When Mazda introduced the Mazdaspeed 3 a couple years ago, the car was an immediate hit. The big power 2.3 liter turbocharged engine and athletic chassis made the MS3 a nice alternative to established names like Evo, WRX, and GTI. Mazda debuted the all new "standard" 3 last year, but a lot of people have been anxiously awaiting news on the redesigned "Speed3". The new car will debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March, but some official photos of the car have already hit the net.
There haven't been any specs revealed yet, but the car will be powered by an updated version of the turbo 2.3 in the current model. As far as styling goes, the giant "grin" on the new 3's front bumper has been a hot topic on blogs and forums lately. It's a pretty large yes, but I don't remember it being obtrusive when looking at the new 3 at Tokyo Auto Salon. Even then, it's nothing an aftermarket bumper couldn't fix.
What do you guys think?
-Mike Garrett