Ok, like i said before, i haven't driven this car since GT5, and i dont expect it to be any different in GT6.
I bought this car last Sunday once the nomination was in, unfortunately i missed the Tuesday Taco Tonight run with all of you.
So HOW on Earth am i going to give a fair rating to this car ??
How can i, and would rate this car without properly testing it ??
Certainly not by taking pictures of it! (But i will, and i will rate this car, well not these two but the Mazda2/Demio)
Unlike some of you, i refuse to put a "neutral" label. I have to categorize it as either Sleeper or Beater.
Just like we cannot have a nation without a president.
So tonight, i decided to take it for quick run... a few laps to refresh my butt.
I already know it's going to be a fun little car to drive, despite being under-powered stock, but still fun to toss it around the track.
I am looking forward to it...
As i go to my garage to switch from my current car the F40 to this Mazda2, (and i will not be comparing it to the F40, so rest assured), i am pretty convinced already that this would be closer to be a Beater than a Sleeper... (unless tuned, which i am planning to do so once i drive it stock for the purpose of this evaluation.)
Further proof that the Mazda2/Demio could not be a sleeper, and as some of you have pointed it out very scientifically (wink wink
@SuzukaStar), this is not the best car in its category. So sleepter seems to be further from the question.
Yet i am looking forward to drive this presumably Beater of a car, because i gotta hand it to Mazda: this little car definitely have the Zoom-Zoom in its gene from what i remember in GT5.
Once selected, i decided to take the Mazda2 to the Seasonal Events...
Lets see if we can test it against the rabbits AI...
Stock the Mazda is in the low to mid 300PP.... Great!
There is the new 400PP seasonal @ Grand Valley, so lets do that.
(I dont have high hope to win it, but let's try it).
I go to set up the car:
The car is pretty much stock, i only remove the traction control (otherwise known as the kill-fun).
I hesitate a bit, but decide to leave the stock tires on too.
Start!
Let's see how this goes... 12 cars, i start out last of course...
This is going to be a fun track, i like it... Been driving it for over 15 years (on and off).
Well look, it's reversed!... but no matter.
(I am not used to this configuration and it's a short version too... so this wont be easy, if not hard for me to win this... But i dont give up so easily, i'll try to give my best mo matter.)
To start, i am behind a green 200SX (or is it the Silvia, i dont know i just need to pass it), so i gun and track it.
Knowing how little power i have for such a short track and 3 laps only, i try not to lose momentum... went a little wide, but i passed it by the 2nd (or was it 3rd) corner.
Next car: My bigger brother the Mazda 6 dressed in red.
Sorry, but i gotta pass you too...
Let's try to catch up the rest as i go in the tunnel.
To my surprise, i am already 10th by the first corner right out of the tunnel
This is easy and yet, i have 2.5 laps to go, so let's not get too optimistic.
Whos my next victim ? Is it another Mazda ? the 323 ? or is it the Lantis ?? i dont know and i dont care... It's a dark color car, easily forgettable, which it will be once i pass it...
At this point, i think i am going faster than the last half of the field, so i am pretty confident i can at least be 5th by the end of the race... But let's aim for first... because who wants to be 5th ??!! duh...
i am 9th by the time i complete the first lap...
2 more laps to go... quick mental math in my head while pedal to the floor on the long straight... i need to pass 8 cars within 2 laps?? Not as easy with this mini car... but first corner is approaching, let's focus on not crashing and passing as much as possible.
8th! Same corner where i made the first pass (dirty minds refrain yourself).
Next car before the tunnel : a Civic DX ?! (easy !) I will bite this easy!
Sure enough, by the time i am out of the tunnel i am already aiming at some yellow korean sport car wanna-be... i zoom bye bye by it
pedal to the metal.
Next car: the R32../?!?? REally My Hero car ? the venerable R32 ?
How could i even think about passing the R32 in my puny little Mazda2 without feeling guilty?
but i must, so i will
(but could i ?
but i must, so i will...)
Being first will surely erase my guilt... so i pass it, making sure not to make it too painful for the R32...
Back on the long straight again... going for the final lap... up ahead is a Mini...
(Starting to get tough now)
but i must ... just like i did with my hero R32... i must pass you no matter what..
I still need to catch up with 4 other car for my last lap...
But the time i reach the 1-2 corner after the straight, the Mini is done on the inside, i pass it easily on the outside.
As i pass the Mini, my mental math got all confused.
I get excited! i smell first place... In my head at this momemt i am starting to think... the podium is within reach...
As i approach the tunnel, I am thinking... I am already 3rd... two more cars to pass...(in reality i still had 3 more cars to go... but i didn't know...!)
going through the tunnel, i see no one in sight...
the first 2 (3 in reality but of course i was too busy to know...) were so far ahead
am i getting too excited too early?
Out from the tunnel... i barely see them ahead...
At this point, i had to face reality... i am ok being 3rd and making podium... let settle for that...
Still trying to catch up, 3rd is ok... i am still doing great...
I finally cross the line, accepting third place.
But why does it show 4th //!?!! 4th how ?? what//?
i... oh see, i finally realized that i miscounted on my last lap LOL
no matter ...
IT was fun! i had fun.
But who was ahead ?
SLK 2nd.
Prelude 3rd.
and some random unknown french coupe Hommell 1st
Fair enough i say to myself: those are much faster car than me...
My Mazda2 is happy being 4th behind those, especially knowing that the AI were all driving very conservatively... if those were real opponents, i probably would have stayed last, easily far behind.
So I am happy settling for 4th...
============================================
Let's go tune this Mazda the way i think it should come in as a minimum:
- lower the springs
- decided to keep the stock transmission... gearing is actually ok... it's the power that needs to be up.
- decided to lighten the car one level.
- but then put back the same amount of weight lost, putting as far back as possible, to enhance the dynamic of the car, making as close to 50/50... I am back to the same original weight: 1080kg >>> but it's split 56/44... better than the 59/41.
- brake is stock
- engine stage 1
- up all other power component by one, keeping the computer stock.
- i am aiming to have 392PP
Why 392PP?
Because in my garage, i have another Mazda with 392PP, which i am very happy with.
Let's see how this Mazda2 with 392PP compares with my 89' Miata ?! LOL
Can you do it Mazda2?
So i get back to the same race with the same opponents...
Needless to say, the 2 zoom by everyone easily...
This is going to be an easy win...
I pass everyone as nothing happens... The AI can't comprehend...
I am starting to see this car in new lights...
As i gain up on the R32 again, i had no longer any feeling of guilt... the R32 itself knows it, it knows that i will pass, it let me pass
As i reach the top 3 cars, this time, my math is 2+1=3 !
Going for third, i am passing another car that is making feel guilty for doing so:
the Prelude... my first car in GT4:
But i am not feeling as guilty as i did when passing the R32.
This Mazda2 is sensational, it looks like a tiny little mini-van and yet it drives almost like my miata... and it's eating up Preludes and it's about to bites on SLK and other French oignons...
Last corner of the 2nd round:
I am having fun in my tiny little minivan
I am first as i complete my second lap... i just need to roll my "MAD-MOM-in-a-TINY-LITTLE-MINIVAN" casually through the last lap...
The Hommell is trying hard to catch up..
On the very last corner, it's do or die... I had a small moment of doubt...i can still lose the race if i mess this up... the French car can still beat me if it really want to..
so i give it some room, my hands shakes a little bit... i turn wide...
Giving him lotsa room ...
I hang on and straighten the tiny van up... pedal to the metal...
last stretch before the flag...
The Hommell has no chance anymore:
Sorry but this Mazda2 is a sleeper !
Not because it's fast (it isnt stock), but because it handles hella good for its type.
It's a tiny mini minivan, and i can sleep in it after my victory.
VERDICT: SLEEPER!
EDIT & PS:
on the topic of Lupo vs Polo... Of course the LUPO (GTI) will be faster than the bigger and heavier (regular) POLO...
And I would have to disagree with most of you, but i think this Mazda2/Demio generation is looking very handsome and cute ! I like it very much.
Not a Beater as i initially thought, but a Sleeper as i always knew it would be...