Video: Thunder from Down Under—Haltech’s Beastly RX-3

Australia’s love affair with the American V8 is alive and well and has been for some time. From Mad Max’s Ford Falcon-derived “interceptor” to the brutish Chevy-powered Holden Monaro, the land Down Under isn’t shy when it comes to tire-smoking American muscle.

Speaking of not shy, the team at Haltech performance are not shy when it comes to making obscene horsepower using forced induction. The Chevy LS motor has long been a popular platform for boosted applications because of its simplicity and strong bottom end. With that in mind, the crew at Haltech have crafted the most powerful LS-powered car in the entire country—and it’s no Ford or Chevy.

Pistons Where They Shouldn’t be

When you describe a Mazda Rx-3, certain words come to mind. Nimble, nostalgic, lightweight, rotary-powered. Haltech’s version of the car, however, is something different entirely. It swaps the rotary out for a boosted LS with so much grunt this thing would take off if it had wings.

This uber-RX betrays its Dorito-powered heritage, ditching the Wankle engine for–you guessed it–an American V8 that produces a ridiculous 2,400 horsepower. It is capable of speeds over 200 mph and quarter-mile times in the mid 6-second range. Were that not impressive enough, the specifics of the build they’ve put on Chevy’s LSX crate motor are staggering.

The Haltech LSX

Out of the box, the LSX is purpose-built for race applications. The Haltech team uses a solenoid controlled waste gate which communicates with their name-brand boost controller to keep the little Mazda from obliterating its tires on launch. The trick boost control setup allows the car to ramp boost up as it builds traction. A two-speed transmission complete with a trans brake communicates with the car’s ECU to select shift points in a modern take on the venerable Chevy Powerglide.

The car uses a custom Plazmaman intake manifold and features two fuel injectors per cylinder to feed the monster motor pure methanol race fuel. Haltech has also incorporated a collection of sensors into the motor to assist with tuning and hopefully keep it in one piece.

You could fill volumes with all of the neat things Haltech has done on this car, but needless to say, it’s earned the right to be the fastest LS in Australia.

 

About the author

Scott Huntington

Scott Huntington writes about cars all over the internet, but muscle cars are his one true love.
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