Mazda are renowned for their rotary engine so here are the top 10 classic rotary Mazdas you may not know about.
Rotary power is smaller, lighter and smoother than a conventional piston powered engine. Will we see a diverse range of vehicles like this again? Who knows, but Mazda really did put their engine in everything.
Mazda Rotary engine development began in 1961. Six painful years of problems and setbacks. The biggest was the appearance of chatter marks on the inner walls of the rotor housing. Known to Mazda “nail marks of the Devil” they appeared after a certain length of operation.
After much development the engineers solved the problem by the use of high-strength carbon seals infused with aluminum. Other automakers abandoned the rotary engine due to similar difficulties. The Mazda Cosmo Sport was the result of Mazda refusing to give up on the novel technology.
982 cc 0810 Series I, 82 kW (110 bhp)
982 cc 0813 Series II, 95 kW (128 bhp)
Curb weight: 940 kg (2072 lb)
Length: 4140 mm (163.0 in)
Width: 1595 mm (62.8 in)
Height: 1165 mm (45.9 in)
Performance:
Series I
Top Speed: 185 Km/h (115 mph)
1/4 Mile: 16.4 s
Series II
Top Speed: 193 km/h (120 mph)
1/4 Mile: 15.8 s
The Mazda Capella Rotary or RX-2 from 1970 was a rotary engined version of the saloon or coupe. The RX-2 as it was known outside of Japan was also built in New Zealand and South Africa.
This was the only version of the Capella that was offered with a Rotary engine. The secong generation introduced in 1978 retained just Piston engines. It later became known as the 626 in export markets.
1146cc 12A, 97 kW (128 bhp) 155 Nm
Curb weight: 950 kg (2094 lbs)
Length: 4150 mm (163.4 in)
Width: 1580 mm (62.2 in)
Height: 1375 mm (54.1 in)
Performance:
0 – 60mph: 9.8 s
Top Speed: 190 km/h (118 mph)
1/4 Mile: 16.8 s
The Luce was the second largest car to be offered with Rotary power by Mazda. Occupying the large car segment the Luce was known as the 929 outside of Japan.
Of course the export rotary offering had RX badging, this one the RX-4. It was also known as the Cosmo and could be had in coupe form.
1146cc 12A (128 bhp) or 1308 13B rotary engine
1146c Turbo (158 bhp)
Curb weight: 1155 kg
Length: 4665 mm (183.7 in)
Width: 1690 mm (66.5 in)
Height: 1360 mm (53.5 in)
Performance:
0 – 100 km/h: 10s
0 – 60 mph: 9.1s
Top Speed: 190 km/h (118 mph) without restrictor
Luce Turbo
0 – 100 km/h: 8.3 s
0 – 60 mph: 7.6 s
Top Speed: 203 km/h (126 mph) without restrictor
Mazda had build the worlds only production rotary engined pickup. Known as the REPU, this small truck was only available in North America. Built between 1974 and 1977, just over 15,000 examples were made for the U.S. and Canada.
The 1.3 litre 13B four-barrel carbureted engine, flared fenders, and distinctive round taillights, the REPU was the world’s first—and only—rotary-engined pickup truck.
The REPU also had a racing career, its most notable victory being at the 1975 SCCA Mojave 24 Hour Rally.
Check out the Mazda 787B Rotary Le Mans Winner video. Listen to the Noise.
Check out the Mazda 787B Rotary Le Mans Winner video. Listen to the Noise.
This has to be my favourite. I bet you weren’t expecting a rotary engined bus. But why not.
Built for only three years, the Parkway was based on Mazdas Titan truck chassis. It came with conventional petrol and Diesel power too. However, the roatary version was a bit special. The 13B was tuned for arouns 135bhp and could get the bus over 70mph. Word has it that the bus was smooth and quiet. Built as a low emission version they only made 44 of them. I think it’s fantastic.
1308 13B (135bhp) rotary engine
Curb weight: 2750 kg
Length: 4394 mm (173 in)
Width: 1702 mm (67 in)
Height: 1549 mm (61 in)
Performance:
Top Speed: 125km/h (78 mph)
The pretty Luce Rotary Coupe was introduced in 1969. Sadly this was only ever intended for the domestic market, but you can see that it would have sold well in in the US or Europe. What is unusual about this one is that it is the only front wheel drive rotary car Mazda ever produced.
Known as the R130 it was produced over four years until 1972. They only made 1000 of them, making it very rare. It was also expensive, costing from 1.45 to 1.75 million Yen. This was Mazda’s first step into the luxury personal car market. They even displayed the car at 35 major department stores.
Probably the best looking Mazda ever.
1308 13A 92.5KW (124bhp) 172Nm (127lb/ft) rotary engine
Curb weight: 1185 kg / 2612 lbs
Length: 4585 mm (180.5in)
Width: 1635 mm (54.4in)
Height: 1385 mm (54.4 in)
Performance:
Top Speed: 190km/h (118 mph)
1/4 mile: 16.9s
The Roadpacer AP was the largest of the rotary passenger cars. Produced in partnership with General Motors, the car was based on the Holden HJ Premier. The AP stood for Anti-Pollution, a large car with with a small engine. Somehwat ironic when the fuel economy was reported to be around 10mpg.
The engine made less power than the equivalent Holden, but also much less torque. The performance of the car wasn’t much to get excited about. But it was meant for Japanese dignitaries, so speed may not have been much of an issue. Those government departments managed to crash many of them, so there aren’t a lot left. They only sold around 900 of them in the first place. And it was General Motors only rotary powered car.
I rather like the style, I think I could live with the poor fuel consumption.
1308 13B 97 kW (130 bhp) 138 Nm (102 lb/ft) rotary engine
Curb weight: 1575 kg (3,472 lb)
Length: 4850 mm (191 in)
Width: 1885 mm (74in)
Height: 1465 mm (58 in)
Performance:
Top Speed: 166 km/h (103 mph)
The R100 was based on the Familia 1200 coupe that was already in production. Taking the inline 4 cylinder engine and replacing it with the 10A rotary from the Cosmo. The R100 was the name Mazda gave the car outside of Japan. The R100 was also one of the first cars Mazda imported to the United States.
It was also a racing success. At the 1969 Grand Prix of Singapore the R100 was immediately successful, winning on its first outing. The Spa 24 hours was next so Mazda entered a pair of R100s. The two cars finished fifth and sixth after a group of four Porsche 911s.
982cc 10A, 82 kW (100 bhp) rotary engine
Curb weight: 805 kg (1775 lbs)
Length: 3830 mm (151 in)
Width: 1490 mm (59 in)
Height: 1340 mm (53 in)
Performance:
0-100 km/h: 9.2 s
0-60 mph: 8.5 s
Top Speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
1/4 Mile: 16.4 s
The Savanna was introduced in 1971 and of course was available with rotary power. This time in the form of the 10A engine. But it’s the GT with the larger 12A engine that started something. You see, this is where the RX7 came from. the first was exported as the RX-3
The Savanna was Mazda’s performance coupe at that time. Regularly competing with Nissan, the Savanna eventually beat the Skyline GT-R. By 1976 the model had its 100th victory in Japanese motor sports. A record for a single model car. By 1978 the model had been replaced with the Savanna RX-7, with the pretty pop up headlight coupe.
1146cc 12A 97kW (108 bhp) 157 Nm (116 lb/ft) rotary engine
Curb weight: 880 kg (1940 lbs)
Length: 4065 mm (160 in)
Width: 1595 mm (62.8 in)
Height: 1350 mm (53.1 in)
Performance:
0-60 mph: 9.1 s
Top Speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
1/4 Mile: 17.1 s
Mazda created many sub brands over the years. The Eunos name was brough back to create a more sporting range. This stylish 1990 coupe was full of the latest electronic technology too. Apparently the first car ever to have a touch sensitive sat nav system. Also the largest production rotary car too.
There were a choice of two engines, the 1.3 litre 13B RE or a three rotor 2-litre 20B REW. The larger engine was available with twin sequential turbochargers. It was said to be as smooth if not smoother than a V12.
1308 cc 13B (135bhp) rotary engine
1,962 cc Twin Turbo 224 kW (280 bhp) 403 Nm (300 lb/ft)
Curb weight: 1,490 kg (3,285 lb) – 1,640 kg (3,616 lb)
Length: 4815 mm (190 in)
Width: 1795 mm (71 in)
Height: 1549 mm (61 in)
Performance:
0-100 Km/h: 6.5s
Top Speed: 254 km/h (158 mph)
There are more rotary engined Mazdas than just in this top 10.There’s a brilliant book on Rotary Mazdas by Marc Cranswick.
I do think a Parkway would suit me, it’s practical after all. But the Stylish 1990 Eunos Cosmo coupe is a very tempting. Which one do you want?
There’s more Mazda in the 100 Year Anniversary Article.