Derrick Ambrose | CorkSport Mazda Performance Blog

April 24, 2015September 27, 2023

The New CorkSport Mazda 3 Rear Motor Mount

Feel like your SkyActiv-powered Mazda is lacking a bit of throttle response and driver feedback?

We hear you, that’s why we’re introducing the all new CorkSport Race Rear Motor Mount for 2014+ Mazda 3 and Mazda 6, as well as 2013+ Mazda CX-5.

Manufactured from 6061-T6 aluminum and anodized, the CorkSport Race RMM is strong, durable, and lightweight. What truly sets the CorkSport Race RMM apart from the competition goes to the 70a polyurethane. This RMM does not use polyurethane inserts that can loosen up and degrade. The 70a polyurethane is poured directly into the mount for a permanent bond with the aluminum body and bushing collar.

More than a handful of prototypes have been tested to ensure that the product arriving at your door is the very best it can be. We tested different durometer polyurethane from 60a to 80a (as well as different bushing sizes) to find the maximum improvement of throttle response and driver feedback without excessive noise, vibration, and harshness. Check out one of the prototypes below.

Now you might be thinking: “How does a motor mount improve throttle response and driver feedback?” In FWD vehicles it is typical for the engine to be oriented in a transverse layout. This means the engine is parallel to the axle centerline, whereas in a longitudinal layout (typical of V8’s and RWD vehicles) the engine is perpendicular to the axle centerline. Anyway, the engine/transmission applies a rotational force (torque) to the drive shafts, in turn rotating the wheels/tires forward.

“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” – Newton’s third law of motion.

The amount of torque applied to the wheels is equal and opposite to what is applied to the engine itself, but what keeps the engine from just rotating? Enter the engine mounts. Unfortunately, the OEM engine mounts are very soft, so the engine is able to move and rotate substantially while driving. This makes for a very plush ride inside the cab, but sacrifices throttle response, driver feedback, and really the general driving experience. Replacing the RMM drastically reduces the amount of rotation the engine is allowed which in turn forces more of the engine’s torque to the tires sooner instead of just rotating the engine in the engine bay. This holds true for any action that affects the engine: throttle inputs, up-shifting, down-shifting…etc.

Improve your vehicle’s performance with the CorkSport Race RMM, and pair it up with the CorkSport Short Shift Plate and Shifter Bushings for the ultimate performance package!

-Barett, CS Engineering

April 22, 2015December 18, 2017

The Mazda Sedan You Definitely Haven’t Heard Of

Who wants a small, practical, cheap, gas efficient car?

Everyone, right?

If that’s really true we will point you towards the new Mazda 2 that should be available in the USA in just a short amount of time. We think it’s a great-looking car that will be fun to drive and easy on the gas budget.

The problem with the Mazda 2, though, is that people seem to love sedans in the USA. Why? I’m not sure. The practicality of a hatchback seem to far outweigh any benefit (Maybe looks? Maybe?) of the sedan. Hatches have more storage room, more headroom, more trunk space, and get the same exact gas mileage usually. Nonetheless, we have proven again and again that we prefer sedans in America, so what do you do?

The answer is simple: Buy a Scion.

Buy a Scion? Really? Why would a Mazda performance parts company tell me to buy a Scion!?

Easy: The new Scion iA is actually just a Mazda 2 that is a sedan version and re-badged as a Scion. According to jalopnik.com, “This iA is actually more Mazda than Toyota, based on Mazda’s SkyActiv platform and sharing a lot of its guts with the new Mazda 2.”

It sure looks like a small Mazda 3, and the fact that it will be badged Scion is a good thing! Not only does this mean that you can essentially buy a Mazda 2 Sedan that Mazda won’t be offering in the US officially, but it has two other aspects that we really like.

One, a partnership between Toyota/Scion and Mazda means that hopefully the iA can use all the same parts we develop for the Mazda 2. This means we should reach a new audience that wouldn’t typically be aware of our parts.
Two, a partnership between Toyota/Scion and Mazda means that Mazda should be selling more cars, even if it is under the name Scion and through a partnership. This means extra revenue and thus, more money to put toward cars like the next Mazdaspeed or Rotary. Mazda has always been a smaller player in the automotive world and so a partnership to get more people in a “Mazda” (even if they are buying it as a Scion) will benefit the brand overall and bring more money to them. This is a win-win we believe!

So keep an eye out! This could be one of the next big sellers, and you can be “in-the-know” that Mazda will be selling a Sedan Mazda 2 badged Scion.

Cheers,

Spencer

Sources:

https://www.cars.com/articles/why-scion-picked-mazda-to-build-the-ia-1420680343797/

https://jalopnik.com/the-scion-ia-a-cheap-catfish-faced-sedan-that-may-jus-1694912877

April 9, 2015December 17, 2018

The New CorkSport 2010-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Radiator Panel

Who said engine bays don’t need to be customized?

Introducing the CorkSport Core Support Cover for 2010-2013 Mazdaspeed 3! This new radiator panel can clean up your engine bay, and make it pop, with just a 30-minute installation.

Guaranteed to be a perfect fit, this radiator panel was designed using a 3D coordinate measuring arm and CAD modeling software. The 3D arm is used to gather the exact measurements of the vehicle and then inputs those measurements directly into our CAD modeling software. From there, we designed a prototype and began the iterative test and fit process.

Each piece is CNC laser cut from a 5052 aluminum sheet and powder-coated with a durable textured finish. This finish is resistant to scratching, chipping, color fade, and has a satin look to it, which can make your whole engine bay as stunning as the rest of your Mazdaspeed 3.

And did we mention the best part? It only takes a few minutes to install, adding an extra level of detail that every Mazda head deserves. Our radiator panel is currently available in ruby red and charcoal black, order yours today, here.

-Derrick, CS

April 3, 2015April 3, 2015

Track Day at the Oregon Raceway Park

Last weekend I experienced my first track day ever, and quite frankly it was awesome. I didn’t really know what to expect because I only knew autocross and track in the context of a Formula SAE race car. In short: Ripping around a track at 100mph is far more exciting than ripping around a cone at 35mph.

Oregon Raceway Park (ORP) is located in Grass Valley, OR in the rolling hills just south of the gorge—also know as “BFN.” Now, that’s not intended to be a negative, just an observation. The location of the track is open and beautiful, which you’ll see in the following images. It’s a bit of a drive, but oh: So worth it.

OK, back to the track. The image below is the terrain track map with the descriptions of each straightaway, turn, and associated components of a fully functional road race course. 16 turns make up this beautiful 2.3 mile loop that has as many elevation changes as a roller coaster.

At the Track

So what was my first track day experience like?

First, let me provided some background information. My car is a 2009 Mazdaspeed 3 with CorkSport springs/struts, RSB, and a handful of goodies under the hood. That’s all great, but most important to a race car are brakes and tires, and mine are lackluster to say the least. OEM calipers and rotors with some old P ZERO NERO All Seasons are not the best combination for a track day, but that wasn’t going to stop me.

The track day was put on by ORP and Team Continental. The instructors were top notch, and the officials made the event a complete success. The actual event was a High Performance Driving Education (HPDE) with 4 levels ranging from beginner to licensed racing driver, each racing in separate sessions.

A Little Advice

My first suggestion: Get off your high horse and go to an event that provides you with an instructor. I’ll admit, I signed up for the intermediate level HPDE because I thought I had enough experience from autocrossing. Fortunately, the officials running the event kicked me down to the beginner level, which requires an instructor. Mine, Brian, ended up being a wealth of knowledge. He knew the ORP track extremely well, and as a bonus, he had a Ford Focus RS, so he understood the FWD issues I would be facing.

Next suggestion: Don’t be afraid to go off track, but do be cautious of it. ORP is very forgiving for noobs, as there wasn’t anything to hit off track; but plenty of tracks out there are not at all forgiving. Below, you can see one of the Nator OR guys, Vincent Pham, doing a little off road adventure after coming into a corner too hot. He got his MS3 stopped, then waited for a clearing in traffic and continued on. No harm, no foul. I’m guilty of this as well. I went completely off track once in turn 16, and I still drove my car home.

My last piece of advice: Go with your buddies! There is nothing more rewarding than passing your buddy in the straightaway and him giving you the one finger salute. Below is a handful of the Nator OR members, and one of the track officials.

All right, one more suggestion: Have fun! That’s why we do this, right? Don’t get frustrated with your driving or your car’s performance, because then you stop having fun. My car was probably one of the more powerful Speeds there, but I had by far the worst tires and most faded brakes holding me back. I decided to focus on my lines and being smooth instead of going for the best lap time I could. My results: Best lap of 2:07 and a day I’ll never forget.

Track Day Outcomes

I highly recommend you participate in a track day, even if you’re only a smidgeon interested. There are two possible outcomes from participating in a track day:

First, you have a good time, but decide one track day in your life was enough. There’s nothing wrong with that, because your daily driving will be improved from just a few hours on the track. Pushing your car on the track lets you find you and your car’s limits, so you’ll be better at assessing and controlling an emergency situation on a public road.

Second, and most likely, you become hooked just like me. You begin scheduling family events around track days, going through tires and brakes like they grow on trees, and calculating your fuel mileage in smiles per gallon. Do yourself a favor as a car enthusiast and participate in the next local track day. I promise you will love it!

Oh! And check out the video below I made from my last session at ORP.

March 30, 2015

2015 Recap of Our New Mazda Parts

Increase your Mazdaspeed's handling and style with this new leather steering wheel.

With April just around the corner, we’re a quarter of the way through 2015, and it’s already been a great year for new Mazda parts. Things will only get more exciting when we release our turbocharger (soon, soon: good things take time), but we’re really happy with the inventory we’ve added in the past three months:

2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 Adjustable Short Shifter

You don’t need to feel stuck with the OEM anymore. Our double-adjustable short shifter for the 2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 allows you to personalize throw distance and shift knob height (up to 2 1/4″ in height reduction!). See the video, full specs, and design with the link above. You know you need this.

Mazdaspeed Boost Control Solenoid

Your Blow-Off Valve can’t do all the work. That’s why we developed the Mazdaspeed Electronic Boost Control Solenoid for ya: An EBCS that uses the latest solenoid technology to build boost faster and minimize boost spikes and creep. To feel the difference in horsepower for yourself, just click on that link to buy yours today.

2006-2007 Mazdaspeed 6 Upper Control Arms

The next suspension mod for your 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed 6 is here. Our adjustable front camber arms help you balance your tires and grip as you perfect your cornering performance on the track—then adjust back to your ideal degree for city driving. These pair nicely with our front strut bar for the Mazdaspeed 6.

Leather Shift Knob for Mazdas

Want some style to go with that new short shifter? We’ve got you covered. Our embroidered and hand-stitched leather shift knob weighs 320 grams, improving gear-changing smoothness and making you feel more connected to the transition. Whatever Mazda you drive, you need this knob.

2006-2007 Mazdaspeed 6 Rear Brake Pads

Get ready to brake in a whole new way. These Mazdaspeed 6 rear brake pads use our proprietary semi-metallic and ceramic formula to improve your braking power and handling. With a smooth feel, low dust, and less brake fade than the usual standard, you need these—and some new front pads while you’re at it!

2010-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Hood Scoop

Increase your performance and step up your look with our latest hood scoop for the 2010-2013 Mazdaspeed 3. With a 52% larger opening than the OEM hood scoop and a mirror-like finish, you’re going to turn heads while increasing the cold air inflow to your top mount intercooler.

2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 Steering Wheel

Last (er, most recently) but not least: Our hand wrapped and stitched leather steering wheel for the Gen 1 Mazdaspeed 3 and Mazda 3! As our engineer Barett wrote in a recent post, if you’ve been on the fence about performance steering wheels, this is going to blow you over. But act fast. There’s a limited availability of these beauties.