I have had some time to reflect on the developments over the last couple of days and I feel that I owe the MAZDASPEED community an apology.
I am relatively new here at COBB Tuning and am very excited to be a part of this team. I believe in what COBB Tuning is trying to accomplish in the marketplace and know that we have the talent to accomplish the goals that we set for ourselves. I have a great deal of respect for the engineers and calibrators that dedicate so much of their time and put forth huge effort to make the AccessPORT products the best they can be. I see the long hours that sales and tech support put into taking care of our customers' needs. Over the past six months I have come to know the people that are the driving force behind the company you know as COBB Tuning. In my enthusiasm for being a member of this team, I have taken the comments on several MAZDASPEED forums as personal attacks on me and my fellow COBB Tuning employees, and have vented my frustration in an inappropriate way.
I allowed a small minority of offensive forum members to get the better of me, and in lashing out at them, I have inadvertently offended a large population of the community that was not the target of my criticism. The part that I find most embarrassing is that I was influenced by people that have no interest in our products whatsoever, who post solely to stir controversy. I want to offer my sincere apology to the entire MAZDASPEED community for comments that you found offensive and promoted a negative stereotype for the community as a whole. Just like all other forums I have participated in, the vast majority are good natured people sharing a common enthusiasm for a cool car. I do know better, yet I let my emotions cloud my judgment.
I would also like to offer an additional apology to all of the MAZDASPEED enthusiasts that have supported COBB Tuning throughout the development of our products and stuck with us through the difficult times as we explored and learned about this platform. Although it was not intentional, I do see why my comments were perceived as a "slap in the face" and how you feel you are being unjustly punished and abandoned. Our decision was based on the actions of a minority, and the COBB supporters that have remained quiet and faithful, anticipating future features, were the ones we asked to bear the burden of that decision. That was not a fair decision for us to make.
In an effort to make reparations, COBB Tuning will move forward with implementing the Launch Control and No Lift Shift features on the MAZDASPEED AccessPORT that so many have been waiting for. Launch Control and No Lift Shift will be implemented in the same form as on other platforms. Launch Control will allow the user to set an RPM that the engine will rev to, building partial boost pressure, while the clutch is in and the throttle is at maximum. No Lift Shift will allow the user to set an RPM that the engine will maintain between shifts while the clutch is in and the throttle is at maximum, maintaining partial boost pressure. Development on these features is not complete and we will provide availability dates when we are 100% confident in their accuracy.
We understand that many of you just want to use the AccessPORT with OTS maps, but variance of the MAZDASPEED from the factory has prevented our OTS maps from working properly on some vehicles. In an effort to assist these customers, COBB Tuning will release a full featured beta version of AccessTUNER Race software for the MAZDASPEED3 & 6. There will be no charge for this beta version of AccessTUNER Race and the software will be released on April 20th as previously stated.
In closing, I must admit that this has been quite a learning experience for me. For what it is worth, I assure you that I will not let my emotions generate another outburst like this in the future. I hope that each of you will accept my apology and not allow my indiscretion to tarnish all of the positive advances that my COBB Tuning colleagues have brought to MAZDASPEED enthusiasts.
Sincerely,
Gary Sheehan
Director of Marketing
COBB Tuning
