The biggest upgrade to the interior, however, was the new Kentwood sound system. The interior, meanwhile, was given a fresher look thanks to a Nardi leather wrapped steering wheel, updated upholstery, and center console trim that matched the steering wheel. Mazda also formulated new paint colors to spice up the exterior and give the car a younger look. Racing Heart wheels where designed especially for the car, and fitted with low profile performance tires to improve handling and for better road feel, and finally, a new rear wing was added to complete the sportier look. shorter than in the standard Protégé, was also designed and installed for a sportier feel. Racing Beat further designed new larger front and rear sway bars, while also lowering the ride height by a half inch to improve handing and high speed cornering. They also fitted stiffer springs to accompany new Tokico shocks for a firmer ride and better road feel. Racing Beat also designed new intake and exhaust headers, although they never made it to the production model. They designed a new exhaust from scratch to give the car an aggressive sound, and slightly boosted horsepower simultaneously. Racing Beat, a company that specialized in Mazda performance parts, went to work on upgrading the engineering of the Protégé. To accomplish this, they contacted Racing Beat, KONI USA, and Takechi to help boost performance, while Nardi and Kentwood were commissioned to revamp the interior of the dull compact. This was a far cry from Mazda’s proud racing history and its moto of “Zoom Zoom.” Then, in early 2000, Mazda decided to spice up the Protégé to appeal specifically to younger buyers, hopefully making them loyal Mazda customers in the future. The exterior was utterly bland, and melted into the crowds of Corollas, Civics, and Sentras with ease, and the interior would put you to sleep faster than a UN council meeting. The fact that the Protégé was the entry level model, designed purely for transportation, was obvious to anyone with eyes. But like most inexpensive compact cars, the Protégé was also boring inside and out. It was a fun to drive compact that handled well, was mechanically reliable, and most importantly, it was cheep. The Protégé was a small, inexpensive car designed to introduce young car buyers to the Mazda brand. The Mazda Protégé MP3 was a special edition of the standard Mazda Protégé, Mazda’s entry-level compact later replaced by the modern Mazda3. Mazda, in an attempt to appeal to these younger buyers, made a car specifically aimed to appeal to music lovers and car enthusiasts alike: the Protégé MP3. Younger car buyers, particularly young car enthusiasts, want their cars to be like their music: loud and proud. While some higher end trim vehicles use systems outsourced from companies like Bose, they all suffered from the same problems: the speakers were placed wherever they happened to fit, and were designed for clear sound rather than high volume. Most car speakers are small, and crammed wherever they happen to fit, with no regard for acoustics and sound quality. However, there has always been a problem: car stereos have traditionally been less then impressive. Now we could listen to our favorite music on the radio, and with the later invention of the cassette tape and later the CD and MP3 digital format, listening to our favorite music became even more a fundamental part of the driving experience. Combining the two was one of the greatest innovations in automotive history. Cars provide a sense of freedom and an escape from the mundane of everyday life, while music helps express emotions, personality, and is often meant to be shared. Young people love two things: cars, and music.
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