The U.K. publication Autocar reports, and we've also confirmed with Mazda sources, that the company is seriously considering a high-performance hot hatch based on the Mazda 3.

The car would likely be powered by Mazda's 250-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-4, along with the all-wheel-drive system that is already available in the newest 3.

Mazda revealed that its planners and executives are listening to feedback from Mazda fans; public reaction to the idea could be decisive.

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It has been several years since Mazda offered high-performance Mazdaspeed versions of its 3 compact or its MX-5 Miata sports car. Although the lovable little two-seater does come in a racy Club version with sticky tires and big brakes and the company does pursue the upper levels of professional sports-car racing, it has been moving its passenger vehicles upmarket. Today's Mazda cars and SUVs still have a sporty, engaging feel, but they're also much more luxurious and refined than ever before, with Audi-esque interiors and more sophisticated styling. We miss the raw performance of those Mazdaspeed models.

2010 Mazdaspeed 3 John Roe Car and Driver

According to a story on Autocar's website, that may be changing. Mazda program manager Kota Beppu told Autocar that the company is close to greenlighting a serious high-performance version of the 3 to compete directly with Volkswagen's GTI. Sources inside Mazda have confirmed the same to us. What makes this even more believable is that all of the major components needed to transform the already fine-driving 3 hatchback into a formidable hot hatch are already in production and used in the all-new 3 and in other Mazda products.

Lots of Torque Plus AWD

The heart and soul of any hot hatch is its engine, of course, and the muscle for the hot 3 will come from Mazda's 227-hp (250 hp with premium fuel) turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four that's in use in the company's 6 sedan and its CX-9 and CX-5 SUVs. While that motor isn't a high-revving, soprano-voiced wonder, it does pack 310 lb-ft of torque, far more than the VW GTI's 258-lb ft.

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That's a ton of wheel-spinning torque for a front-drive car to handle, but not to worry. The other special ingredient is AWD, which is incorporated into the 3's architecture and is already available in U.S. versions of the car. So not only will the next—dare we speak its name—Mazdaspeed 3 have plenty of grunt, it'll be able to put all of it to the ground with impunity. We would expect a zero-to-60-mph time of about five seconds, which is more in line with the 292-hp VW Golf R and the 306-hp Honda Civic Type R than the 228-hp GTI.

No Track-Day Tool

We have no worries about a new Mazdaspeed 3's ride and handling, either. Beppu said he wants the car to be refined and sophisticated, two traits that Mazda has shown it knows how to infuse into its products—brilliantly so. However, the super-3 will definitely not be a hard-riding track-day tool that's marginally livable in day-to-day use, as the previous Mazdaspeed 3 was.

Couple that all-around capability to the 3 hatch's gorgeous styling and near-luxury interior ambiance, and the next Mazdaspeed 3 should be a throughly well-rounded and compelling offering—if it's ever produced.

That's where you come in. Mazda sources have told us that they are listening closely for enthusiasts to ask for the car. If the crowd roars loud enough, there's a very strong possibility that a new Mazdaspeed 3 will appear relatively soon. Here's your chance. Let Mazda hear from you. You can start by responding to the poll right here.