Derrick Ambrose | CorkSport Mazda Performance Blog

August 24, 2023October 23, 2024

The Wait is Over for the 2021+ Mazda Turbo Downpipe V2

Fits Models Mazda 3, CX-30, CX-50

Unleash the potential and growl from your car and take the step forward into more power! A full 80mm Turbo Back exhaust is now possible with CorkSport’s new Catted Turbo Downpipe for the 2021+ 4^th Gen Mazda3 Turbo (as well as CX30 & CX50 Turbo Models)!

Our downpipe uses a two-piece design, making installation easy without the need to wrestle with a single large, cumbersome pipe. The Downpipe starts with a high-flowing cast 304 Stainless Steel Bellmouth, then joins the 80mm mandrel-bent piping with a V-band connection for a leak-free seal.

We used 3D scan data from the OEM downpipe when designing our CS pipe, which means fitment is just like OEM and the CorkSport Downpipe will fit with any aftermarket Cat-back exhaust system, or even OEM!

Best Downpipe for the 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo

An updated high-flow catalytic converter is utilized in our V2 downpipe. Our V1 downpipe used a Euro 3 300cel catalyst that showed mixed results with check engine lights (CELs). Our new and improved V2 unit uses a Euro 6, 500cel catalyst for the best in emissions control while minimizing those pesky CELs. Euro 6 is (generally speaking) a more strict set of emission parameters than in the USA. We also went for a more dense catalyst (500cel), which, when combined with an upsized 5” diameter, showed no significant power difference from the V1 300cel or even a fully catless prototype unit (catless not available).

The updated catalyst has shown no check engine lights through our testing. We cannot guarantee no CELs as testing all possible climates, driving conditions, local fuels, elevations, and any and all combinations of these is nigh on impossible! However, we are happy to report no CELs through ~10 months and ~14,000 miles of driving!

Do I Need A Tune?

Addressing the other elephant in the room: Tuning. We highly recommend getting a tune after installing the 80mm downpipe as there are very strict airflow limits in the stock tune that severely limit power. This will result in some mild stutters, surging, or “hiccups” at wide-open throttle. This does not do any damage as it is simply a very conservative safety limit for stock components.

With more flow-efficient parts (i.e upgraded intakes , Turbo Inlet Pipe, and exhaust systems), these limits are being reached much easier and the ECU will limit the power output of the engine. The vehicle will be drivable on the stock tune and still give you an aggressive growl out of your 2.5T!

Here you can see the power gains with a fully-bolted Mazda 3 Turbo that is tuned vs stock downpipe and stock tuning.

Dyno information for the Mazda catted downpipe — Dynograph of the Mazda 3 Turbo Downpipe with CorkSport CBE, TIP/SRI – Tuned vs Stock Downpipe + CorkSport CBE, TIP/SRI – Stock tune.

Each Downpipe kit comes with a complete pack of all the hardware and gaskets needed for installation. This includes:

New turbo studs and crimp nuts
Stainless Steel V-band Clamp
Exhaust connection hardware
Remflex exhaust gasket
Custom headshield and mounting hardware

Be sure to check out the CorkSport Mazda Catted Downpipe for more images, pricing, and installation instructions.

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August 16, 2023August 23, 2023

Mazda 3 TC Bodywork

We (CorkSport) showed off our work-in-progress TC America TC Class Mazda 3 race car at the CorkSport Mazda Showdown event on August 5th. If you are asking yourself why this is a big deal and why I am reading a blog post about it, here’s the explanation.

On October 1st, 2019, Mazda announced they would join the TCR ranks with the car attending the 2020 season opener at Daytona with IMSA. The bodywork was excellent; it captured the body lines and presented an absolute WOW factor!

Unfortunately, the car was a no-show at the first round or any round scheduled in 2020. On August 15th, Emily Taylor from Mazda announced they had canceled the TCR program, citing the coronavirus as the explanation.

What About The Body Kit?

So what happened to everything from Mazda’s race program, and why is the bodywork a big deal? There were two sets of original molds made for the bodywork. The 1st set of molds went to the constructor Long Road Racing, and the second set sat at Mazda’s design center in Irvine, California.

The molds in Irvine were the first set made off of TCR “Show Car” bodywork and were not production-ready. The “Show Car” Mazda used for their 2019 announcement and future marketing campaigns wasn’t an actual race car. It was a production car with the bodywork on it, but the engine & drivetrain was stock.

CorkSport has been racing a 3rd generation Mazda 3 in the TC class for several years as the development tool for the Skyactiv Turbo kit we offer.

When running in a professional series, the series works with manufacturers and wants the newest models competing on the track to keep the series fresh and relevant for marketing for both the auto manufacturer and the race series. The last 3^rd Gen Mazda rolled off the production line in early 2018, making our race car over a year old when the TCR program was announced and over two years old when the program was canceled.

We needed to race the 4^th Gen Mazda 3s to keep competing in TC America,

The Journey For the Mazda 3 TCR Kit

This may seem like an exaggeration, but I spent over 200 hours on the phone, in meetings, writing emails, and talking with employees, ex-employees, and contractors that Mazda used to chase down where the bodywork went, who was ultimately in charge of it, and to see if we could get our hands on it.

Once I knew the molds still existed, additional meetings, phone calls, and emails were required before signing an, “OK, we will consider it. Your plan and history jive with a company (CorkSport) that can use the parts and provides a benefit to Mazda.” type of agreement. During this time, I learned the first set of molds had been destroyed, making the motorsports molds the only set left.

In October 2022, snagging the TCR bodywork molds became a strong possibility. I was headed to Texas to drop off some racing equipment to a friend. I decided to leave my truck and trailer in Texas since the bodywork molds were now located on the East Coast. If Mazda agreed we could pick up the molds in the next few months, the truck and trailer would already be halfway there.

December 12th, 2022, Mazda gave me the green light to gain access to the molds after several more phone calls, ZOOM meetings, and agreements were made. I flew back to Texas and headed to Multimatic in Mooresville, NC, to complete this epic quest. After one very long drive, including a massive ice storm, and making it home on Christmas Eve, Mazda’s TCR molds were at CorkSport.

Since then we have been planning and slowly building the new TC Car – We cannot thank Mazda Motorsports enough for choosing to partner with us as we continue to shape our racing program!

The body kit is thick and the ride height was not adjusted prior to the reveal .

Rear wing is not to racing spec and was added temporarily to represent what it
might look like in the future – rear window will eventually be plexiglass.

Are These The Real Thing?

A common question that will get asked is, “I have seen the Mazda 3 TCR kit overseas, how is what you have the real thing?” Well, my friends, Technology and replication are a wonderful thing.

I asked the same question about the hill climb machine that TCP put together for Mike. If you compare the kits, you can see there are some differences in the kits with the aero, brake cooling, grill area, and more.

It was unofficially stated there were body scans done of the show car with Mazda Japan and those are the results. I cannot speak about the Thailand car but a handheld scanner and some import auto salon are my best guess.

Look forward to more updates on our build over the next several months, This is going to be fun!

-Derrick

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August 1, 2023August 10, 2023

Improve Handling for Your 4th Gen Mazda 3 Hatch with the Rear Hatch Brace

Looking to elevate the handling of your Gen 4 Mazda 3 Hatch to new levels? If that is the case then you may be interested in the new CorkSport Rear Hatch Brace. The 4^th GEN Mazda 3 Rear Hatch Brace (aka Rear Strut Brace) is designed for any 2019+ Mazda 3 Hatchback Turbo & non-Turbo model and is a must-have for those wanting to improve chassis stiffness. If you already have CorkSport’s Front Tower Bar, Rear Motor Mount, or Rear Sway Bar installed, this will be the perfect complement for your 2019+ Mazda 3 Hatchback.

We actually introduced this back in April 2023 with a Tech Blog that you can check out here. Now here is the final product!

The Need For A Rear Hatch Brace

First, let’s start by addressing why the CS Mazda 3 Rear Hatch Brace is only available for the hatch and not the sedan as well. One of the main benefits of a hatch is that you get ~50% more cargo area than what the sedan offers. This makes it very practical for day-to-day use and road trips but does come with some tradeoffs. The one that is most relevant to us as car enthusiasts is the removal of the support structure that is behind the rear seats. This support structure helps the chassis to better resist flexing and twisting. Since this support structure is missing in the hatch, it results in lower performance when comparing chassis rigidity. This is where the CorkSport Rear Hatch Brace comes into play and leads to an increase in the torsional rigidity of your Mazda 3 hatch, so you get even better handling characteristics

The Mazda 3 Rear Hatch Brace Has 2 Configurations

Mazda 3 hatchback rear reinforcement bar

Available in two configurations, you can choose just how aggressive of a setup you want. Even if you start with the Stage 1, you can always upgrade to the Stage 2 down the road and carry over the parts you already have. Below we’ll get into more specifics of why you should consider picking up the CorkSport Rear Hatch Brace for your Mazda 3 Hatch.

Stage 1 – Single Top Cross-Bar

Stage 2 – Top Cross-bar with Triangulate Lower Bars & Lower Mount

The Components of the RHB

The CorkSport RHB is made up of two main types of components, the first being the brackets and the other the cross bar/s. The brackets are made out of 3/16in thick carbon steel so the cross bars have a rock-solid base to mount to. The cross bars on the other hand are made from 0.083in wall rectangular carbon steel tubing to provide a strong connection between the brackets. Both brackets and the crossbar get powder coated in textured black to provide a look that will blend in with the interior to give you an OEM look and feel.

Functional and Stylish Hardware

Connecting everything is stainless steel hardware, but not just your boring hex head bolts. Being a centerpiece of your hatchback, we wanted the hardware to not just be functional, but look great. To do that we used countersink head screws with conical washers to give a clean and purposeful look to the CS Rear Hatch Brace and your Mazda 3 Turbo.

Rear Hatch Brace hardware for the Mazda 3 Turbo

Thanks for checking out the CorkSport Rear Hatch Brace for the 4^th Gen Mazda 3 hatchback! If you want to add this mod to your Mazda and get all the benefits discussed above, be sure to head over to the product page for more details.

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July 12, 2023March 5, 2024

5 Reasons You Need The Cold Air Box Intake System for the 2019+ Mazda 3 Non-Turbo

The CorkSport Cold Air Box for the 2019+ Mazda 3 has finally arrived! Long awaited since the introduction of the CorkSport Short Ram Intake for the non-Turbo Mazda 3, CX30 and CX50; the Cold Air Box is ready to team up with your SRI and give you the increased performance from cooler ambient air that you’ve been looking for.

Installed for the Best Cold Air Intake Box

Designed For Performance

Designed specifically for the non-turbo models in conjunction with the CorkSport Short Ram Intake; this creates a complete performance cold air intake system that bolts in with ease.

To maximize potential airflow AND keep the hot engine bay air away from the intake we incorporated the OEM intake snorkel and opened the airbox end to take in cooler ambient air from the fender area.

Mazda 3 2019 and newer cold air intake box

Here you can see the open end of the CorkSport Airbox providing full airflow to the filter from the fender area and the opening on the front of the airbox for the snorkel to interface. The result is maximum airflow and minimal hot air from the engine and radiator.

Tested & Approved

To validate this design we did on car testing in real-world situations. Below you will see a graph showing air intake temperature of the CorkSport SRI only vs the CorkSport SRI + Cold Air Box. Both tests use the same car and begin testing with an up-to-temp car in approximately 80 degF sunny weather.

Cold Air Intake Data for the Mazda CS Air Box

The testing starts with a 5 minute idle period to simulate sitting in traffic or staging line at a drag race. This is the “heat soaking” that is so commonly mentioned in social media channels. After that, the car is moderately accelerated to 50mph which pushes fresh ambient air into the intake snorkel and fender area. You can see that in both stationary and moving testing, the cold air box keeps intake air temperatures cooler by approximately 10 degF.

CorkSport Installed on CX30 Cold Air Box

Efficient & Responsive

Is a cold air box necessary for your Mazda already equipped with the CorkSport Short Ram Intake? No, but the cold air box WILL help your engine breathe easier, run more efficiently and feel more powerful and responsive in all driving situations. It will help make your Mazda even more fun to drive, which is why we all do this!

Built CS Strong

Now let’s talk about the construction of the CorkSport Airbox. CAD designed and manufactured via a rotor molding process allows us to create very unique shapes that can fit in the engine bay. The material is XDPE plastic that is very durable and resilient to engine bay temperatures and chemicals. In fact, it’s the same material we use for our Mazdaspeed Fender Fuel Cell and the 4^th GEN Mazda 3 Turbo Inlet Pipe. The translucent cover is a grey/brown tinted acrylic material that is durable and looks fantastic in the engine bay.

With the removable cover, servicing is super quick and easy, so you don’t have to remove the entire airbox just to clean your air filter.

CorkSport Care & Support

Lastly, like all CorkSport performance parts, you receive color step-by-step instructions, all the needed installation hardware, and support from our knowledgeable team at CS HQ. Thanks for checking out the latest and greatest from CorkSport!

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May 30, 2023September 21, 2023

CorkSport’s Best Mazdaspeed Coilover Kit Just Got Better

CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3 Coilovers are back and ready for your street and track Mazdaspeed 3 and Mazda 3! Taking the feedback from the previous generation of CS Coilovers and applying those to the new hotness has created a design that best balances performance for the street and track.

Best Mazdaspeed 3 Coilover Kit — The Best Mazdaspeed Coilovers We’ve Made

The new design has a handful of changes all meant to improve the driver experience, making it the best Mazdaspeed coilover we’ve made.

No longer using an inverted design, we opted for a more conventional, but performance-oriented monotube design with a pressure chamber. A monotube design was used for its superior damping response and precision vs a twin tube design. With that, we have increased the resolution of damping control from a 15-click range to a 30-click range giving you more fine-tuning control.

2013 Mazda 3 Upgraded Coilovers — Installed Mazdaspeed Coilover with CS Springs

Next, the fronts now have independent spring load and ride height adjustability. This gives you the ultimate control in spring setup and ride height without affecting each other to do so. This helps to keep suspension travel optimized within the damper and makes adjusting ride height simpler.

Coilover Suspension Mazdaspeed 3 — Swift Springs For Coilovers

Lastly, you may have noticed there are two different colored springs. We are offering two options for springs; CorkSport Red Coilover springs and Swift Spring upgrade. Even though there is no spring rate change for Swift, we still wanted to offer the option for those who swear by them. We suggest the daily driver opt for red springs and save money for some other goodies like Camber Arms, Toes Arms, or a Rear Swaybar. If you are wanting to push your car on the track, you may notice the Swift spring upgrade. Either way, you get to decide!

Talking about springs, we did “soften” the overall spring rates slightly per the requests of the community. For the balance of comfort and performance, we are using 6k fronts and 7k rear springs.

Now to the things that you already loved about the Mazdaspeed 3 Coilovers just get better! Included with the front strut assemblies are camber adjustable upper mounts so you can dial in your camber, wheels speed wiring harness brackets for OEM like installation and of course the needed rear hardware and adjustment wrenches.

Mazdaspeed 3 coilover kit bolt-on hardware

Now let’s chat about ride heights. While the CS coilovers are designed around handling, we can’t ignore the great visual boost that comes with lowering a car. The CS coilovers offer a large range of height adjustability. In the front, you can adjust the height from ~0.5” higher than OEM all the way down to ~2.0” lower than OEM (+0.5” to -2.0”). For the rear, you can go from ~0.25” higher than OEM all the way down to ~2.0” lower than OEM (+0.25” to -2.0”). This is 2.5” of total adjustability in the front and 2.25” of total adjustability in the rear.

Mazdaspeed 3 CS coilover max height 2 — Mazdaspeed 3 Coilover Maximum Ride Height

Mazdaspeed 3 CS coilover min height — Mazdaspeed 3 Minimum Ride Height

This is a great balance that allows for proper suspension function at low heights for those who want a stance look while also offering an OEM+ look for those that prefer a more subtle appearance. Don’t worry though, wherever you end up on the height range, the lowering does come with handling benefits as well, such as a lower center of gravity, decreased body roll, and improved driver confidence!

Mazda3 Performance Parts Suspension Upgrade

That wraps up the new CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3 Coilovers! Hope you are as excited about these for your Mazdaspeed as we are!

Now, what’s next on your list, a CorkSport Turbo or a massive 3.5″ turbo back exhaust?

Barett @ CS

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Fits Models Mazda 3, CX-30, CX-50

Do I Need A Tune?

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.

What About The Body Kit?

The Journey For the Mazda 3 TCR Kit

Are These The Real Thing?

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.

The Need For A Rear Hatch Brace

The Mazda 3 Rear Hatch Brace Has 2 Configurations

The Components of the RHB

Functional and Stylish Hardware

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.

Designed For Performance

Tested & Approved

Efficient & Responsive

Built CS Strong

CorkSport Care & Support

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.