With the clearest use of Mazda Furai styling on a road-going car yet, the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 is seriously attractive. Of course, the giant hood scoop, which feeds the 268 HP engine doesn't hurt either.
It's that Furai-like grille that immediately sets the Mazdaspeed3 apart from the regular 2010 Mazda3, but there's also the usual side skirts, big wheels, rear diffuser, twin exhausts thing going on too. This is actually the rest-of-the-world 2010 Mazda3 MPS, but expect the North American Mazdaspeed3 to be identical in all but badges.
At this point, our spoiled European readers might be wondering why we get so worked up over a middle-of-the-pack hot hatch. Well, we don't get many hot hatches here in the colonies, so it's this, the VW GTI or the Subaru WRX for us.
This new Mazdaspeed3 carries over the 2.3-liter, 268 HP turbo engine, but rumor has it we might see a version of the Ford Focus RS's RevoKnuckle FWD system, which will bring a much needed reduction in torque steer to the hot Mazda. Expect official details later this week as everything from the Geneva Motor Show leaks early. [via MotorAuthority]