1 Oct 1987
From Japan, the Mazda MX-6 is a sports coupe. It was sold in two distinct versions in its relatively brief period on the market. At its introduction in October 1987 it was a hard-edged sports machine intended for the serious driver. Using a turbocharged four-cylinder engine of 2.2-litre capacity it had huge straight-line performance, though there was plenty of frustrating turbo lag to take the edge off the fun.
Too much power is something revheads don't usually complain about, but in the case of the MX-6 the front-drive chassis can be overwhelmed at full turbo boost at low road speeds. The result is savage torque steer. It is even worse on wet roads and the car can be dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced or sloppy driver.
On the other hand, if you know what you are doing and drive the hot turbo Mazda according to its needs it can be very exhilarating. Most modern cars don't demand any real skill from the driver, so enthusiasts of these early Mazda MX-6s take pride at getting the best from them.
Four-wheel steering became an option in February 1989. Not so much to tame the torque steer as to improve high-speed cornering. It also makes parking simpler.
