Maybe I shouldn't expect anything different, considering that in 35 years, Car & Driver has only managed to soup up five Boss Wagons. But when the magazine's editors announced last summer that Boss Wagon VI, the latest installment in their custom, performance station wagon series [sic], would be turning a Mazda 5 into a Mazdaspeed 5, I actually believed them.
And yet, seven months later, and there's not a peep, not a press release, not a single "today we removed the Mazdaspeed 6's AWD transmission" blog update. What gives?
I was looking at their site last week for the exact same thing.
From what I can tell C & D has not embraced this whole newfangled internets thingee.
I agree. I prefer Edmunds for all my online car-research needs. Automobile.com is also a top choice.
Dave the auto journalist here:
I've never followed those old builds, but the magazine is going through editorial changes right now and a very tough economic climate. Many manufacturers are pulling out of certain pr moves including lending vehicles for builds like this.
I've heard of a few automakers that actually did well last year pulling out of sponsored gigs like this.
I don't know if that's the reason but I know stuff like that is going on.
FYI I'm at the Subaru dealership getting service for the Outback on my day off today.
I figured on some economic turmoil and forgot about the Csaba Csere thing, thanks. May your days off be few and paid.
Is the Boss Wagon concept even relevant anymore? In the days of BMW and Audi wagons with M and S badges. Or Volvos with R badges. Or Dodges with Hemis and GT/XT Subarus.
When you think about it, what are you actually getting by putting the MazdaSpeed3 parts in the Mazda5? Basically you get a MazdaSpeed3 that fits one more person but has less cargo space and doesn't handle as well. It's a nice shop project but not too useful. Now, I'll contradict myself and add that if the Mazda5 was a bit more powerful and had AWD, I'd probably own one.
If C&D has problems with a Boss Wagon concept, I suspect they're more along the lines of "the wagon is dead, and minivans are for chicks" than "Who can top an S6 Avant?"
As for the lack of ambition of the Mazdaspeed5 project, I agree. It's less Impossible Dream than the kind of thing that Mazda should be doing their own damn self. And in the comments on the first BWVI post, I think someone mentioned they should've started with a Mazdaspeed6 AWD instead, which would be awesome.
Been loking for this article too... I'd love a sleeper like this.
Seeing that I own both a 08 Mazdaspeed 3 and 08 Mazda 5, I think the 244hp AWD auto from the CX-7 would be more convenient. Granted it's not putting down as much as the MS6 and MS3, but it's still almost twice as what it currently has. Besides, the MS6 differential isn't all that realiable.
Engine running next spring (according to the article)?
[aha, so they turned the project over to a shop class. thanks. -ed.]