Apparently Mazda is collecting data on connected cars…

[Carmudgeon]

I don't know all the specifics of all Mazda and BMW engines through out history, but Mazda have used forged crankshafts in some of their car engines. In the 1.6 and 1.8L in the Miata and engines had forged cranks and oil cooled pistons, and didn't make exceptional power stock, but they were pretty tough and handled a decent amount of boost. Ford and Kia used Mazda designs for years and years as well, but with some cheapening with cast cranks and lower redlines.
I suspect BMW's non m-engines of 90s may not have forged crankshafts, and pistons, and didn't check as many high performance engine boxes, as some of mazda's engine, but were perfectly fine for what they were supposed to do.

M42 had a fully-counterweighted forged crank, squirters, sodium valves, and headers. Didn't make a lot of power, but highly tuned in stock form, and building one up wasn't really cost effective, when a swap for a six, or even an LS brought more headroom and value. Downing made a roots supercharger kit for them which was fairly popular, until the blower was discontinued. But, they are a good fit for 2002s, both literally and figuratively, and cheaper than an S14, so that is a thing.

M52 also had a forged crank.

The BP twin cam used in the early 90s Proteges and Fords was similar on paper, and also had an eager character.

The SR20DE was also in the same class, back when Nissan cared about engineering, and almost going broke forced it to go vanilla, cheapen and dumb everything down. Nissan's metal in the 90s wa as good as it ever got, but didn't fare well as a business.

Toyota 4A-GE as well.

I'm sure the Honda guys can extoll the virtues of their standouts, but I'm not familiar with them.

 

[wemay]

I'm not passing judgment on Mazda with a knee-jerk reaction over a Reddit piece.

Striking Mazda off your purchase consideration list over this is more of a story, to me.

 

[Pew]

Mitsubishi voided EVO warranties if the rev-limiter was hit too often- even if there was no over rev.

AFAIK there was never a rev counter and our local Mitsu tech confirmed that years ago. There will be a historical code that cannot be removed by a non-MUT reader if you over-rev it to the moon and the readers were able to see how many times the ECU was flashed [tuned]. If it was flashed and you didn't go in for the TSB ECU reflash, your VIN was automatically red flagged in the entire Mitsu system.

FWIW, the only time I've seen the over-rev code was money shifting from top of fourth into third when my limiter was 550rpms higher than stock redline. I've never had it occur in the stock 7000rpm limiter.

Engines in these things are pretty stout though. Counterbalanced forged crank and pistons with MIVEC on both intake and exhaust but weak connecting rods and an all-aluminum block. When I stopped following the Evo in 2016, people were about to break 550whp on a completely stock block with upgraded turbos.

 

[sk_pete]

The car "overheats at High RPM in Sport Mode"

omg.... because mazda is one of those who advertises sportiness to potential buyers.
they go into full idiot mode.