Mazda 3 | CorkSport Mazda Performance Blog

January 20, 2012September 13, 2018

CorkSport Product Sneak Peek and Look Back 2011-2012

As we jump into the New Year I would like to share with you a rundown of the products we launched in 2011 and give you a first look at what you will be seeing to start off 2012.

2011 proved to be a busy year for CorkSport with 28 new products coming to market. In order of release, we added the following to our list of offerings:

Mazda 3/Mazdaspeed 3 Rear Chassis Brace Set
2010+ Mazdaspeed 3 Front Strut Bar
Mazda 2 Lightweight Crankshaft Pulley
Mazda 3/Mazdaspeed 3 Polyurethane Mud Flaps
Mazdaspeed 3 Lightweight Crankshaft Pulley
Mazda 3/Mazdaspeed 3 License Plate Relocation Kit
2010+ Mazdaspeed 3 Front Sway Bar
Mazda 2 Power Series Exhaust
2010+ Mazda 3 Power Series Air Box
RX-7 and RX-8 Banjo Bolt
Mazda 2 Quick Release Chassis Brace
Mazda 2 Front Strut Bar
Mazdaspeed 3/Mazdaspeed 6/CX-7 Turbo Top Mount Intercooler
Stubby Antenna
Mazdaspeed 3 Lowering Springs
Mazda Radiator Caps
Mazdaspeed 3 FMIC kit for SRI
Mazdaspeed 6 Mud Flaps
Extended Lightweight Lug Nuts
Mazdaspeed 6 Rear Sway Bar
2001-2003 Mazda/Mazdaspeed Protégé Skid Tray
Mazda 2 Front Sway Bar
Mazda 3/Mazdaspeed 3 Front End Links
Mazdaspeed 3 Short Shift Plate
Mazda 3/Mazdaspeed 3 Shifter Bushings
Mazdaspeed 3 Catted Downpipe
LED Underhood Lighting

So what can you expect from CorkSport to start off 2012?

Early next week we will be launching the CorkSport Front Camber Kit for Mazdaspeed 3. This kit is designed to provide camber adjustability and dial in performance on the Mazdaspeed 3 with up to -3 degrees of camber adjustability.

Next we will be rolling out a new and improved turbo inlet pipe for those who are running a stock or non-CorkSport intake system. The newest version of our turbo inlet pipe has been redesigned to provide seamless fitment with OEM or other aftermarket intake systems by replicating the fitment of the factory TIP to the intake while maintaining all of the characteristics that have made our turbo inlet pipe a top selling product.

We will also be introducing our staged intake systems with the addition of a stage one CorkSport short ram intake without turbo inlet pipe for those that want to upgrade to a basic package. The stage two intake system will be our number one selling CorkSport short ram intake with turbo inlet pipe and the stage three intake system will be the new CorkSport Cold Air Intake which has been designed to push the filter away from the engine and will have the unique feature of being interchangeable with our short ram intake system for customers wanting to run a cold air intake in the summer and short ram in the winter!

We will also be launching the highly anticipated CorkSport Oil Catch Can early this year. This has gone through several iterations to find the ideal design that would provide functionality and be simple to install. The end result is an aluminum, bolt-on oil catch can that will help keep your intake clean by filtering out the junk that would otherwise end up in your intake manifold and possibly on your valves. You can see a full string on the development of this product on the Mazdaspeedforum.

Also to come early this year is the new addition to our CorkSport LED lighting product line with the CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3 Bumper Lights.

Let’s also not forget our Mazdaspeed Protégé drivers out there, we have something for you as well with Mazdaspeed Protégé Silicone Intercooler Hoses expected to be out soon!

This represents just some of the great products you can expect to see from CorkSport in the coming year!

Gwynne-

December 16, 2011July 25, 2024

The Future

Bye Bye Ford. Mazda has confirmed that the Mazda independently designed Cx5 chassis and engine technology will be the new platform for the next generation of the Mazda 3 and the upcoming Mazda 6 replacements.

So what does this mean for Mazda? This shows that the haters in the automotive press, which in 2009 said that Mazda doesn’t have the engineering capabilities to develop a new platform, once again have no idea what they are talking about. Take the quote from Aaron Bragman, Auto Analyst for IHS Global Insight, posted in a TruthAboutCars article in December 2009, “The reality is Mazda is too small to do it on their own…Ford may have other options. They’ve got a European organization that is very good at developing small cars.” In other words, Mazda might want to start looking around for another partner.

Fast forward to today and Mazda has launched a whole new platform that incorporates stronger, lighter, ultra-high tensile steel in its construction, brand new SKYACTIV technology that employs a range of green technologies to increase fuel efficiency, and a clearly defined goal of where they want to be in the next 10-15 years in the automotive landscape.

With news of the soon to be released Cx5, the concept car Mazda 6 replacement the Takeri being shown, and the drawings of the Mx5 popping up the future looks really good for Mazda.

(Picture Above Courtesy of Top Speed)

I am really looking forward to the news that Mazda is looking to offer a 2 door Mazda 6 in the future. It has been too long since the Mx6 left the Market back in 1997 and the only 2 door North America has seen since is the Mx5.

This just goes to show that Mazda is not a company to be underestimated.

-Derrick

December 1, 2011

CorkSport Product Development Update

We here at CorkSport have been busy working on some new parts for Mazda owners and I’m excited to be able to share some of the features and benefits that you can expect from some of the newest additions to our catalog that we have been busy developing for our customers.

First up we have the CorkSport Mazda 3 and Mazdaspeed 3 Adjustable End Links. These end links are made from 5/8″ hex stock 2011 Aluminum which is stronger than regular 6061. The ultimate tensile strength is actually 10,000 PSI stronger. Compared to the stock end links the CorkSport Mazda Adjustable End Links are much bulkier and stronger, which keeps the link from deforming when subjected to extreme loads. The ball joints used are also more durable than the rod ends normally used in adjustable end links and come with a shield to help keep out the road debris and grit than can increase the wear and tear on the links.

Using adjustable end links will provide increased strength which is important when running a stiffer front sway bar. To those who are worried about corner weighting, adjustable end links allow you to remove any preload from your front sway bar after adjusting each corner’s ride height. Not to mention they also look great!

Also just released are the CorkSport Mazdaspeed Shifter Base Bushings. The aluminum bushings replace the factory rubber bushings. These bushings give your shifter a more solid and crisp feel by taking out any slop from the stock rubber base bushings.

Along with our Shifter Base Bushings, we have also just released a Mazdaspeed Adjustable Short Shift Plate which reduces the throw of your shifter by 20-40%.

The shift plate works by reducing the distance between where the shifter cable mounts on the shift arm to the pivot point. By reducing this distance, the shifter cable doesn’t have to move as far to produce the same movement at the transmission. In the car this produces a much shorter throw, which will reduce your shift times, and in turn will help you reduce your quarter mile times.

The short shift plate also includes a smaller shift weight to replace the stock weight. The stock weight weighs about 14oz and the CorkSport weight weighs about 5.7oz. The lighter weight will reduce the fort required when shifting, which again can decrease your shift times. If you still want to keep your stock weight, good news, the CorkSport shift plate will be compatible with the stock shifter weight as well.

Now some of you may be wondering about the other new parts we have in development, and while I can’t release any details yet on most of them, I can say we have some very exciting new parts coming down the line. Be expecting to hear more about our Catted Downpipe for the Mazdaspeed 3 and our Underhood Lighting, which should be out in a matter of weeks!

I also want to point out the importance of the product submissions we receive from customers. Development of the short shift plate was actually started from a submission we received from customer, Cale DeLeers. We approved this submission in August of this year and were able to get started on it pretty quickly. We would like to thank Cale for his product submission and note that it is because of his product submission that we were able to develop the product to meet the needs of our customers that were not being met by other similar products on the market.

To those of you out there with ideas for your Mazda, don’t be shy. Let us know what you want and we will definitely look into it.

Andrew-

November 16, 2011May 10, 2023

Featured Car of the Month – Mackey’s Mazda 3

The CorkSport Sponsored 2010 Mazda 3, driven by Josh Mackey, photographer and marketing specialist by day and Editor and Chief of NWMotiv.com by night, has gotten a lot of attention lately (including a feature in the December issue of Import Tuner Magazine), and for good reason. Mackey started his 2010 Mazda 3i Sedan project in June of last year with the goal of taking the mid-range sport compact car to the next level using a variety of styles and showcasing realistic modifications that anyone could do while maintaining a practical everyday car.

Josh was attracted to the Mazda 3 because of the loyal community and followers, the price point and the suspension that, even from the factory, was sportier and more fun than anything else he had test driven. Even so, he immediately set to work improving the suspension of the 3 by adding a CorkSport Front Strut Bar, CorkSport Lower Rear Sway Bar, and Stance USA GR+ Coilovers. He also replaced the tires and wheels with Konig Lace 18×8” +35 wheels and Hankook V12 215/40/18 Tires.

Mackey went with the 2.0 liter base model Mazda 3 so that he could design the car from the ground up by starting with the most common package that the everyday tuner might select, so when it came time to upgrade the engine and exhaust, Josh knew to get the vehicle to the next level he would need the trifecta of I/H/E (Intake, Header, and Exhaust).

He added the CorkSport Power Series Short Ram Intake and opted for the addition of the CorkSport Performance Power Series Cat Back Exhaust that features dual resonators, a single tailpipe design and a 60mm racepipe. He finished off the engine modifications with a MSDS 4:1 Ceramic Header.

corksport mazda exhaust pipe and cat back exhaust

Once the Mazda 3’s suspension and basic engine modifications were complete, adding the proper equipment to stop it was a no brainer so Josh went to work on some brake modifications with the CorkSport Stainless Brake Lines, EBC 3GD Zinc Coated Slotted Rotors, EBC Red Stuff Brake Pads and Motul Brake Fluid.

Mazda brake lines and suspension products

A fan of clean lines, Josh has also done some tasteful exterior modifications that include a 3M 1080 Carbon Wrapped Roof, V-LED Platinum LED bulbs and V-HID lighting, a CorkSport Front Plate Relocation Kit, Mazda Accessory Side Skirts and a 35% Matching front and rear tint.

Continuing with the same exterior design, Mackey wanted to make a point by taking his interior to a whole new level with a full leather installation provided by Katzkin Leather. Two-tone leather interior combining dark midnight grey leather that is stitched together with dark slate perforated suede is installed in both the front and rear seats and the door cards. Stage 2.0 of the build will focus on finishing the rest of the interior by wrapping the headliner and pillars in the same material. The rest of the interior is accented with 3M carbon wrap installed by Graphix by Tex and soon-to-be-installed SRP Racing two-tone aluminum racing pedals.

This particular Mazda 3 did not come with the aftermarket BOSE system that most Mazda’s get from the factory. Mackey knew that if he wanted to take this project to the next level and maintain a competitive level with other Mazda’s in the industry, a completely new audio system would be needed. Diamond Audio provided a complete setup of front and rear component speakers, amps, and low-profile subwoofer. The entire system was expertly installed by James Anderson, all controlled by an Alpine In-Dash DVD/GPS Head unit.

What’s next for the NWmotiv Project 3? “Lots of tiny little things that need to be finished up, new bumper lenses, new wheels, front lip, maybe a dptune ecu upgrade” said Mackey “The NWMotiv Project3 takes everything that I’ve learned from the years. Clean lines, clean mods, nothing overdone, and everything tasteful.”

If you want to follow Josh Mackey’s progress on his project3, you can check out his regular posts at https://www.nwmotiv.com

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November 14, 2011November 14, 2011

Product Release! CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3/Mazda 3 Front End Links

CorkSport is pleased to announce the addition of the Mazda 3 and Mazdaspeed 3 Adjustable Front End Links to our growing list of suspension upgrades developed to enhance your Mazda’s performance.

Made to fit OEM and aftermarket front sway bars, the CorkSport Mazda 3 Mazdaspeed 3 Front Adjustable End Links allows customers to tune any sway bar and remove the preload commonly associated with the suspension.

“Adjustable end links will allow you to properly balance and tune your suspension to give you the best setup possible” Said CorkSport Engineer, Andrew Gilbert, “Our end links will reduce link flex and fatigue, increase sway bar effectiveness and allow for corner balancing suspension.”

The CorkSport adjustable front end links come in a black anodized finish and include an etched CorkSport logo for a custom and long lasting finish.

The CorkSport Mazda 3/Mazdaspeed 3 Front End Links can be purchased for the competitive price of $109.00 making this an easy to install and affordable upgrade for your vehicle.

For more information: https://www.corksport.com/corksport-mazdaspeed-3-front-adjustable-swaybar-end-links.html

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