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The COBB Tuning Stage 2 Suspension package is their premier suspension offering for your MazdaSpeed3. It will enhance the balance and stability of your car without comprising the overall ride quality. Combining COBB’s tailored Sway Bar Kit with their in-house designed Sport Springs, gives your MazdaSpeed3 an aggressive stance that will reward you with little "squat" while under hard acceleration, eliminating any front wheel hop you might experience with the OEM suspension. In other words, this is the perfect set up for day-to-day driving, and weekend motorsports! The COBB Tuning Stage 2 Suspension Package Includes: - Front Tubular Sway Bar (with Bushings and Brackets)
- Rear Tubular Sway Bar (with Bushings and Brackets)
- COBB Sport Springs
COBB enlisted the assistance of Matt Guiver, from Speed Channels "Setup TV" show, to demonstrate the before and after effects of the COBB Stage 2 suspension kit on the COBB MazdaSpeed3 shop car. They took Matt and their shop MazdaSpeed3 to Miller Motorsports Park for an afternoon of testing. Below are Matt’s testimonial impressions of the MazdaSpeed3 stock, and then with the Stage 2 Suspension kit installed: Stock MazdaSpeed3 impression: "The car understeers heavily as most front wheel drive cars do. But the stock suspension had surprisingly little body roll. The turn in was sharp and quick and rewarding. But that's where the fun ends, the car takes too much time to settle, and the front end goes numb. This requires enormous patience for the driver to wait for the car to get to its apex before accelerating out. This car was challenging to get extra speed out because it really forced you to take late apex's so as not to bleed precious traction off. The only way to get a satisfactory line was to trail brake heavily on entry to rotate the car towards your apex. Once the car was down on its apex, you could begin judiciously feeding in the abundant torque with just a hint of torque steer on exit." COBB Stage 2 Suspension equipped MazdaSpeed3 impression: "The Mazda was much quicker to turn with the Cobb tuned suspension. Much less body roll, interestingly enough the ride didn't become harsh over the rumble strips. I attribute this to massive swaybars, while still retaining compliant spring rates. The car now could transition much quicker through west 7-8. Now the Mazdaspeed 3 would rotate just the right amount without having to add time robbing counter-steer. Even on the warm up lap the car was responding to throttle steering inputs. It was still difficult to get the car to take a solid set exiting the lower speed corners like west 6, and 10 since the turbo torque was easily enough to overwhelm the front tires. Even at high speeds when traction was exceeded the car would break away smoothly and it was very easy to correct. I wasn't the only one surprised by this little cars speed, there were a few Porsche drivers who weren't expecting the little red Mazda to squeeze past them, then walk away. Favorite bit about this car was turns 1-4, aim the steering for your apex, than play with the throttle and the car would dance brilliantly."
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