The car will be put to the test at the upcoming Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
The Mazda 3 Hatchback comes with a subtly sporty look, but we all know that in the capable hands of a tuner, it is capable of becoming a track monster. Case in point: YouTuber Dino DC spotted one track-ready Mazda3 at a shop in Osaka, Japan, and met with the owner, Taisuke Kawato.
But this isn't just any other project – this Mazda3 is being worked on for New Zealand drifter “Mad Mike” Whiddett. Even better, it is set to have a go at it at this year's Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado. It comes with a rotary engine and is capable of making 1,400 horsepower, which is 200 hp more than what it had last year when it was first introduced.
The 42-year-old racer will be conquering Pikes Peak in a hot hatch powered by a four-rotor Wankel engine with a Garrett G40 twin-turbo setup. But to prevent reliability issues such as overheating, Kawato-san said the engine has been limited to 1,000 hp.
The Mazda3 race car was also converted to rear-wheel-drive (RWD), allowing Mad Mike to comfortably bring out the drifter in him. It is also equipped with slick Toyo tires, forged wheels from Volk Racing, a fueling system from Radium Engineering, and massive aero kits at the back.
Kawato-san carried on to show the interior in the video above, which has comprehensive track-ready mod kits including a Bride carbon racing seat, a Haltech ECU system, and a roll cage. Over at the back, the second-row seats were removed in favor of a radiator from Australian specialist PWR.
Mad Mike Whiddett/Facebook Mad Mike Whiddett/Facebook Mad Mike Whiddett/Facebook
This isn't the only Mazda race car that Mad Mike drives. He's fond of the Japanese brand and is currently participating in the 2023 Formula Drift Japan season with a Mazda RX-7 FD under Team Magic with Red Bull. The Kiwi racer continues to prove that Mazda Wankel engines are not dead.
The more potent four-rotor RWD Mazda 3 is set to race at the 2023 Pikes Peak happening on June 25. Whiddett's buddy, the late Ken Block, will also be at the hill climb in spirit as his wife Lucy Block and daughter Lia Block will honor him by racing in a Sierra Echo EV and the Porsche 911-based Hoonipigasus, respectively.
Dino DC/YouTube Dino DC/YouTube Dino DC/YouTube
Keyword: Mazda 3 With 4-Rotor Engine And RWD Now Pushes 1,400 HP