2003 Mazda Protege

2003 Mazda MazdaSpeed Protegé MP3 returns with more power and a racing nameplate. BY PATRICK HONGPUBLISHED: NOV 6, 2012 SAVE ARTICLE When the Mazda MP3 made its debut in 2001, it took the automotive enthusiasts' world by storm. Engineers at Mazda transformed the value-conscious, front-wheel-drive c … ompact Protegé 4-door runabout into a first-class, great-handling sports sedan. In fact, the MP3 was included in our Great Grip! June 2002 cover story, competing for best handling honors against the likes of the BMW M3, Corvette Z06, Porsche 911 and Ferrari 360 Modena. At the racetrack, the MP3's steering precision and cornering ability hold their own against more expensive sports cars. However, it does lack the extra oomph needed to pull itself out of a corner quickly. With only modest power and torque increases from the base Protegé, to 140 bhp and 142 lb.-ft. of torque, the MP3 still accelerates at a snail's pace. Heeding the call for more power from enthusiasts, Mazda engineers, with assistance from Callaway Cars Inc., developed a turbocharger system for the car. The more powerful MP3 comes back in 2003 relabeled as the MazdaSpeed Protegé, wearing a performance nameplate that took the company to victory in the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans. Giving the MazdaSpeed that extra shot of fresh air into the 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine is a Garrett T25 turbocharger system that raises the output of the 16-valve powerplant to an impressive 170 bhp and 160 lb.-ft. of torque. Keeping the increased horsepower in check through the car's front-wheel-drive system is a 5-speed manual transmission equipped with a heavy-duty clutch and pressure plate. Larger 24-mm driveshafts (a 2-mm increase over the standard Protegé pieces) and a Tochigi Fuji Sangyo KK limited-slip differential are also added so that the car can better use all the available power. Racing Beat, the outfit that helped tune the MP3 into a super-handling machine, continu