Photo: Knight Sports
Mazda still makes fun cars, but the days of the Mazdaspeed3 are long gone. That means you'll have to look elsewhere for your Golf GTI rival, but the Japanese tuning industry is still interested in the 3er.
Actually, the Mazda3 is called the Axela over there, but it's still the fun-driving compact hatch we know and love.
Even though the current generation is nearing the end of its life, Knight Sports is only the second company we've seen that offers such an extensive body kit. We're talking about something which puts the Focus RS' big wing to shame.
Knights Sports was found by Mr. Makoto Kamazuka, a Mazda professional driver since 1971. The company has been making body kits since 1974, but in recent years, its headquarters near Tokyo has become a hub of the rotary engine tuning.
Let's have a look at what they've done for the Mazda3. The transformation starts at the front, where an all-new bumper has been installed. This features black inserts for the center grille and lower "mouth" of the car, reminiscent of the i30 N.
A new rear bumper with extra air vents has also been added. However, we think it cheapens the body kit. Thankfully, the dual exhaust system is a pleasing touch that works well with the black diffuser. A trunk lid wing sticks out from the car, much like it would in the world of racing. If you only look at the back end, you could mistake the Mazda3 for the CX-3 crossover.
More minor tweaks include tinted windows and taillights, 19-inch ADVAN black wheels with track tires and lowered suspension with manually adjustable dampers. Under the hood, we found a tower brace for added body rigidity.
Though we can't see the turbo itself in the photos, there's a boost gauge added right under the rev counter. So, even if this is a 1.5-liter model, chances are it goes pretty fast and feel at home on the track.
Even though the current generation is nearing the end of its life, Knight Sports is only the second company we've seen that offers such an extensive body kit. We're talking about something which puts the Focus RS' big wing to shame.
Knights Sports was found by Mr. Makoto Kamazuka, a Mazda professional driver since 1971. The company has been making body kits since 1974, but in recent years, its headquarters near Tokyo has become a hub of the rotary engine tuning.
Let's have a look at what they've done for the Mazda3. The transformation starts at the front, where an all-new bumper has been installed. This features black inserts for the center grille and lower "mouth" of the car, reminiscent of the i30 N.
A new rear bumper with extra air vents has also been added. However, we think it cheapens the body kit. Thankfully, the dual exhaust system is a pleasing touch that works well with the black diffuser. A trunk lid wing sticks out from the car, much like it would in the world of racing. If you only look at the back end, you could mistake the Mazda3 for the CX-3 crossover.
More minor tweaks include tinted windows and taillights, 19-inch ADVAN black wheels with track tires and lowered suspension with manually adjustable dampers. Under the hood, we found a tower brace for added body rigidity.
Though we can't see the turbo itself in the photos, there's a boost gauge added right under the rev counter. So, even if this is a 1.5-liter model, chances are it goes pretty fast and feel at home on the track.
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