The Mazda 626 MPS Deserved to Compete With the Subaru WRX STI

I recently learned that Mazda once came close to producing a sports sedan that could have competed with the likes of the Subaru STI and Mitsubishi Evo. The Mazdaspeed 6, released in 2006, was a turbo all-wheel-drive sedan, but it didn’t quite measure up to its rivals. However, an old Mazda concept known as the Mazda Performance Series (MPS) nearly made it to production. Sadly, the 626 MPS never made it to market, but it was showcased in 2000 at the Geneva Motor Show. The MPS was created by Mazdaspeed and was designed as a test-bed for sports tuning parts and to assess its production feasibility. While it was based on a midsize sedan rather than a compact, it was still a formidable contender. The MPS utilized a 2.5-liter, twin-turbo V6 engine, which was very similar to the engine used in the Galant and Legnum VR-4.

I read about a Mazda concept car called the Mazda Performance Series (MPS) which was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show in 2000. It was designed by Mazdaspeed to test sports tuning parts and production feasibility. While it was not produced, it was a formidable contender with a 2.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine that produced 276 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque. It also had a big front-mounted intercooler, enlarged radiator and oil cooler, and a lightweight flywheel with an uprated clutch. The power was sent through a five-speed manual to full-time all-wheel drive.

I’ve read about the Mazda Performance Series (MPS), which was a concept car designed by Mazdaspeed to test sports tuning parts and production feasibility. It had a 2.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine that produced 276 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque, a big front-mounted intercooler, enlarged radiator and oil cooler, and a lightweight flywheel with an uprated clutch. The power was sent through a five-speed manual to full-time all-wheel drive. 

The MPS was not produced, but it had 18-inch aluminum wheels, highly adjustable suspension, and enhanced aero generated by its special front lip, fender flares, side skirts, and ginormous rear wing. The brakes were plenty big, with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rears. Mazda considered producing the MPS, but the 626 exited production in 2002 in the U.S. with the MPS unrealized, whereupon it was replaced by the Mazda 6. The Mazdaspeed 6 was still pretty similar, with a turbo 2.3-liter four-cylinder making comparable power and all-wheel drive, only with a six-speed manual instead of the MPS’s five-speed. It’s hard not to imagine the Mazdaspeed 6 making a more lasting impact if it had been just a little bit wilder.

Photo Source: Newsroom Mazda