Sort of an unorthodox suggestion, but I hope the standard brakes are available with the sport suspension. Why? Unfortunately, the reality is; I will be driving this car in snowy and icy conditions about five months out of the year, and as much as I would like maximum braking power, that would mean larger disks that wouldn’t be able to fit inside 16” wheels.

Since I’ll be going from all-wheel drive to rear, I think I’ll need all the help I can get, in the form of the narrowest, tallest, 16” snow tires I can fit on the car. (I would imagine, 18” 45-series tires, even if they were snow tires, would be a bit like fastening a toboggan on each hub) However, I do want the crisp handling that stiffer suspension and larger wheels and tires would allow, especially for those months the roads aren’t covered with snow or ice, and the heinous amounts of salt they put on the roads here to melt the ice.

Also, I wonder if all available suspensions will use stability control. I’d like to keep things as simple as possible. (well, ok, other than the autopaddlematic transmission and a sun roof) How complicated (and expensive) are these systems? Is it a matter of each damper having a sensor and servomotor, with a central brain to control it?

 

The upgraded engine *should* come standard with the sports suspension and upgraded brakes, so I don't think your wish will come true.

However there are winter tires that will fit the 18s, though I'm unsure of the make of them. You can also ask Mazda what kind of rims you need to get winter tires on your car if you want to change out the rims entirely.

 

The recent Car and Driver article contained the following information: (although they could have been guessing; I wonder if even Mazda knows for sure how they’ll package options)

“Along with the high-powered six-speed model we will see here as a flagship in the spring of ’03, there will be a lower-powered (about 207 horsepower) version with a five-speed automatic transmission. A sport suspension will be offered as an option on either model, with 18-inch wheels and 225/45R-18 Bridgestone Potenza RE040 tires replacing the standard 16-inch wheels and 225/55R-16 tires.
Thirteen-inch front brake rotors are also to be an option over the stock 12-inch units.”

So they don’t really say if the brake option comes only with the suspension option or not. I guess I should just be patient and wait for Mazda’s final word. I don’t know how my dealer intends to do the ordering anyway, but I hope people on the wait list will be able to specify what they want. (or don’t want!) It would make sense to me, because even if somebody backed out of his or her order, I doubt the dealer would have trouble selling the car to somebody else.

 

You will need 17" wheels to clear 13" brakes, so 205/55 17 would be a no change(diameter) tire size, but that doesn't exist(yet)
I was thinking 235/40 18 on the stock wheels after the stock tires wear out and get some 215/50 17 snow tires/wheels. should be available soon, because I don't like the idea of 205/60 17 or 215/55 17 too much.


Doesn't a 2 inch change in wheel size from base to sport suspension seem a bit big. Shouldn't the base wheel/tire be 225/50 17, and the up level is already known to be 225/45 18

 

Mike is right that you will need at least 17" wheels with the 13" brake rotors. If the information is correct that 16" wheels will be standard and the 18" wheels come with the performance suspension package, I would assume that the upgraded brakes would only come with the performance suspension package (they wouldn't fit the 16" wheels.

Brian

 

You very well might be able to fit 16" wheels over the 12.7" front discs. It's a tight squeeze but I can fit some 13" wheels over my 10.3" discs on my MR2.

I can just imagine 10 years ago if someone said that, soon, sports cars would come with 18" wheels from the factory!

 

I suppose it would depend also on the size and shape of the calipers. I know the WRX for example, won't accept 15" wheels, with 16" being the standard size. (they have 11.4" front disks)