mozzaITA

A friend of mine has got an old Mazda 323 on a d plate, it might be an import as its really hard to get any parts for it, its got a 1.6 8v twin cam engine in it and on the air box its got lotus performance engineering on it!!!

It no lotus but it does go quite well and got discs all round wghich is good for a d reg car, i know they made a turbo version aswell and rallyed it, 323 turbo 4x4, poor mans intergrale they used to call it!!

anybody know anything about either of these cars??

Flat 4x4

323 105bhp 1.6 16v 'injection' model was ok - Autocar 0-60 in 8.8 which was pretty good for its time.

I owned the 4x4 turbo (148bhp) 0-60 just over 7 seconds. Debadged mine and used to seriously p*** off Astra GTe's etc - especially in the wet and twisties.

I've a 323 GT 1.8i for sale (136bhp, 0-60 7.8) which I got as a second car because the turbo is getting old / difficult on parts.

All good fun, light weight, nice handling, under-rated

Steve Lawson

It certainly sounds like the GTI version to me as well.
I used to own a 4x4 323 as well with a full Scorpion system,K&N and 14psi of boost(7 standard).
I agree with the previous poster very underrated car IMHO and again trying to get parts for it is difficult to say the least.
I did have a good contact in a Mazda dealer who knows quite a bit about the early 323's so if you want his details mail me.
He actually had one of his 323's featured in Fast Car/Max Power(insert relevant mag).
I actually had to get some springs specially made for mine as no one made them anymore and I wanted to lower mine but they do still have quite a big following and I know of one which is still used in rallying.
Best bet is to keep a close eye on the classifieds in Motoring News if you are after anything fancy.

Hope some of this helps

Steve

Editted cos I cant spell at 1.15 in the morning

[Edited by Steve Lawson - 5/13/2002 1:29:00 AM]

LEE P

Theres a mazda breakers in Rochdale which get one or two 323 turbos and 16v.

My dad bought a mint 323 gti 16v on G plate in black from them, the one with the pop up headlamps.

They also had a 323 Turbo 4x4 forsale.

My next door neighbour has one of the turbos, its been chipped by well lane and k/n and a fulll mongoose zorst! sounds well anyway!