Car - Mazda AZ-1 Autozam
Deep Forest Time - 130.294
Report
The AZ-1 started life as a simple purchase to get me through the races that needed a Kei car; second-hand, cheap and not front wheel drive it met my basic needs. The problems started when I drove it after a mild tune. While it was quite clear that it was not going to challenge for any land speed records (at time it could barely challenge the speed limit), what it did provide was a very entertaining drive.
The amount of money I have spent on the AZ-1 may seem like madness to some, but this was my project car, and it took on a life of its own. Not to tune it for acceleration or outright speed, but simply to tune it as a fun drive.
Scaffs 👍
Quite simply its a joy to drive; running on the S2 tyres the little Mazda can be steered on the throttle at will. The first corner at Deep Forest being a classic example; you brake firmly down for a third gear approach, allowing the car a moment to settle before turning in. Maintaining a balanced throttle until just before the apex, when you can start to feed the power back on, as you do the rear starts to gently slide out, balancing the rear and front ends with the throttle around the remainder of the corner. While the AZ-1 has little in the way of snap-oversteer as the tail returns, it still needs good control of the power to bring the rear in cleanly.
The initial balance is very mild understeer on turn in which quickly but progressively turns to oversteer; as the back steps out the car can be balanced on the throttle around entire corners. Given the low overall speeds the car achieves this means that for the majority of a lap around Deep Forest only minimal braking is required and most of that is trimming the speed and balance of the car for the next corner.
The AZ-1 also serves as an excellent training tool for those who find mid-engined cars tricky on the limit, as all the basic principles that are needed can be learnt here, just at lower speeds, which allows the driver more time to react.
As already mentioned, top speed is not exactly the cars strong point, but overall it is very quick for its 125bhp; fitted with R5 racing rubber we clocked a time of 130.294 around the Deep Forest track. Given the circuits two lengthy straights its an impressive time for such a small car, gaining what it looses on the straights with simply amazing ability around corners. On a track with shorter straights and more turns it has the potential to humble much more powerful cars.
Scaffs 👎
Dynamically the Mazdas biggest issue is one that almost no tuning can resolve; its a very light mid-engined car with a very short wheelbase, as a result once the back end has gone past a certain point nothing is going to save it. Its an issue inherent in all mid-engined cars, a side effect of the reason why they turn and corner so well; the Mazdas short wheelbase just exaggerates the issue.
However, from a dynamic perspective very little else can be found to criticise the car, its twitchy over surface irregularities and rumble strips, again a factor of its light weight. Further softening the car would remove some, but not all of this, however the overall balance of the car would be spoilt. Just keep of the rough stuff.
Its also arguably not the most attractive car in the world; but as they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, lowered and with the after-market red trimmed alloys and purely cosmetic wing Ive grown quite fond of how it looks. Im quite sure other will find it vulgar and over the top, but the world would be boring if we all liked the same things.
The single biggest problem with the AZ-1 is cost; yes you can find up nice used examples very cheap, but once the chassis has been restored and all the required modifications fitted, the final bill is sometimes hard to swallow. Particularly for a car that will only just top 100mph.
Overall
If you justify the price and are not just looking for straight line speed, then this is one of the most entertaining little cars you can sit yourself in.
Simply buckle up and on the right track you can spend hours with the car rarely travelling in a straight line and permanent grin on your face. And, for the truly silly among you, slap on a set of R5 racing tyres and take it for a spin, your own mini Le Mans racer. The speed may not be present, but that has nothing to do with fun and entertainment value. To top it all off its a great tool to learn the skills required to get the most out of all youre other mid-engined cars.
Look at it in this way and the price seems to get more and more reasonable (or Im just looking for reasons to convince myself).
Spec
125bhp@6,500rpm
101.19ft/lb@4,000rpm
655kg
Modifications
Oil Change
Racing Exhaust
Chip
S2 and or R5 Tyres
Stage 3 turbo
Large Racing Intercooler
Brake Balance Controller
Racing Suspension
Fully Customisable Transmission
Triple Plate Clutch
Racing Flywheel
Weight Reduction Stage 3
Port Polish
Engine Balance
Stiffness & Chassis Refresh
Fully Customisable LSD
My car is also fitted with aftermarket alloys and a wing, no downforce is used in the settings below as the car doesnt reach speeds at which is would be of great effect. Therefore these two modifications are purely cosmetic and can be omitted if required.
Setting
All are shown Front then Rear
Spring Rate 4.0 / 4.4
Ride Height 115 / 115
Damper
Bound 1 / 2
Rebound 2 / 4
Camber 2.0 / 1.0
Toe 0 / 0
Stabilisers 2 / 2
Downforce 0 / 0
VCD 10 / 30 / 20
Brake Balance 4 / 3
Gearbox Auto 10
Be careful if changing gearbox settings as Auto 10 helps to keep the car right in the powerband.
Deep Forest Time - 130.294
Report
The AZ-1 started life as a simple purchase to get me through the races that needed a Kei car; second-hand, cheap and not front wheel drive it met my basic needs. The problems started when I drove it after a mild tune. While it was quite clear that it was not going to challenge for any land speed records (at time it could barely challenge the speed limit), what it did provide was a very entertaining drive.
The amount of money I have spent on the AZ-1 may seem like madness to some, but this was my project car, and it took on a life of its own. Not to tune it for acceleration or outright speed, but simply to tune it as a fun drive.
Scaffs 👍
Quite simply its a joy to drive; running on the S2 tyres the little Mazda can be steered on the throttle at will. The first corner at Deep Forest being a classic example; you brake firmly down for a third gear approach, allowing the car a moment to settle before turning in. Maintaining a balanced throttle until just before the apex, when you can start to feed the power back on, as you do the rear starts to gently slide out, balancing the rear and front ends with the throttle around the remainder of the corner. While the AZ-1 has little in the way of snap-oversteer as the tail returns, it still needs good control of the power to bring the rear in cleanly.
The initial balance is very mild understeer on turn in which quickly but progressively turns to oversteer; as the back steps out the car can be balanced on the throttle around entire corners. Given the low overall speeds the car achieves this means that for the majority of a lap around Deep Forest only minimal braking is required and most of that is trimming the speed and balance of the car for the next corner.
The AZ-1 also serves as an excellent training tool for those who find mid-engined cars tricky on the limit, as all the basic principles that are needed can be learnt here, just at lower speeds, which allows the driver more time to react.
As already mentioned, top speed is not exactly the cars strong point, but overall it is very quick for its 125bhp; fitted with R5 racing rubber we clocked a time of 130.294 around the Deep Forest track. Given the circuits two lengthy straights its an impressive time for such a small car, gaining what it looses on the straights with simply amazing ability around corners. On a track with shorter straights and more turns it has the potential to humble much more powerful cars.
Scaffs 👎
Dynamically the Mazdas biggest issue is one that almost no tuning can resolve; its a very light mid-engined car with a very short wheelbase, as a result once the back end has gone past a certain point nothing is going to save it. Its an issue inherent in all mid-engined cars, a side effect of the reason why they turn and corner so well; the Mazdas short wheelbase just exaggerates the issue.
However, from a dynamic perspective very little else can be found to criticise the car, its twitchy over surface irregularities and rumble strips, again a factor of its light weight. Further softening the car would remove some, but not all of this, however the overall balance of the car would be spoilt. Just keep of the rough stuff.
Its also arguably not the most attractive car in the world; but as they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, lowered and with the after-market red trimmed alloys and purely cosmetic wing Ive grown quite fond of how it looks. Im quite sure other will find it vulgar and over the top, but the world would be boring if we all liked the same things.
The single biggest problem with the AZ-1 is cost; yes you can find up nice used examples very cheap, but once the chassis has been restored and all the required modifications fitted, the final bill is sometimes hard to swallow. Particularly for a car that will only just top 100mph.
Overall
If you justify the price and are not just looking for straight line speed, then this is one of the most entertaining little cars you can sit yourself in.
Simply buckle up and on the right track you can spend hours with the car rarely travelling in a straight line and permanent grin on your face. And, for the truly silly among you, slap on a set of R5 racing tyres and take it for a spin, your own mini Le Mans racer. The speed may not be present, but that has nothing to do with fun and entertainment value. To top it all off its a great tool to learn the skills required to get the most out of all youre other mid-engined cars.
Look at it in this way and the price seems to get more and more reasonable (or Im just looking for reasons to convince myself).
Spec
125bhp@6,500rpm
101.19ft/lb@4,000rpm
655kg
Modifications
Oil Change
Racing Exhaust
Chip
S2 and or R5 Tyres
Stage 3 turbo
Large Racing Intercooler
Brake Balance Controller
Racing Suspension
Fully Customisable Transmission
Triple Plate Clutch
Racing Flywheel
Weight Reduction Stage 3
Port Polish
Engine Balance
Stiffness & Chassis Refresh
Fully Customisable LSD
My car is also fitted with aftermarket alloys and a wing, no downforce is used in the settings below as the car doesnt reach speeds at which is would be of great effect. Therefore these two modifications are purely cosmetic and can be omitted if required.
Setting
All are shown Front then Rear
Spring Rate 4.0 / 4.4
Ride Height 115 / 115
Damper
Bound 1 / 2
Rebound 2 / 4
Camber 2.0 / 1.0
Toe 0 / 0
Stabilisers 2 / 2
Downforce 0 / 0
VCD 10 / 30 / 20
Brake Balance 4 / 3
Gearbox Auto 10
Be careful if changing gearbox settings as Auto 10 helps to keep the car right in the powerband.
