Mine will certainly pull away gently at about or below 2K though you do need to be less gentle if you want to pull away sideways even in the wet; it has done about 1300 miles and has had its first service so has loosened up nicely.
The sweet spot for proper running seems to be from about 2.7 through to 4 with nothing really to be gained from going higher. I suspect that the cam profiles/timing and the sheer size never mind the layout of the combustion chambers probably dictates that it doesn't pull as cleanly from idle as some engines though it does sound like it is barely turning over even at 3K.
Blipping the throttle on the downshifts is one of the great pleasures of driving it as well as being essential on all sorts of levels so lots of gear changes are a good thing!
I've hit 1500 miles on mine and can attest to the above. One of the things that was easy to adjust to was because I've had large block diesel engines in many of my previous vehicles. This S&S beastie is all about torque. Its sweet spot is right at 3K and will do that all day without a strain. Lower will cause problems with the transmission and higher is just unnecessary. The Mazda tranny is very nimble so staying in the torque curve is easy. I've run mine up to 5K for short bursts and it is quite capable.
Being honest, and running this thing at high speeds on the open road where crosswinds occur and 'other drivers' has put the fear in me. I like to drive fast for no apparent reason but this M3W does not allow sight seeing or being in the tourist mode. If one does not pay attention one pays. It is a very unforgiving vehicle and does not reward stupidity. However, if the roads are reasonably empty and well maintained then one is rewarded amply!
Totally agree with blipping the throttle. It just sounds good. Yes, the Mazda has synchromesh but back in the day...
