Mazda Performance Drive Day
12 Jul, 2007
34 Comments 
Mazda MPS 6
This car really doesn’t excite me. Aimed at those who are too scared to drive a WRX because of the negative image but want an AWD turbo, the MPS 6 is a seriously boring car, or so I thought before I jumped in.
Unlike the other 3, I hadn’t driven the MPS 6 before, and as I went around turn four, I realized the guy in the RX-8 behind me was starting to fall further and further behind. Oh yes, this car is a rocket! Using the same engine as the MPS 3, the 6 doesn’t suffer from the same torque steer, there is no boost limiting in first and second and as far as handling goes, with the AWD setup in place, the MPS 6 is one hell of a car.
Nonetheless, despite its awesome power and great handling, nothing excites me about the MPS 6, it just looks so plain, with a small MPS badge on the rear and unique wheels, you’d be hard pressed spotting one in traffic. I have been told that its subtleness is one of its selling points, and I guess if you’re after a road rocket that looks like an everyday Mazda6, the MPS 6 is a strong contender for the price. I walked out of the MPS 6 and glanced over at the RX8.
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July 12th, 2007 at 9:55 am
PRIMO!
Good report
Your really getting to press the flesh with bigwigs and getting invited to all the good do’s
NOW, the bad bit
Where is the report on my next vehicle purchase?
You mention the CX7 but no report on it?grrrrrr
Repeat!
O/A
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July 12th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Yes yes, yes, we are trying to get the CX7. I’ll see what I can do. I didnt bother taking it onto the track, I was much happier to stay in the MX5 for a bit longer.
Also I forgot to mention, after I brought the MPS3 back, the guy after me drove it into some small ditch and it took an hour to get it out, he oversteered around a corner and BAM…. great handling.. not
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July 12th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Thanks for the speedy reply A
Dont be turned off by FWD, yes Mazda have done a half baked job, but drive a GTi Golf or similar Euro HotHatch and u can see what can be done with a bit of effort.
I am sure Mazda wont make the same error twice
Did *they* mention a 5/6 speed auto with the same output in the RX8 for the future, your right the auto in the RX8 is a dog-combo.
PS Since i found this website i have cancelled my Wheels sub. i can read here *live* and immediate without waiting once a month.Print media will die
Regards
O/A
PS Waiting your impressions on the cx7!
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July 12th, 2007 at 10:10 am
I think you gushed a bit too much about how good DJ is - atoning for the photo perhaps???
And you need a spanking for too many bad comments about us middle aged people, you young whippersnapper!!
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July 12th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Nah Reckless 1, he really is good!
I have done similar things with well known rally drivers and the like, and DJ was easily the best driver I’ve had the pleasure of sitting next to, and given his age, its just phenomenal,
although in fairness, QLD raceway is like his backyard, as mentioned, the straight on the track is called, the dick johnson straight!
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July 12th, 2007 at 11:29 am
There you go about age again….another spanking for you!
But DJ hardly ever beat anyone in his racing career - you can imagine how good those who regularly caned him must be…
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July 12th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
hardly ever beat anyone? He was a five-time Australian Touring Car Champion and a three-time winner of Bathurst 1000?
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July 12th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I am so jealous right now!
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July 12th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
reckless 1,
you must stop being soooo reckless with your comments. show DJ some respect. Alborz beat me to it yes 5 times series champion (and still not beaten) and 3 times bathurst winner.
so time to open your eyes now….come on….you arent biased are you???….oh i think you are….
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July 13th, 2007 at 2:03 am
you’re obviously a WRX owner, upset at the fact that a front wheel drive sleeper can out perform the likes of your car without the big pshhhhh and front mount hanging off the front. In my opinion, your opinion is bias, but then again i’d probably be upset too if a mazda 3 drove past me :)
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July 13th, 2007 at 11:12 am
You comments on the MPS3 were absolute crap - but your opionion I guess. FWD, 4WD and RWD all demand a different approach to driving. In the hands of a ‘COMPETENT’ driver the MPS3 will stay with or perhaps pass most similarly powered vehicles (except in the wet).
I’ve owned a 500hp RWD V8, an MX-5 and my last car was an 05 WRX. All were great to drive but all demanded a unique approach to extracting the best from them. My MPS3 has proven to be faster in dry circuit conditions than the slightly modified WRX and I find that with more time behind the wheel, it gets better and better.
You mentioned wheel hop coming out of corners. It sounds to me you approached your corner as a RWD driver would.
Again, your opinion. You are entitled to it. Mayber you need a lttle more time with the MPS3 to really appreciate how good it can be.
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July 13th, 2007 at 11:19 am
I’ve driven the MPS 3 a few times before, as I said in the article, there is obviously an approach to driving a FWD turbo and I must have been getting it wrong, eitherway, I still see the car as a compromise.
Although When i drove the Integra Type R and the Volvo C30, I can assure you the feeling was different, the Integra and C30 feel far better balanced (less power too) than the MPS 3.
As a MPS 3 owner, I can only imagine that after driving it for so long, you are very used to it, I suggest however, to get back in a friends WRX and go for a spin around the same track and measure your time against the MPS3.
I know some magazines/websites has been calling the MPS 3 the WRX killer, but I disagree (I am also bias though as I own a WRX!). I don’t think the car is aimed at the same crowd, there will be people who would go for the MPS 3 that would have never gone for the WRX, and vice versa..
I think they are both placed well, but as I said, I think the rest of the Mazda lineup is fantastic!
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July 13th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Also, have you ever considered the fact that the MPS 3 in standard trim came 10th out of 90 cars in this years targa, and the only cars ahead of it were all rally preped wrx’s and evos, and 1 rx7…
Ok it was piloted by a top driver, but those results speak for themselves, and that was also achieved in wet weather conditions!
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July 13th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
yes that was all mentioned in the safety seminar prior to the event and infact we even covered it back when it happened :
http://www.caradvice.com.au/21.....-tasmania/
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July 13th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
I agree with you in that you drove with the wrong approach to the MPS3. Straight away from reading your review i could tell you are used to driving an AWD car. You obviously have never driven a powerful FWD car before so you got a shock. It’s no different to having a VL Commodore and stepping straight into a 307kw Clubsport. You will get a shock because you are not used to it. A better idea would have been for you to sit in the passenger seat and have someone else drive you around the track. The people i have taken for a ride in my car have loved the performance. It’s like the P plater that takes out Dad’s Skyline and crashes it 10 minutes later. Does it mean the car was hopeless or was it the driver?
Your review of the MPS3 was hopeless effort. You had 2 paragraphs about the car and the only comments you made was poor power in 1st gear (are you kidding me, who complains about such a thing?) and wicked torque steer. Is that your entire story? 2 comments? I’d hate to see your review on a Ferrari. Fast & red. The end.
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July 13th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Actually Spinner, I have driven many powerful FWD cars, that is part of my job, so when I am comparing this to the Ford XR5, Volvo C30, Integra Type R/S, I can safely tell you, that all those other cars have far better handling abilities than the MPS 3.
although I was REALLY hoping Dick Johnson would take me for a spin in the MPS 3 so I can see the different approach, infact the Mazda guys suggested it, but there was no time.
Furthermore, I didn’t “review” the MPS 3, road tests can be found in the car reviews section at the top of every page, this was just a 5 lap track run where the MPS6/MX5/RX8 really stood out while the MPS 3 really failed to impress..
As I said in the first comment I posted, the driver who took the car out right after me put it straight into a ditch after torque steering out of a corner - although as you said it has a lot todo with the driver.
At the end of the day, I would be happy to buy a FWD turbo, such as the Volvo C30 and the XR5, of course people have different views, but this thing, is just not right for me…
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July 13th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
What you experience was a Mazda drive day and NOT the performance driver training day that is offered to people who purchase cars from Mazda’s performance range. During the owner’s drive day they drive their own cars and go to various stations showing various driving techniques. That is for owners of all MPS, RX, MX and SP models. Also if you look on youtube there are some vids of DJ driving the 3MPS around Oran Park during the release of the 3MPS. He seemed to do a good job of driving it at a great rate of knots and people I have chatted to who had the ‘luck’ of a hotlap were impressed by the sheer speed of the thing.
I still don’t get what you mean about the huge amount of torque steer on the 3. During my driver training day with my 3MPS I never noticed the kind of life threatening torque steer you elluded to as I hardly dropped below 3rd gear, even during the slalom exercise. Sure there is occasionally a mild tug if you hit a bump under power, but no more than say a corolla would tug in the wet. It serves more as feedback than anything else. There is no corner at QR that requires first gear when driven in anger so the ‘no power in 1st gear’ comment is rather pointless. Granted the 3MPS is not the easiest car to drive fast, which is part of reason why I love it, but it is hardly the dangerous monster you are making it seem and when driven properly can embarass many higher end performance car. I’m just sorry you can’t find the ‘knack’ of driving this incredibly quick, grin inducing pocket rocket. :-)
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July 13th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Well here is my own little review. I also went to a Mazda Performance Driveday but it was in Sydney at Oran Park and DJ was driving a MPS3 back then. I like you sampled all 4 MPS cars and i loved the MX5 for its feel and agility. Supersharp steering was a highlight but get onto the straight and mash the pedal, nothing happens. The MX5 needs more go. Also being just 5″8 i still found the MX5 too cramped and the pedals were too close together. Maybe i am just used to family cars.
Next was the RX8. The RX8 i drove felt very stable and planted and gave me a feeling of security. Everything was well placed, better than the MX5 and had more room. The engine note was so sweet but unlike you, i found the gearbox to be disappointing. Maybe it has been thrashed a little too much but something was wrong with 4th gear synchros and everytime i up shifted from 3rd to 4th at 9200rpm, it wouldn’t engage. I also think Mazda should lower the gear ratios to exploit such a highly strung, narrow power-band engine. The RX8 again disappointed me on the straights and on corner exits. Not enough torque to exploit the fantastic chassis and suspension. It also weighs a fair bit more than the MX5, leaving me to wonder if the MX5 will actually outperform the RX8?
The MPS3 was next and prior to me having a go i sat in with DJ and i can only say he piloted the MPS3 really well. Now i would like to point out that we utilised the South Circuit. The car in DJ’s hand exhibited no signs of torque steer and only on one occassion did i hear slight wheelspin of the inside front wheel when DJ was powering out of a corner in 3rd gear. The absolute brute force shoving me back in the seat when DJ drove out of each corner left me breathless. Then i proceeded to drive the MPS3 myself and although only given 1 lap with DSC on, i could tell why the MPS3 definitely is the “Wild Child” of the MPS stable, and i loved it!
MPS6 was last and this is one smooth and stable ride! I was expecting the same amount of grunt as thge MPS3 but it must be due to the extra 200kg of mass, the MPS6 just didn’t have the same getup and go of the smaller sibling. It was noticeably heavier too through the steering but the AWD sustem was fantastic and soaked up all undulations with ease and i was getting on the throttle earlier in every corner because i could feel the AWD grip and stability and it was the car that felt safest at moderate speeds.
I have to say 1 lap with each of these cars really only gave me the slightest of impressions and what their potential is can only be revealed from lengthy road/track testing conducted by the crew of WHEELS/MOTOR etc. Decission was left with me to decide which car i would buy out of the 4, and taking into consideration factors like daily ownership, insurance, running costs, bfyb, practicality, resale etc.. i went with the “WILD CHILD”!! I am a proud owner of a Mazda 3 MPS and in my 10months of ownership i have racked up 30,000kms and it still is the choice of car for me out of the MPS stable.
Cheers,
Z
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July 13th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Thanks for the input, I guess its just a personal thing, I have always loved RWD and AWD cars, and recently I finally found my FWD gem, a C30 Turbo.
I really didn’t find the MPS 3 enjoyable.
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July 13th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
albortz, agree with your sentiments on rwd and awd cars. I pointed out that rwd cars like the MX5 and RX8 felt like they handle better, and the AWD MPS was very stable. Also agree that these are all opinions of individuals and a very subjective matter. However was there the need to bash the FWD MPS as if you are one ego-busted WRX owner?? Was there really not much good to say about the MPS3? This is where i gave your review 1 star. Majority of people buy cars that give them the best “all round package”, and for me the MPS3 gave me that and i am sure countless owners and article reviews around the world would agree on that. We are at the end of the day talking about road cars here. However, if you say the FWD MPS3 is a good for nothing handler/performer around a race track, haven’t you seen the PCOTY/BFYB issues by MOTOR and the most recent WHEELS handling olympics test? There are also countless other local and international track tests concluding the MPS3 is a competent performer on a track.
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July 14th, 2007 at 12:10 am
you have to remember Z, wheels gave car of the year to the VE commodore……
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July 14th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
It sure did, but only on the strength of the Calais and SS (the only worthwhile VE Commodores IMHO). They gave the Omega a bit of a drumming. Then again, name a time in the last few years where the new model Holden/Ford hasn’t won Wheels ‘car of the year’. You would have to look back to the early 80s! Anyhow, what has that got to do with the 3MPS and punting performance cars around a race track?? A bit like comparing peeling apples and eating oranges don’t you think…
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July 24th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Also I forgot to mention, after I brought the MPS3 back, the guy after me drove it into some small ditch and it took an hour to get it out, he oversteered around a corner and BAM…. great handling.. not
Sorry ALBORZ this was not an oversteer issue by the vehicle and driver. The driver missed the turn of to the pits and was told to stop the car. Instead he decided he would try and exit the track and then tried to driver through the kitty litter and of course he got stuck. Just thought I should clear it up that it was nothing to do with the steering capabilities of the vehicle.
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August 15th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
one thing i have noticed test driving an MPS is the gearbox is very non descript… the gears are almost indistinguishable from each other… im sure after a while you would get used to it.. but yeah put me off buying one.
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August 28th, 2007 at 3:29 am
lets wait and see how the supercharged aurion handles 250kw on the front wheels with a heavier body.
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September 1st, 2007 at 12:10 am
I think all you wankers should take a pill. How many people drive their cars at 10/10ths on public roads anyway? Hoons? Driving a car on a race track bears no resemblance to real driving on public roads. I’m sure that driving any car on public roads you wouldn’t get past 8/10ths anyway. Having driven as a courier for 6 years, I have rarely seen anyone drive a high powered car in anger. Usually I find myself stuck behind these cars driving at 10 kph below the speed limit. People tend to drive these cars with kid gloves. I often wonder why people bother to buy these cars if they don’t drive them properly. Just wankers I suppose.
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September 16th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Well said RedEye.4 :) Opinions on cars are like a***holes - everybody has one. Realistically 80% of the people who buy performance cars are incapable of driving them safely and spend too much time talking, driving beyind their capabilities in inappropriate places, and not enough learning. God help me and my family on the road with people bumbling on about horsepower and understeer etc. most of whom are like giving a 4 year old a loaded assault rifle.
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September 26th, 2007 at 1:31 am
my RX-8 is a represintation of what all spart cars should be. it rediculiciuosly priced and is a 10 in my book. it gets u to point a to point b in still and excilleriating speed not to mention a panty dropper. lol
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October 13th, 2007 at 1:19 am
What the F%$K are you on Justin
Dude…give up the drugs, or learn to at least partially string some words together - sheeesssh !!
Hard to believe someone who can’t spell or write can afford a $55-60k car or is it because your only 12yrs old and trying to be cool
justin Says:
September 26th, 2007 at 1:31 am
my RX-8 is a represintation of what all spart cars should be. it rediculiciuosly priced and is a 10 in my book. it gets u to point a to point b in still and excilleriating speed not to mention a panty dropper. lol
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October 20th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
I thought Alborz review was informative and enjoyable to read. I too attended the Mazda Drive Day on the 19th of October and thoroughly enjoyed it. After expecting to dislike the MPS3, I can safely say I disagree with Alborz. I’m not going against you or saying you are wrong, however I think it’s interesting how different people have completely different views towards a certain car.
I’m really keen to post up my review but can’t think of a website that would allow me to do so. It’s got quite a few words (2000-ish) and I don’t have my own website.
Any suggestions?
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November 6th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Coming from the other side of the fence (I used to be one of the driver trainers that accompanied Dick and the Mazda Team around Australia running these performance prospect days) I was interested to see a punters verdict of the day. I agreed with everythinbg you wrote bar one thing. The MPS3. Having driven the car to its full limit on every track around this country, I can see a very good reason why you disliked the car in this environment.
Willowbank is a crap track for high powered front- drivers as the track rewards slow-in, fast-out method (causing the ferocious power delivering MPS to wander like a Land Rover with shagged shocks) if the power is placed applied too early (read-if the wheels are turned). If you ever get out there again, leave your braking until well after turn in, and power out after the apex. Believe me its quicker - but only in this car (try it in the RX-8 and you will be left wondering).
But I totally agree with your comments about Dick. One-handed (the hand holding the gear knob in case it moved)around a very wet Sandown and the closest I could get to him (flat out) was about 3 seconds a lap (and he wasn’t even trying!). It humbles even the best of us when you get into a car with a 61 year old man who proves that sometimes, experience is everything. I also learnt a lot from this man.
One last thing, your “decision” to leave the stability control on was wise as the Trainers are very adept at picking quickly the “heroes” who think they dont need it…I bet you didn’t even feel it working at Willowbank eh?!.
Good story.
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December 16th, 2007 at 6:12 am
Interesting story. Have done the mazda track day and proudly own a 3mps and have always owned fwd cars. Yours is one of the only articles that I,ve read that slates the 3 to that degree. While others mention lack of steering feedback and some torque steer (in the wet), your comments seemed a bit out there. I agree with the other comments that you struggled to drive the fwd 3 to its potential but you are correct on one thing that everyone is intitled to an opinion. I was quite reserved track driving my car but had the opportunity to be the passenger for a couple of laps with a professional driver. I now have a huge respect for what these guys do. I could also see the potential of the 3. For me though the negatives are that while the fwd is good, AWD would be better. Though some of the characteristics would be lost too. I do still like the fact that the 3 can be a bit wild. I love the pull the car has in 3rd and 4th. It’s not all about drag racing from 1st. Turning circle is crap and I’ve got it stuck twice on my drive way. Its a steep drive with a right hand hairpin at the top. I think the electronics accidentally cut in for some reason. luckily no damage. I like the wolf in sheeps clothing and anyone who knows anything about cars knows what the mps is. 3 is brilliant on long trips and handles beautifully over a 100k’s. Would like to compare it to a GTI one day…
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March 12th, 2008 at 12:42 am
I also managed to go on the Mazda Performance Day unfortunately on the same day the Peter Brock died. Dick Johnson received the news only prior to my MPS hot lap with him.
But I digress.
I loved your review, but thought you were a little harsh on the MPS. Tacking into account the price and the fact that the MPS3 is a RWD, I think it’s one heck of a fun car.
As Z said above, it’s the wild child.
It was by far the least stable of the four, but it lacks the chassis and RWD/4WD of the others. It’s also far quicker than the others.
The first car to drive was the MX-5. Unfortunately I can’t sit comfortably in the MX-5. Driving it around the track is fine, but I require a car I can drive both in the city and on long country trips.
Compared with the others, it’s also the slowest.
The RX-8 fit like a glove and did the business of racing around the track without even blinking. That said, my heart didn’t beat any harder either.
The MPS6 needs credit where credit is due. It’s more of a tourer rather than a racer. With that in mind, it does it’s job perfectly - and seats 4 friends just fine. On the Oran park raceway, it almost put me to sleep. You’re right about the straight though. If given a long strip of road, it would tear strips of the two above. Overtaking on the highway is where this would come into play.
The MPS3 is a compromise. But by saving $10,000 I think Mazda had really injected a lot of crazy into the 3. First of all the 3 has a decent driving position for everyday driving. You’re not sitting too low like the RX-8, or having to lift the knees like in the MX-5. Just seated normally, I knew that I could drive this around the city/highway without fuss.
Having also taken the MPS3 on normal roads and compared with both of its siblings (the SP23 and Maxx), I can say that in first and second gear (the buzzing around the city gears), that this thing is more sedate. It makes the car park not terribly difficult to get around.
At Oran park, pushing the car hard was the most fun I’ve had in a while. It’s like a noise child screaming on a rollercoaster. I really wasn’t prepared for the fun I was about to have.
It’s quicker than the RX-8. A tad, but it feels quicker and is so on paper.
I was in the US late last year when the “Mazdaspeed” 3 was being released. The three main car magazines must have had their own tests drives and independently decided on the same story. Putting the Suburu WRX head to head against the 3, they all came up with the same result. The MPS3 managed to out race the WRX on the track (different tracks, different magazines, different drivers - same result). But of course at the end of the day the MPS3 is made for the road, not the track. If chosing a car for a decent amount of laps one would choose the WRX over the MPS3. Less energy required for a similar effect.
Your C30 article had me convinced to take a look at the T5. I’m looking forward to a test drive, although I hope that inside the C30 somewhere is a wild child waiting to have their license revoked.
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September 7th, 2008 at 6:53 am
alborz Says:
July 12th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Yes yes, yes, we are trying to get the CX7. I’ll see what I can do.
WHEN? Been waiting more than a year…………..
Cheers
F-0
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