CorkSport is happy to announce touring car availability for those people/teams who want a fun-to-drive and great-looking race/track-focused Mazda 3! The goal of the build was to make a competitive and reliable TC race car and get Mazda back into multi-make competition, which goes back to the Speed Vision and World Challenge days of the early 2000s.
For the 2024 season CorkSport has been validating the design work and lessons learned racing the CorkSport Mazda 3 TC in the SRO TC America TC class. We had multiple podium finishes and ran at the front proving the competitiveness of the Mazda platform against the Hyundai, Honda, and Mini TC class cars.
The base of the build is the Mazda 2.5 Skyactiv engine with a CorkSport bespoke turbo kit developing well over 300 wheel hp in TC trim. The TC car engine management is handled by a Motec M1 ECU, in conjunction with a Bosch Motorsports LC2 wideband controller, and a Motec C125 dash/logger.
The 6 speed Mazda gearbox is equipped with a clutch type LSD and upgraded 3-4 gears with a transmission cooler, while the clutch is an off the shelf X-Clutch single disc clutch/flywheel combo.
Penske shocks/Swift springs, CorkSport upper mounts, and upgraded suspension pick-up points handle road racing while allowing for accurate suspension settings.
Braking is handled by a 364x32mm 6 piston CorkSport race brake kit which uses floating front rotors paired with upgraded rear pads and brakelines on OEM calipers. The brakes are covered with 18×10 Enkei lightweight RPF1 wheels.
To top off the build is the widebody kit which includes, front bumper, splitter, front and rear fenders, side skirts, rear bumper and TCr spec rear wing.
SRO Circuit of the Americas 2024
There is limited availability for the start of the 2025 race season. Currently 2 cars are left for delivery early 2025 for the 2025 TC America race season.
We are excited to announce another product for both the 4th Gen Mazda 3, 2021+ Mazda 3 Turbo, and 1st Gen Mazda CX-30! The new offering to the lineup is the CorkSport Skid Plate which utilizes our tried and true 11 gauge aluminum construction with a 2-piece design for an OEM-like installation. The CS Skid Plate is perfect for anyone who is lowered or anyone who likes to take their car out on forest roads and wants more protection over the thin factory splash guard. Keep on scrolling for more details!
OEM Splash Guard vs CorkSport Skid Plate
Starting with the OEM splash guard, there is much to be desired in terms of protection. The factory piece is made of thin plastic that is only designed to protect the bottom of your engine and transmission from things such as water, dust, and small debris. This can lead to a problem when you have lowering springs on your car or go on a camping trip.
In both of these situations, there is a greater chance of objects such as rocks and other larger debris hitting the splash guard and puncturing or even ripping off the splash guard completely, leading to potential damage to your oil pan or other critical components.
The CS Skid Plate on the other hand is all aluminum and can better protect against these threats to ensure that you can get to your destination and back intact. This provides you with peace of mind whether you like to go on rocky forest roads, up to the mountain through snow & ice, or are lowered and trying to get over speed bumps.
Improved Plate Design
To provide a factory fit, we have CAD-designed the CS Skid Plate to mount directly in place of the OEM splash shield. This means no drilling, cutting, trimming, or issues during the installation.
The Skid Plate is also a 2-piece design similar to the OEM splash shields so that installation is easier and that there is some adjustability for minor variation between vehicles and to also help reduce the shipping cost. We also implemented an air duct into the CS Skid Plate that is similar to the one on the factory AWD splash shields to help supply cool air to the front differential.
Finally, there is an oil access cover that you can move out of the way to easily change your oil and filter without removing the 2 main skid plate sections.
Quality Matters
Each CorkSport Skid Plate is made from laser cut and precision formed 11 gauge 5052 aluminum. This ensures a consistent fitment that will make installation straightforward as well as the much-needed increase in engine protection. Included with the CS Skid Plate are stainless steel button head bolts that provide great corrosion resistance and are lower profile than a traditional hex bolt to reduce the chance of them getting snagged.
If you want to increase the protection to the underbody of your Mazda, the CorkSport Aluminum Skid Tray is a great option! Head over to the product listing for the video and more images and feel free to call us with any questions!
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 4th 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
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.
Thanks for checking out the CorkSport Rear Hatch Brace for the 4th 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.
The best and most complete intake system for your Turbo Mazda is finally available! Introducing the last piece of the puzzle, the CorkSport Performance Turbo Inlet Pipe. Combine the turbo inlet pipe with the CorkSport Short Ram Intake and Heatshield to create the complete intake system for the SkyActiv-G 2.5T engine found in nearly every model Mazda currently produced.
Skyactiv Turbo 3 Filter Inlet Engine Placement
Why does an upgraded turbo inlet pipe matter?
Power comes from efficiently flowing air in and out of the engine. When there is a restriction in the flow path, this causes a power and efficiency loss. Our goal was to design a new performance turbo inlet pipe that removes the restrictions of the OEM design, fits like OEM, and integrates perfectly with the already existing CorkSport Short Ram Intake and Heatshield.
The Turbo Inlet Pipe for the4th Gen Mazda 3
Here you can truly see the difference in size! While the shape of the CorkSport Turbo Inlet Pipe is…unusual…it’s for good reason. We invite you to check out the design blog for more in-depth details.
In a nutshell, we investigated the typical aftermarket design path of a metal pipe, but a 2.5 inch metal pipe was not good enough. We thought outside of the box to truly design the best turbo inlet pipe option for the community. We moved up to a 3 inch inner diameter system to maintain a continuous 3 inch inner area matching the MAF housing.
Full Image of the 4th Gen Mazda 3 Turbo Intake System
It’s the final piece in the CorkSport 4th GEN Turbo Intake System making it the best and most complete intake system on the market!
Turbo Inlet Providing Power Gains
So does it make power? Short answer. YES IT DOES! While tuning for the 4th GEN Mazda platform is still primitive and restrictive, we are able to see faster spooling and higher flow before the ECU hits the load limits. This tells us we are making more power with the addition of the turbo inlet pipe to the existing CorkSport short ram intake system. It also tells us there is more potential in the system once tuning develops further. We can promise, as tuning does develop, we too will further test and validate the benefits of the turbo inlet pipe system.
Power gains are great, but another key addition to the driving experience is unleashing the induction and turbocharger noise trapped by the factory air intake system. The CorkSport SRI and TIP free up a surprising amount of turbo noise when driving around and provides more induction sound under hard acceleration. The extra level of turbocharger noise is enjoyable when you want, but doesn’t get in the way when you don’t.
CorkSport Turbo Inlet Pipe Intake System Engine View
The Turbo Inlet Pipe Made Is Better & Fits Like OEM
Let’s talk about how its made; the material and manufacturing method used is another advantage over the OEM counterpart. The CorkSport TIP is Roto-Molded out of a high temp nylon to offer good strength and flow while retaining an OEM-like appearance. The CorkSport TIP also utilizes two silicone couplers which are reinforced so they don’t deform under vacuum high load. The silicone coupler that connects the SRI to the TIP gives a nice smooth transition between the two when compared to the OEM coupler, which has ribs that introduce unwanted turbulent air into the TIP.
The Best Intake For Turbo Mazda 3 Silicone
The outlet silicone that leads to the turbo features a barbed fitting to retain the valve cover breather and we also provide a silicone breather hose to connect the two together. This barbed fitting can also be used for an oil catch can if you want to add one in the future.
4th Gen Turbo Inlet Pipe Colors
The last component that is included with the CorkSport TIP is the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is made out of 304 stainless steel and was designed to work with both the air-to-air intercooler system found on the Mazda 6, CX-9, and CX-5 and the air-to-water intercooler system found on the Mazda 3, CX-30, and CX-50. From the factory they have different mounting locations for the TIP so we decided to offer a single mounting bracket that will work with which ever model you have.
Hardware for the Turbo Inlet Pipe Hardware
As with most CorkSport performance products, this Turbo Inlet Pipe kit includes all the necessary installation hardware and color step-by-step installation instructions to ensure you have a quick and straightforward install.
The addition of the CS Turbo Inlet Pipe on your Turbo Mazda is a fantastic mod to further build upon your current CorkSport SRI. And Heatshield. At this time, no competitor intake systems have been test fit with the CorkSport Turbo Inlet Pipe.
Check it out below and be sure to contact us with any questions you may have, we will be happy to help!
The 4th GEN Turbo Inlet Pipe
The final component for the most complete intake system for your 4th Gen Turbo Mazda is finally available!
Since releasing our original turbo springs for the Mazda 3, we have noticed that some people would like lowering springs for their Mazda 3 Turbo that offer a milder drop in ride height, but still provide the same great handling characteristics as the originals. This is the reason behind the new CS lowering springs for the turbo Mazda 3; the “Not-So-Low” springs. The drop in ride height has been reduced 0.5 inches in the front and 0.3in in the rear and offers another option for those wanting lowering springs for their Turbo Mazda 3. Keep on reading to get a look at the new CS lowering springs in action.
First let’s go over the main difference between the new CS lowering springs and the original ones. Ride height is increased 0.5 inches over the previous lowering springs in the front and 0.3 inches in the rear which brings the total drop to 1.0 inch in the front and 1.5 inches in the rear for hatchback models. The slightly heavier sedan nets a total drop of 1.0 inch front and 1.6 inches in the rear. The sedan sits just slightly lower in the rear because of the extra weight, but also sits level and looks fantastic! The milder drop in ride height still looks low enough to give your Mazda an aggressive stance, b
Now onto the benefits of the CS lowering springs that you can feel. The improvement in handling that you get from the CS lowering springs really helps bring some much needed sharpness to the Mazda 3 Turbo. Lowering the height of the car also results in the center of gravity being lower, which helps reduce the amount of body roll felt while driving. Also in conjunction with this, is the increased spring rates, which also play a major part in reducing body roll while cornering. This gives you more confidence while driving at the limit. We have also adjusted the rear spring rates to help reduce understeer when pushing your car to the edge and helps give it more neutral handling characteristics.
For the new CS lowering springs we have retained the proven spring rates from the original lowering spring kit. This results in a front spring rate of 3.4K while the rear has a spring rate of 5.9K. This gives you a great balance of still being able to enjoy daily driving while also giving you a sportier feel when hitting the backroads. The Turbo Mazda 3 also features stiffer dampers that control the extra weight added by the turbo better so the ride is smooth and not bouncy.
These springs also feature the same simple installation of the original kit and only require modification to the factory bump stops so that proper suspension travel is retained at the lower ride height. The springs are made with high tensile strength spring steel to ensure that they perform consistently and will not settle over time. The springs are then powdercoated black to provide a durable finish and protect against corrosion. They also feature spring silencers to prevent any additional noise during suspension travel.
Well that covers the major details of the new CS lowering springs for the Mazda 3 turbo. Head over to the product listing for more pictures and give us a call if you have any questions on the lowering springs.
P.S. The car in the above images is riding on Advan GT wheels in 19×8.5 +38 size, wrapped in Kumho 235/35 R19 summer tires.
P.S. – We hope are as happy as Aaron Maves with his new springs!
