The 1990 MX-6 GT Was The Answer To A Question We Are All Asking Today

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror)
03/16/2015 at 11:42 • Filed to: FORGOTTEN CLASSICS, FC, ESSAYS

We all love hot hatches, and I would even go as far as saying that our current decade is the golden age of hot hatches with the WRX/Fiesta ST/Golf GTI/Sentra SE-R and the glorious MazdaSpeed 3, but there's one problem : all of these cars are not distinct enough from the lesser versions they are made from.

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Welcome to Forgotten Classics.

As demonstrated in the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , the goal of this series of essays is be to bring cars that are getting no love back in the limelight. FC is also a thorough analysis of why such cars remained obscure and never got the praise they deserved.

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1988 is a year humanity witnessed its fair share of controversy. Ben Johnson lost his gold medal to an equally doped Carl Lewis, Libyans were blowing up 747 over Scotland and crack cocaine was invented. On the flip side, there was no shortage of great, affordable sport cars and the 1988-1992 Mazda MX-6 GT is one fine example of a species that unfortunately went extinct, the affordable sport coupe.

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With its long bonnet, the abundant greenhouse, the low belt line, muscular fender flares and subtle rear spoiler, the MX-6 GT was in some sort a cheap and lightweight version of the BMW 850i.

The MX-6 GT came in various trim levels, but today we're going to talk about the most interesting version, the GT model.

As you may know, GT stands for Grand Touring (or Gran Turismo in German). 3 elements are required to make a GT car :

Coupe Body-style

Generous power

Luxury

For some seasons, BMW thinks that Gran Turismo meant ill-proportioned hunchbacks with high roofs, but let's not go there.

Nowadays, the only true GT cars are out of reach of most buyers, but things used to be different in the good old days. If you had 25 Grands in today's money, you could go the boyracer-ish route and buy a Golf GTI, a Civic SI or a Mazda 323 GTX, or go the more mature and sophisticated way and acquire a Pontiac Grand Am GT, a Ford Probe, a Toyota Celica or the subject of today's article, the Mazda MX-6 GT.

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Innovation is in Mazda's DNA, and this why they went with a turbocharged engine way before it was cool. the 2.2t engine was good for 145hp, but many says it was excessively underrated. Anyway, the MX-6 GT was not exactly a fat car. As it's always the case with Mazda, the car was light and engineered for driving pleasure.

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The interior was upholstered with lightweight materials and the cockpit was very driver-centric, once again in an effort to encourage spirited driving.

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The MX-6, like most similar cars of its era, had a mitigated success, but still enough to get a refresh in 1993. The 1993- 1997 MX-6 "Mystere" was a pretty neat car, but lacked the character of the the previous gen. Mazda, like Nissan and VW stopped making affordable sport coupes after that. Nowadays, the only performance cars one can afford under 30 grands are glorified econoboxes.

The Fiesta is a great car, but it still looks like a Pizza delivery car to most people, and this is what the current market offering is lacking nowadays, affordable cars that don't look affordable. In a that regard, the MX-6 GT was the answer to the question a lot of us are asking today.

Can Mazda do it again ? I certainly hope so.

Thanks for reading

DISCUSSION (100)

For Sweden > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 11:46

Would you agree that the MX-6 is one better than the MX-5?

Margin Of Error > For Sweden
03/16/2015 at 11:47

That's a complicated question

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > For Sweden
03/16/2015 at 11:48

Yes. more power, and it's more useful.

For Sweden > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 11:50

No it isn't.

Gary Yogurt > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 11:51

As you may know, GT stands for Grand Touring (or Gran Turismo in German). 3 elements are required to make a GT car :

That would be Italian , not German.

jariten1781 > For Sweden
03/16/2015 at 11:51

-5 > -6

Negative numbers bro.

For Sweden > jariten1781
03/16/2015 at 11:52

Margin Of Error > Gary Yogurt
03/16/2015 at 11:53

BMW is German, that's misleading, but it's it's not the first time BMW is fucking with us.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 11:54

Dad had a '94 MX-6 LS. the V6 loved to purr. I'll be getting a inferior (non- GT) 1st gen MX-6 once I get my stuff together.

There is hope for a new one. Mazda should do it again.

Imirrelephant > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 11:55

Kinja'd!!!

This. Looks. Amazing.

Margin Of Error > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
03/16/2015 at 11:56

Indeed, that would be awesome.

If one company have the balls and dedication to do it, it will be Mazda.

Margin Of Error > Imirrelephant
03/16/2015 at 11:56

Not surprising, it's a Mazda.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 11:59

Damn...seeing that render at the bottom just makes me wish they'd bring back the Mazdaspeed 6. I had a buddy with one and it was just insanely fun for a little car.

Gary Yogurt > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:00

It's...not misleading and I don't know why you are pulling BMW into it. The phrase "gran turismo" literally means grand touring in the Italian language. Car companies the world over have appropriated this as its been in use since at least the 1920s.

Imirrelephant > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:02

The Mazda 6 is an amazing looking car in sedan form as it is. I am constantly teased by the achingly beautiful 6 Wagon that we will likely not get and the Skyactiv Diesel that is continually "almost ready" for the US market. A coupe 6 would be the perfect trifecta!

-ADDvanced- > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:03

Needs more line breaks.

Kruezerman > jariten1781
03/16/2015 at 12:03

I love you for this.

Kruezerman > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:04

Kinja'd!!!

The wheel looks like it kept it's arms up for too long and got tired. It looks so sad. :(

Gary Yogurt > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:04

I don't mean to be flippant, but could you just tell me what the question is? The one we are all asking today?

I've read your article twice.

MTY19855 > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:05

Ben Johnson lost HIS medal, and there's no apostrophe in "747s."

Round headlight enthusiast > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:06

eyyy my parents had a 5spd base model of one of these. Such an obscure car, haven't seen one since they sold it in '02

Margin Of Error > -ADDvanced-
03/16/2015 at 12:07

Don't judge, tt's the only way I found to prevent the format to get fucked up.

True > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:07

Wait a tick....I thought the answer was always Miata?

Margin Of Error > MTY19855
03/16/2015 at 12:08

thank you

jjhats > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:08

you really don't see the difference?

Kinja'd!!!

I was gonna post a comparison between a mx-6 and a mx-6 gt but I couldn't discern in pictures what was different leading me to believe they are basically the same. The fiesta st looks like what Lamborghini would come up with if forced to make a ferocious city car

MTY19855 > MTY19855
03/16/2015 at 12:08

It wasn't a fat car? Pretty sure you meant fast there.

Jesus freaking christ, try editing your articles before publishing them sometime.

Margin Of Error > jjhats
03/16/2015 at 12:08

Beside the color, no.

MTY19855 > MTY19855
03/16/2015 at 12:09

"the 2.2t engine was good for 145hp" missed the capitalization.

This article would fail fourth grade English class.

BurnKinjaBURN > Gary Yogurt
03/16/2015 at 12:09

Yes, that, and this is one of the more poorly written articles on Jalponik... Not trying to discourage you, young Jalop writer... But there are many holes in this article.

BMW isn't messing with anyone, GT is an Italian designation that's stuck the world over!

All that said, Mazda is about the only current car maker I have any faith in.

MTY19855 > MTY19855
03/16/2015 at 12:09

"The Fiesta is a great car, but it still looks like a Pizza delivery car to most people"

"Pizza" is not capitalized.

MTY19855 > MTY19855
03/16/2015 at 12:10

"once again in a effort to encourage spirited driving."

AN effort.

Ike B > Gary Yogurt
03/16/2015 at 12:10

You don't want to see the German term for Gran Turismo.

thegregorius > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:10

Coupe Body-style

Generous power

Luxury

[...]

a Golf GTI, a Civic SI or a Mazda 323 GTX, or go the more mature and sophisticated way and acquire a Pontiac Grand Am GT, a Ford Probe, a Toyota Celica or the subject of today's article, the Mazda MX-6 GT.

That last bullet point about luxury is why I wouldn't classify any of those cars as GT:s. Real GT cars are unaccesible to most people now, and they were the same back in the 1990s. A "cheap" GT car is just a regular coupé.

635BMW270 > For Sweden
03/16/2015 at 12:10

yes. The answer is yes.

50fridge > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:10

That MX-6 looked like a nice car but the BRZ/FR-S out handle it dynamically and modern hot hatchbacks like the GTI/Focus ST etc. are much more practical cars and still drive well. There is a reason why most manufactures do not make FWD based non Luxury coupes anymore.

jjhats > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:10

idk why this didn't come in my post:

either youre blind or lying because these cars are lightyears apart from one another. Your gt has no major changes at all that I can tell and I think they all had spoilers and fenders even the front bumper is the same

8695Beaters > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:11

Jalopnik/Oppo, can you please not share anything written by someone who failed Middle School English? Especially a piece that references a Sentra SE-R hatchback which, last time I checked, never existed? And no, Pulsars and Bluebirds aren't Sentras (since they're A) a different name and B) never sold in the USA, which is where the name Sentra is sold). Thanks y'all!

HideyoshiJP > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:12

Kinja'd!!!

I kind of miss these tractor shift boots.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:12

go the more mature and sophisticated way and acquire a Pontiac Grand Am GT, a Ford Probe

Umm...

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > For Sweden
03/16/2015 at 12:12

It's one better.

Mister Sterling > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:12

And this class of car was something we didn't get enough of. The Toyota Soarer (the low beltline model before it was redesigned and sent here as the Lexus SC200) and the Nissan Silvia didn't make it here. The Nissan Leopard did, as the Infiniti M30. And we got the Subaru SVX.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:12

Kinja'd!!!

Luxury?

505 - morphine not found > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:13

Umm there's one slight little problem with your thought process: the MX-6 was just as closely related to the 626, as the Fiesta ST to the Fiesta.

Kinja'd!!!

So much so, that in the European market, even the Coupe was called a 626 Coupe, and only the next generation, the one a bit more different visually was called MX-6 on these shores. Oh, and that was basically a Xedos 6 in drag. And this is the same story with every single affordable GT/Coupe you can name, no matter how far back you go on the timeline - sharing building blocks among several models in the lineup isn't anything new.

So I would say your reasoning doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. However, this doesn't mean I don't agree with you, the classic GT / Coupé body style is sadly absent from most marquees, I miss them too. I would cut BMW and Merc some slack, at least they have classic Coupés in their lineup as well as these new-fanged four-door Coupés, and Audi have the A5 which is very nice if you ask me. However, when it comes to more affordable choices.... we just ran out of them. I don't know the reason, oh who am i kidding, i know, there simply isn't a market for these on neither side of the Atlantic that's why they are missing. Maybe it's that people who want to drive, want RWD or at least AWD, and people who don't care, want the practicality of more doors, but that's just an idea, i don't know.

KartRacer > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:13

Wasn't the MX-6 the car that had the oscillating air vents? Those were kind of spiffy in a completely unnecessary way.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:14

Nowadays, the only performance cars one can afford under 30 grands are glorified econoboxes.

Um? BRZ? (some would say) Mustang?

As Du Volant > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:14

I remember you used to see these cars everywhere, and now it's been years since I've seen one. I always wanted to drive one but never got the chance. IIRC the engine made a ridiculous amount of torque.

Often overlooked is the GT version of the 626 sold at the same time as this car, in a handsome 4-door hatchback configuration:

Kinja'd!!!

Mechanically the same as the MX-6, with one exception: 4 wheel steering! They only made the 4WS for the 1988 model year though.

Gary Yogurt > BurnKinjaBURN
03/16/2015 at 12:14

It's on the front page? Wow. Is someone dying of cancer?

Margin Of Error > KartRacer
03/16/2015 at 12:15

I don't know, but if it is, that's great !

Lincoln Clown Car > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:15

On what planet is an MX-6 like an 850i? Also, on what planet is a Grand Am a more mature car than any of the other cars listed?

Toyotathong! > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:16

I think crack was invented before 1988.

Margin Of Error > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
03/16/2015 at 12:17

The BRZ is the only exception, how much is a decent Mustang ?

lone_liberal > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
03/16/2015 at 12:18

I had a '96 Probe GT, which is the same car under the skin and I loved that V6. It didn't have all of the power in the world but it loved to rev and provided a lot of fun when coupled with what was a pretty good handling car.

Jake Holmes > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:18

Kinja'd!!!

No photo credit to AUTOMOBILE for this shot? http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/12_mon…

Steve Zissou > MTY19855
03/16/2015 at 12:18

No...he meant fat. Read the next line:

"As it's always the case with Mazda, the car was light and engineered for driving pleasure."

lone_liberal > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:19

When you add in the number of Ford Probes sold, which were the same car under the skin, I'm sure the sales numbers were more than respectable.

Margin Of Error > MTY19855
03/16/2015 at 12:19

I really meant "fat"

The MX-6 did not suffer from what we no call "model bloat"

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:19

In my opinion, there's no such thing as a decent Mustang, but plenty of people like the V6 Mustang lots, and that starts in the low 20s.

ghost650 > jariten1781
03/16/2015 at 12:20

Whoa.

Margin Of Error > Jake Holmes
03/16/2015 at 12:20

I found it on Bing.

Vintage1982Benz > Gary Yogurt
03/16/2015 at 12:21

I read that multiple times and thought "he is joking, right?"

Kinja'd!!!

ghost650 > Gary Yogurt
03/16/2015 at 12:22

Yeah but, BMW!!! BMW DAMMIT!

Skitzo > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:22

While these cars have amazing appeal on paper. They also had a transmission made out of glass. Seriously! My buddy had one just out of highschool, and one missed shift when the turbo kicked in and you owe $2200.00 to get it back on the road. Granted he was paying someone else for repairs, but the manual trans on these things were shite.

Your boy, BJR > Gary Yogurt
03/16/2015 at 12:22

I think there's some mild retardation going on....

Jimmy Joe Meeker > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:22

The torque steer. How can anyone have an article about the first generation Mazda MX-6 without mentioning the torque steer of the GT?

When the turbo came on, especially in a turn, it would damn near pull the steering wheel from your grip.

TanukiAttack > Gary Yogurt
03/16/2015 at 12:22

Its Jalopnik...large margin or error is to be expected on all things Kinja.

User1312 > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:23

Sentra SE-R is a glorious hot hatch? Am I glossing over internet sarcasm here?

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > Imirrelephant
03/16/2015 at 12:24

And only if they were all RWD to compliment the immense beauty.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > lone_liberal
03/16/2015 at 12:25

One thing I'd prefer on the Probe over the mx-6 is the popup headlights. otherwise, they're pretty damn identical to me.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > BurnKinjaBURN
03/16/2015 at 12:25

Jeez... Next thing you're going to claim is that GTO isn't American...

Margin Of Error > User1312
03/16/2015 at 12:26

*Glorious Mazdaspeed3

Steve in Manhattan > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:26

Funny, the answer was not this car nor was it Miata.

The year was 1991 and I needed a DD to get to the job and the last 2 years of college. Drove a Miata at a VW/Mazda dealer, but all they had was that demonstrator. They had another demonstrator - silver/grey MX6 GT - lowish miles, stick, every option - I recall that the vents oscillated.

Ultimately bought a CRX Si with 7 miles on it. New, mine. The MX6 was just too big, although they were offering it for a silly price, something like 8 grand under sticker.

skymonk > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:28

I had a 1988 GT. Amazing piece of work. Got it for $1400. Was in a crash prior to my ownership. Great fun for a college kid.

I was so proud, even though it looked like sh*t it was quick. There's a boatload of torque-steer. But the car had good grip and was always fun to drive.

Wound up losing a shift fork 600 miles from home, rendering 5th gear worthless. I gave up on the interstate for my return trip back to school, and settled for 55 mph rural road so the 4th gear rev racket wouldn't render me insane.

I miss that car. I miss it so much.

-ADDvanced- > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:28

Well, I think it's horribly written and horribly formatted. Sorry. You wrote a lot of fluff and somehow brought nothing interesting to the table. Was English your first language? Everything you wrote was very sophomoric and very stilted.

boneheadotto > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:31

Kinja'd!!!

oh why cant more cars have box flared fenders these days? They look so great!! I especially like the ones on the 2002 WRX but i want a car with that only 2x the swell. Man that would look great. Like maybe something crazy like this

Kinja'd!!!

Matt > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:31

Kinja'd!!!

The 626/MX-6s also had oscillating fans in the center of the dash!

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > jariten1781
03/16/2015 at 12:31

Kinja'd!!!

Margin Of Error > Jimmy Joe Meeker
03/16/2015 at 12:32

I need to test drive one !

PS9 > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:32

Kinja'd!!!

Put something close to 300HP here, and then we can talk.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:32

Going on a random tangent based on one sentence in your opening paragraph that's not really related to what the article is actually about, I don't think the Sentra SE-R really counts as a "Hot Hatch", does it? It doesn't have a hatch, or even a hatchback version at all. It's just a small econobox sedan. Now don't get me wrong, I love the Sentra. Had one myself for a few years. Great little car. I just don't think it's a hot hatch.

Margin Of Error > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
03/16/2015 at 12:35

I think what we now call "hot hatches" are performance econoboxes, hatches or not.

Is the Civic Si and the Sentra SE-R competing head to head with the GTI /Fiesta ST and likes ? I think so.

Maybe it's time to revisit the term "hot hatch"

DoglegFirst > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:35

Why would you pass up on a 323GTX?

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:36

My first Mazda, actually, it was my wife's car, was a gray GT-6. It was a great car. As a matter of fact, it was so great that it is what brought us back to getting another Mazda just a couple of years ago.

Jimmy Joe Meeker > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:36

I'd offer the '89 in my garage but it doesn't run any more and hasn't for many years. Needs new piston rings and I never got around to it.

cosmicspeed > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:36

Miller-Cycle Engine next!

MTY19855 > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:38

*now call.

If English is not your first language, then it's fine. If it's not, good god man you write on about a fifth grade level.

Margin Of Error > Jimmy Joe Meeker
03/16/2015 at 12:39

2.3 DISI swap !

Margin Of Error > MTY19855
03/16/2015 at 12:40

The w was just a missing letter, I'm dealing with a lot of replies right now.

friskfyr32 > For Sweden
03/16/2015 at 12:41

Would you rather end up as number 1 or number 2 in a race?

Margin Of Error > jjhats
03/16/2015 at 12:42

Don't get me wrong, I like the Fiesta ST.

But some folks out there will prefer a more mature looking car, I'm sure there's a market for that.

mrjason > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:42

My First Car was an 88 MX6 Turbo. Dyno'd 186whp 243tq @ 12psi on the stock turbo.

Good for 100MPH through the 1/4 with 50$ worth of modifications.

Great Car!

ken lin > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:42

My dad had one a 1989 mx-6 gt. was charcoal after about a week he went to a place in florida and had it twin turboed. From what I got from him there were about 15 that were made. He loved that car.

Margin Of Error > mrjason
03/16/2015 at 12:42

Amazing !

Jim is one of KFCs secret ingredients > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:44

That 6 Coupe chop is pretty sexy

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:45

Kinja'd!!!

Now you are talking, I feel like the modern replacement is the Mazda3 considering the original MX-6 had a usable back seat. My mom had a non-turbo 91' and it was a really good car for us. It looked way more mundane that it drove. The handling was good by early 90's standards, power was adequate, (it would do 120) and fuel economy was really good 40+ using cruise control. Her car died a sad death of repetitive deer strikes, to be replaced by a 2001 Subaru 2.5 RS. My mom had good taste in cars.

mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/ > For Sweden
03/16/2015 at 12:46

you answered your own question.

Margin Of Error > Toyotathong!
03/16/2015 at 12:47

Apparently not, I double-checked.

Tall1 > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:48

Wow I can't believe you put a spotlight on this rare car! I had a 1990 MX-6 GT for 8 years and it was a great daily driver . The pic below was the same color and model I had (burgundy cloth seats). This was a luxury GT for its time and it had some really upscale features: oscillating center air vents, three settings for handling, electronic synthesizer display for stereo. Cool car that was always fun when that turbo kicked in. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Kinja'd!!!

STEVOH > mXxxxXm24 /O/ /O/
03/16/2015 at 12:51

No he didnt

404 - User No Longer Available > TanukiAttack
03/16/2015 at 12:53

Its Jalopnik Gawker...large margin or error is to be expected on all things Kinja.

Fixed it for you.

Struts MacPherson > Margin Of Error
03/16/2015 at 12:53

I would even go as far as saying that our current decade is the golden age of hot hatches with the WRX/Fiesta ST/Golf GTI/Sentra SE-R...

Yeah, I'm gonna be that guy. The SE-R isn't a hot hatch.