Are there any technical differences between the "sporty model" of '88, and the "sporty models" of '89-'90?

How does a GTUs differ from a GTU, besides having been made in a different year?

 

The 88 GTU was the S4 "sporty model". The 89 GTU was the base model for the S5. The GTUs was the S5 "sporty model" with the biggest difference being the rear end(4.33 gear set) and 16" rims. Generally the GTUs is a more desirable car as there were less of them made.

 

Also the GTUs didn't have an electric sunroof which all 88 GTU models came with. Less weight up high = better handling! Cool.

 

The GTUs was the ultimate N/A.
The lightest, fastest N/A. No options. Fairly spartan in comparison to the GXL or TII models. (GXLs were the S5 luxo model, right?)
No sunroof, no rear wiper.
All the performance appointments of the TurboII with none of the luxury BS.

 

i will disagree with you there, if you look at the parts fische, the only real difference between the s5 na and turbo suspension is the wheels.

i will further argue that the 86-87 sport is a better na, although not as rare, it is lighter than the s5's by 150lbs; has the s4 aero package which is better

 

The 88 and GTU's are equal almost.

The GTUs is what everyone raves about because it's made in less quantaties.

It is pretty much a revamp of the 88 GTU with upgraded items like the 4.3 rearend.

Also in a thread from just yesterday. I believe Icemark commented that a Sunroof is available on the GTUs but it's rare.

The 88 GTU is lighter but it doesn't have the extra HP of the S5 engine. So that cancels itself out.

Like any car series. The second rendition of the car will have fixed areas and better items where needed.

I would buy another GTU over a GTUs though. They're cheaper to fix due to part availability and I kinda like the S4 look.

 

yes but j9fd32 the sport didn't come with and LSD....
which is way better than the 150 pound weight difference.

 

RANDOM QUESTION : how hard it is to remove an electric run roof?

 

so i will further argue that the 88 gtu is the best N/A because it had the aero package the lsd and is one of the lightest s4's
Tony

 

digi: according to mazda, it wasn't. I've got the only GTUs with a sunroof that I've come accross on this forum, and that's because it's aftermarket The sport was lighter than the GTU, and LSD was optional, so therefore, it would be the 'best' in your category, and it didn't have the 'sport' aero package...

 

i'll take the lighter car, thanks

 

lsd just makes the drifting so much more fun......

 

how much lighter is the sport than the gtu? it can't be that much i mean its only a sunroof

 

ummm i'll take the lsd....

 

which was optional on the sports!

 

Ok, I have a question then.
Everyone says the best part about the GTUs is that it wasn't available with a sunroof/rear wiper, as most FCs came with them, and people didn't want them.

Well, I want them, and my car doesn't have either.
Mine is an 88 SE. No power options, no sunroof, no rear wiper. As spartan as a GTUs it seems, minus S5 changes, the LSD/4.3 combo, S5 suspension and 5 lug setup, and the spoiler.
What gives...

 

To answer and comment on a couple of questions in this thread:

Ted, has confirmed that there were factory metal sunroofs available on the GTUs model.

The 86-87 Sport was about 50-100 lbs lighter than the 88 GTU (depending on options on each). The biggest differences between the Sport and GTU was the interior insulation and carpeting. The 88 GTU used the GXL sound insulation and carpeting while the Sport used the base carpet, and reduced insulation. Of course the 88 GTU also got the desirable LSD, that the 86-87 Sport sadly was missing (and was never even an option).

The 89-90 GTUs was about 100 lbs more than the 88 GTU mostly due to the standard S5 weight issues.

The three (86-87 Sport, 88 GTU, 89-90 GTUs) should all be considered the same model, just different years. They all were based on the same, no frills idea with the best bang for the buck sports car.

 

Must've been another of they're let's not say it or list it, but do it anyway, i've seen original documentation from an '87 Sport that had the limited slip, next time I'm in green bay I'll haul my scanner with.

 

Hmm I don't think so:


Let double check the POP:
86: nope
87: nope:
87.5: nope:

I can post pop from Aust (the only other place that mazda sold a car called the Sport or Sport package) and it will show the same thing.

If you check the model build config... you will also see that the LSD was never available on any Sport model... should I post that as well?

 

if you wish, but it doesn't change the fact that it was on there. Like I said, next time I'm in greenbay i'll scan it.

 

The one thing I wish I didn't have was a sunroof. That would bring the curb weight on my car down even more, probably to around 2550. I already shaved some weight by switching to a mini-donut, changing the seats, and getting an aluminum hood.

 

Please do... I doubt that the model on the window sticker will be listed as a GS (as Mazda's desgination of the Sport was called by Mazda internally)

 

I know you're probably thinking I'm trying to be an ***, but quite honestly, it was on the list. We got discussing options becuase I was interested in what the original sheet for my car would look like. Didn't happen to notice the model code, but it did say with sport package on the model line. Is it possible the dealer could've manipulated options upon request to mix/match a model?

 

if it really is... it would be one of the only ones ever made. Much like the auto tranny 88 convertible...

It would be a car that never offically existed from the factory

 

Just like people with S5s' that weren't supposed to get a LSD, and it was not listed on the car's sticker, but it still had a LSD in it... almost like they ran out of open differentials for a day and started putting LSDs in them

**edit**

It is very rare that this occurs from what I hear...