Looking at the Mazda corporate news feed this morning the news of the Mexico plant producing its first vehicle prompted the REM song, “it’s the end of the world as we know it” to play in my head.
The plant is a Mexico plant (known as MMVO) which will be making the Mazda 2 and Mazda 3 for consumption in the US and other countries on this side of the planet. I have speculated in an earlier blog after Mazda announced that they would be building an engine plant there as well that we could see the CX5 and other vehicles being produced at the same location. With the goal of being able to produce 230,000 vehicles by 2016 there will be more than enough capacity to go into other models.
Granted I do have my hesitation about the vehicles being made there (in Mexico). Mazda is confident about the quality of the vehicles and they mentioned sending 150 of the plant engineers to Hiroshima for training in the production facilities there to make sure the product is consistent for the new plant. The same could be said for VW who produces vehicles in Mexico as well and there have been little rumors of those vehicles be inferior to the German made cars. Mazda does produce Mazda 2s and 3s in various plants around the planet like Thailand and Taiwan and the quality has been consistent from what I have heard over the years.
I am really pulling for Mazda to get this to work though, it will really help them be more profitable in the long run and help them out globally despite being one of the smaller car manufacturers that is independent.
Now the million dollar question, with the increased capacity, does this mean we have a better chance at getting a new Mazdaspeed 3 sooner than or later?
-Derrick
Is it the end of the world as we know it ? October 16th, 2017CorkSport
In the ongoing quest to make your Mazda more powerful, and fun to drive, we have developed many great aftermarket options.
The stock airbox and air intake on most Mazdas were designed for economy instead of power. The problem with using the stock filter and airbox is that it functions similar to breathing through a rag. The rag does a great job of keeping contaminants and dirt out, but it also requires extra effort to pull air in.
When you upgrade the intake to a CorkSport Short Ram Intake you remove the air stifling setup and finally breath freely. Suddenly, your car goes from an underpowered, oxygen lacking zombie, to the free breathing, throaty roar of increased horsepower and freedom.
If you are looking to start the year off right, and are ready to upgrade your intake system we can answer any questions on which option is best for your ride.
Want to start 2014 off with some extra power? How about just letting your Mazda breathe easy? Thankfully you can do both with one simple modification, the Short Ram Intake.
Designed using a proprietary semi-metallic and ceramic formula, CorkSport brake pads offer superior stopping capability without compromising wear and unlike other metallic brake pads on the market, do not require a “warm-up” period to perform to their full potential.
The CorkSport brake pads are a low dust solution that will help to keep your wheels nice and clean and this highly durable compound provides less fade on your brake pads. Made for superior performance in all weather conditions, the CorkSport brake padshave been thoroughly tested for endurance and braking power both on and off the track.
“Upgrading your brake pads will not only provide performance improvements for your Mazda, but provides added safety for your vehicle.” Said CorkSport owner and race car driver, Derrick Ambrose “Having driven on these pads extensively, I can say without a doubt that you will notice improved stopping performance and braking responsiveness with CorkSport brake pads on your vehicle”
CorkSport brake pads are warrantied against all defects from workmanship and materials, come with full color installation instructions, all of the needed installation hardware, and knowledgeable telephone installation support.
My first experience at an SCCA national championship run off was exciting and left me impatient for the next season to start. I arrived on Sunday night and unloaded the car from the transporter that Joey Jordan Motorsports graciously allowed us to use.
All of the Mazda 2s were able to pit together under the covered paddock (thanks to Mazdaspeed). We were positioned at corner 14 so we were treated to a great view of the track while we chatted each day.
On Monday I was way off the pace of the other B-Spec cars in practice. The best time I was able to get was a 3:00 flat and the fastest other B-Spec was running in the 2:55-2:57 range. This was my first time out on the track so I knew there would be some learning to do as a simulator can only do so much.
On Tuesday, during the first qualifying session a Mazda 2 was clipped in Canada Corner (turn 14) and flipped. It spun across the track and flipped back over in the gravel. The driver was ok and he hopped out saying something funny about his stunt driving. The car lost its windows and was cosmetically damaged but all of the safety equipment was still in great shape.
It took them only 3 days to get the car back together to pass tech before the race on Sunday, quite an amazing feat.
We continued to make changes on the CorkSport Mazda 2 through the week but there were quite a few black flagged sessions due to people crashing out on cold tires. I saw several cars destroyed by hitting the walls in corner 7 and the kink on the back straight.
On Saturday we decided to make some large scale changes to the car and see how they would help my warm-up STL race on Sunday. My goal was to get into the 2:58s for lap times so I would stand a chance of keeping up with the rest of the cars fighting it out for the lead. The changes worked like magic and I was able to get into the 2:57s. With a good lap time set we left the setup where it was and bolted a new set of tires on the car for the race.
I qualified in 8th place due to being off the pace on Tuesday and not getting a clean run on Wednesday and Thursday. The race was very intense, especially with the first lap cars going off the track. Joel Weinberg who was the pole sitter had his steering wheel come off in his hand and he hit the wall taking him out of the race in the first corner. I was able to pass one of the Honda Fits who missed the corner at turn 5, locked up his brakes and allowed me to move into 6th. There was also a wreck coming out of turn 7 where a few cars made contact and a Fiesta was destroyed when it hit the wall which moved me up to 5th. After a few laps the Mazda 2, which was involved in the wreck earlier, was able to get around me (he also set a new track record playing catch up with a 2:54). We did some bump drafting to try to get past the 4th place Mini but there was some questionable blocking of the 5th place Mazda 2 (including some contact). I made two errors in corner 6 which dropped me back too far to catch up. At the end of 13 laps I was in 6th overall. This meant I was sent to impound with the rest of the front runners to pass tech.
After 4 hours, a few protests, and the tech inspectors not being able to find information on the camshafts in the Minis they cut us loose to load up the cars and hit the road. After quite a few days, the results were final and I was awarded 6th place overall. In the race I was able to get a low lap time of 2:56 which was great to see from the car and myself. I believe I can do better if given more track time.
Want to watch the race? Click on this link and skip to 5:15 for the start of the T-4/B-Spec race.
Overall it was a crazy week of learning at the track. The result is not what I wanted, but to make it through the race with no damage made me happy, and there is always next year which is closer to home at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
-Derrick
CorkSport Races at Road America December 18th, 2017CorkSport
After months of testing and making sure it couldn’t be broken, we are finally ready to release the CorkSport Mazdaspeed 6 Rear Differential Mount!
With all the testing we have done on this part, we know it is the strongest available on the market, but don’t take our word for it. To quote Dennis Gardener, who tested this part on his Mazdaspeed 6 equipped with a GT35 turbo: “I threw everything I had at this mount and my engine blew up long before I could even make a dent in it.”
Machined from lightweight billet aluminum and anodized black, the Rear Differential Mount from CorkSport is durable and built to last. Priced below the cost of replacing the stock mount, the CorkSport Rear Differential Mount is ideal for all Mazdaspeed 6 owners, especially when you start turning up the boost!
The CorkSport Shift Knob provides smooth throwing shifts, and clean style to complement your Mazda.
Weighing in at 320 grams, the CorkSport Shift Knob provides easy weighted throws that improve response and feel. Shift smoother and let gravity help with extra weight in the palm of your hand. With soft leather, and baseball style embroidery the CorkSport shift knob will complement your interior and feel good in your hand. Works great with your Mazda or Mazdaspeed.
