with included mandrel bent aluminum cold pipe and custom reinforced silicone connector and optional Turbo Inlet Pipe.
The kit is available to purchase in powder-coated black or polished aluminum with any combination of red, blue, or black fliter and silicone connectors and the choice of polished aluminum or stealth black T-bolt clamps to truly customize the look of your engine bay.
To find out more or purchase a CorkSport Cold Air Intake today, please visit the CorkSport catalog online today at www.corksport.com or call 360-260-CORK.
Product Release! CorkSport Cold Air Intake for the 2010+ Mazdaspeed 3 August 21st, 2023Derrick Ambrose
I’m Dave or piggy as my mates call me (Long story). My fiancé, Caroline and our two year old son Jason are my life, modding is my obsession.
I’ve always loved cars beginning with an apprenticeship as a mechanic for Peugeot for a couple of years then later in life a year in commercial mechanics, followed by 18 months as an assistant manager at a car modifying superstore. I most recently spent eight years as a parts specialist for Mercedes Benz.
I own a Gen 2 Mica Black Mazda 3 MPS (Mazdaspeed). I was originally going to buy an RX8 (a very popular car here and are cheap) but the parts that are available are generally body kits and wheels and I loved the look of the Gen 2 Mazdaspeed 3, mainly because of the bonnet scoop (although I’d love to get my hands on a raised scoop! hint hint CS).
There are literally about 5 companies in the UK that have any clue how to tune Gen 1 or Gen 2 Mazdaspeed 3’s and even fewer companies that sell parts for them. This is actually the second time I’ve modified this car. The first time the company that did the map messed it up and we couldn’t figure out what was wrong so I took it back to standard and started again at great cost because I sold all the parts. Now I have a full CorkSport build and could not be happier with the result.
The power gains are very noticeable even without the re-map. The tuner even said it’s a very good setup. The ram air intake breaths really well and the tubo spool packs a harder punch once the boost comes in. I’ve not had a dyno run yet, but 320hp is roughly what it has with the set-up.
Usually a steering wheel will have some play, allowing you to move the steering wheel an inch left and right while driving and nothing happens but that’s gone giving me a much sharper response. Now I can feel the car taking a corner so much better and I have a much greater idea of what the car is doing when I corner. The ride is much firmer so not for the faint hearted. The mods take away the factory smooth and comfortable ride and give you a sharp responsive car with much more grip.
Then of course there is the styling which I decided to go with a red and black theme on the outside and a blue theme under the hood.
Just placed 3rd in the ultimate street cars online voting and 4th at the main show @ Santa pod raceway losing out by one point to 3rd. 1st was a tuned RS focus with massive ice install and dripping with carbon fibre. My next event will be the 2nd of September, Trax at Silver Stone.
My next mods will be CS Oil Catch Can,CorkSport Eyelids, and CorkSport Rear Camber Arms. I am planning an ice install already have vibe space twin 12″ subs are 3000 watt a piece. Carbon dipped alloys 8.5J (if they’ll fit) so I can plant the power and I’m also looking to upgrade the discs and pads all round.
I have had a lot of different cars including a jdm Subaru sti 6 but once I saw the gen2 speed3 i was hooked and for price, you can’t beat them. I am an active member on mpsowners.co.uk and my car club is freshadditions.co.uk. If you wanna chat about parts I’ve fitted then add me on Facebook, Dave Corksport Higson or ask CorkSport for my email address.
Dave-
CorkSport Across the Pond – Dave Higson’s Gen2 Mazdaspeed 3 Build September 13th, 2018Derrick Ambrose
It’s not everyday you get a dyno. Not all dynos are created equal and not all dynos read the same. After a little bit of research we decided on a Dynotech, a widely recognized chassis dynamometer. Dynotech uses a large drum of mass to measure the amount of force a car can exert on it. It takes this information and calculates the horsepower and torque of the vehicle. In order to do this calculation it also needs a tach signal. The reason for this is that the calculation is a relationship at given rpms. (HP = Torque x RPM ÷ 5252)
The true torque of a motor can only be seen at the engine as torque is a relationship of distance from the center line of the crankshaft. If the transmission was truly 1:1 you could measure this at the wheels but since most transmissions have no gears that are exactly 1:1, we chose a gear that is close to 1:1. This gear is generally 3rd or 4th. As an example the mazdaspeed 3 uses gearing of 1st 3.21, 2nd 1.91, 3rd 1.37, 4th 1.03, 5th 0.95, 6th 0.79. As you can see 4th gear is the closest to 1:1.
The dyno dynamics dyno we chose uses an electromagnetic force to measure power. This makes the unit smaller and more portable. It also makes the dyno able to change loads. You can literally apply a certain load and very the rpms or very the load and keep the same rpm. This is great for load based tuning and limits the need for a “Road Tune” as you can create real life conditions on a dyno.
The downfall of the dyno dynamics is that it is often called a heart breaker dyno. The actual reported numbers are some of the lowest numbers out of any dyno. This fact makes it important to understand that increases in power should always be measured in percentages. That way when you compare numbers, the percentage gained should be about the same while the increase in actual value might be less. You can see this below in the graphs.
The lower powers are with a stock Mazdaspeed3 and the higher values are with the exact same mods. The left dynojet graph shows a 30hp difference at one point . This is about a 14% increase in power. If you dyno the same modifications on the dyno dynamics and you see about 25hp difference which is also a 14% difference. Even though the dynos show a 5hp peak difference we know the modifications increased the same amount of power. This is shown in the percentage difference. Horsepower numbers can be shown to be a higher value but the percentage should always be similar. A point not missed when we recently dyno’ed a mazdaspeed3 that made almost 700whp (~+206%) on a dynojet but 580whp (~+204%) on our dyno dynamics. The percentage change was the same but peak difference was massive.
With the power of our new dyno literally at our fingertips, we have complete control over the test and the demands placed on the vehicle. Utilizing the dynotech software will allow us to evaluate the entire drive-train condition for the purpose of all-out performance development. Stay tuned for more rock solid, well engineered products that will take your Mazda to the next level.
Brydon-
Dyno Differences and Understandings August 15th, 2012Derrick Ambrose
