View source for Mazdaspeed

{{Short description|Auto racing team}}
{{update|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Mazdaspeed
| logo = Mazdaspeed Logo.png
| logo_size = 200
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = 
| industry = {{Plainlist|
*[[Automotive engineering]]
*[[Motorsport]]
}}
| products = [[Automobile]]
| owner = 
| parent = [[Mazda]]
| homepage = 
| footnotes = 
| caption = 
| foundation = 1967
| location_city = [[Hiroshima]]
| location_country = [[Japan]]
}}
{{nihongo4|'''Mazdaspeed'''|マツダスピード|Matsudasupīdo}} (often stylized in all-caps as '''MAZDASPEED''') was [[Mazda]]'s in-house performance division. The company was a grassroots racing team in Japan. Owned by Mazda Motor Corporation, they built production model vehicles, became involved in motorsports development, and offered performance parts and accessories. Mazda has phased out Mazdaspeed branding and has not offered a Mazdaspeed trim since the 2013 [[Mazdaspeed3]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-17|title=Mazdaspeed Is Officially Dead - And Won't Be Making A Return|url=https://www.carscoops.com/2020/11/mazdaspeed-is-dead-and-wont-be-making-a-return/|access-date=2021-09-03|website=Carscoops|language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Mazda-787B-No55-July2011.jpg|thumb|The [[Mazda 787B]], winner of the [[1991 24 Hours of Le Mans]].]]
Mazdaspeed began in 1967 as "Mazda Sports Corner", an independent racing team<ref name=History>
{{cite web|title=HISTORY OF MAZDASPEED |url=http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=mazdaSpeedHistory |publisher=MazdaUSA.com |access-date=2012-05-29
}}</ref> and tuning operation run by Takayoshi Ohashi, who also ran Mazda's [[Tokyo]] distributor.{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}} They competed in numerous events at home and abroad, and they were also competitive at the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] races in the early 1980s, with the [[Mazda 717|717]], [[Mazda 727|727]], and [[Mazda 737|737]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}} Mazda brought the racing team to Hiroshima in 1983, where the name became Mazdaspeed.<ref name=History /> In 1991 Mazdaspeed's [[Mazda 787B|787B]] won at Le Mans a feat no other Japanese team managed until Toyota did in 2018.<ref name=History /> Mazdaspeed also prepared the Lantis & Familia for the JTCC between 1994 and 1996.

Outside of racing, Mazdaspeed produced numerous factory approved performance products for the MX5 (NA/NB), RX7 FC/FD), 626/Capella, Familia/323/Lantis, MX3/Presso, MX6, AZ1, Carol.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mazdaspeed Catalog (1998) {{!}} Car catalog, Tuner cars, Japanese cars |url=http://www.protegefaq.net/accessories/99mazdaspeed.pdf |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=Pinterest |language=en}}</ref> Most notable are the limited-production touring kits (A-Spec, B-Spec, C-Spec, etc). Each of these kits offered a different exterior appearance and different performance parts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ago |first=Junseikataroguin #90s • 6 Years |date=2018-03-21 |title=[WED] Super Sports Sedan! [94.XX] MAZDASPEED FAMILIA A-SPEC. TOURING KIT (BH) parts catalog |url=https://steemit.com/90s/@junseikatarogu/wed-super-sports-sedan-94-xx-mazdaspeed-familia-a-spec-touring-kit-parts-catalog |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Steemit |language=en}}</ref>

Mazda Motor Corporation assumed control of Mazdaspeed in 1999 as a tuning and performance parts operation within the company.<ref name="History" /> It began offering performance-based versions of its vehicles to consumers in 2003.<ref>
{{cite web|title=2003 MAZDASPEED PROTEGE |url=http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=mazdaSpeedVehiclesProtege |publisher=MazdaUSA.com |access-date=2012-05-29
}}</ref>

==Consumer models==
[[File:Mazda3 MPS (BL) – Frontansicht, 22. Mai 2011, Düsseldorf.jpg|thumb|The second generation [[Mazdaspeed3]] in Germany.]]
In 2003, Mazda debuted its first consumer-offered Mazdaspeed vehicle model, the 2003 Mazdaspeed Protegé.  It was only released to the North American market as a performance upgrade to the Protegé MP3 and offered more power — from the MP3's {{convert|140|bhp|kW|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|170|bhp|kW|0|abbr=on}} — by using a T25 Callaway-Garrett turbocharger and an intercooler. Some modifications included new front air dam and a new [[spoiler (automotive)|spoiler]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}} The Japanese market Mazdaspeed Familia utilized a naturally aspirated FS-ZE 2.0L engine with higher compression and a revised  camshafts to produce {{convert|173|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} at 6800 rpm.

A year after, in 2004, another Mazdaspeed model was offered: the [[Mazda MX-5 (NB)#Mazdaspeed MX-5 (2004–2005)|Mazdaspeed MX-5]] Miata, initially released in the North American market, followed by the Australian and Japanese markets. It featured an IHI single-scroll turbocharger producing {{Convert|8.5|psi|bar|1|abbr=on}} of boost to further increase power, from {{Convert|142|bhp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}} to {{Convert|178|bhp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}} and torque from {{Convert|125|lbft|Nm|abbr=on}} to {{Convert|166|lbft|Nm|abbr=on}}.  Mazda soon realized that these high performance models could be successful outside of North America and would make the next vehicles available worldwide.{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}}

In 2006, the [[Mazda6#Mazdaspeed6|Mazdaspeed6]] was released globally, featuring the most powerful piston engine ever produced by Mazda{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}} at {{Convert|274|bhp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}} with an all-wheel drive layout.

The [[Mazdaspeed3]] was introduced for the 2007 model year — which, with {{Convert|263|bhp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}} and {{Convert|280|lbft|Nm|abbr=on}} of torque — was the most powerful vehicle in its class.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}}. In the fall of 2009, Mazda released the second generation 2010 Mazdaspeed3. The newly styled Mazdaspeed3 carried forward the MZR 2.3L DISI turbocharged engine again with {{Convert|263|bhp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}} at 5500 rpm and {{Convert|280|lbft|Nm|abbr=on}} of torque at 3000 rpm with refreshed interior, sheet metal, and body kit.

==Race branding==
Mazda branded a selection of several racing series as the Mazdaspeed as well as a driver development ladder. This program, which began in 2005, was organized by Mazda and promoters offering presented season winners in a given series with an automatic ride in the next series on the ladder.

The sports car version, Road to (the Rolex) 24 (at Daytona), offered winners of the Global MX-5 Cup [[Spec Miata]] series a promotion to the Prototype Lites series, and the winner there was offered a ride in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, with opportunities later on in the [[United Sports Car Racing|IMSA WeatherTech United Sports Car Championship]].

The single-seater version, the Road to Indy, once offered drivers who won in any series a shootout where they could enter the US F2000 championship, advance to Pro Mazda, and then advance to Indy Lights, before earning a ride in the  [[NTT IndyCar Series|IndyCar Series]]. Mazda discontinued its participation of the Road To Indy ladder system in 2018 to focus on its IMSA sportscar prototype program and grassroots racing contingency program under the Global MX-5 Cup<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://racer.com/2018/07/31/mazda-to-conclude-road-to-indy-involvement/|title=Mazda to withdraw from Road to Indy|date=31 July 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}<!--added above External links/Sources by script-assisted edit-->

==External links==
* [http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=mazdaSpeedMain Mazdaspeed U.S. site]
* [http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum MAZDASPEED Gen1 & Gen 2 Mazdaspeed 3 & 6 Forums] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722025130/http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum/ |date=2010-07-22 }}
* [http://forum.mazda6club.com/172-mazdaspeed6/ Mazdaspeed6 on Mazda6club]
* [http://www.mazdaspeed.org All News Mazda & Mazdaspeed]
* [https://us.motorsport.com/lemans/news/le-mans-24h-race-report-toyota-victory-alonso-1046504/3124022/]

{{Mazda vehicles}}
{{Mazda sportscar racers}}
{{Automotive industry in Japan}}

[[Category:Mazda in motorsport]]
[[Category:Auto parts suppliers of Japan]]
[[Category:Automotive companies established in 1967]]
[[Category:Motorsports and performance divisions of motor vehicle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Japanese auto racing teams]]
[[Category:24 Hours of Le Mans teams]]
[[Category:World Sportscar Championship teams]]
[[Category:1967 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams]]