FD meets its ancestors
A gathering of japan's most significant classics includes healthy rotary representation - Cosmo, RX-3, RX-87...
The NOS 2 Days (two-day Nostalgic Car show) is held on a February weekend in Yokohama. It's not a huge show, but it collects some of the most significant Japanese historic cars, especially those with significant racing history - among them some of Mazda's earlier rotary efforts up to and including the most recent RX-7.
As Mazda's engineers were honing the troublesome NSU-licensed rotary design to production status, they dreamt up this space-age coupe to carry it. Double wishbones up front and de Dion rear suspension gave composed handling; the 10A rotary put out 110hp, giving the name Cosmo Sport 110.
Rare working original 10A engine
This hit the road in 1967, the first serious production car to wield a rotary. With its classic FR layout and compact two-seat body, this is the original ancestor of the RX-7.
In 1968 two Cosmo Sports entered the crazy 84-hour Marathon de la Route endurance race at the old Nurburgring; one retired late in the race due to axle failure, the other came home in fourth place, proving the robustness of the new engine.
However, Mazda knew that the pricey, low-volume Cosmo didn't have the market potential to establish them as a significant player. In future, Mazda would be represented on track by their mass-market rotary cars, albeit with engines ported for dramatically increased power.
The first such car was the tiny Familia Rotary Coupe which was followed by the Grand Familia, whose rotary derivative was named the Savanna in Japan and the RX-3 elsewhere. The new rotary made an immediate impact on track, winning at Fuji and bringing an end to an unbeaten 49-race run of wins for the legendary 'hakosuka' Nissan Skyline.
The RX-3's winning record translated into the showrooms, with the coupe being especially popular. When Mazda pulled back from its 'rotaries in everything' policy in the wake of the oil crises, the popularity of the RX-3 coupe led directly to the creation of the first RX-7, which continued the 'Savanna' name.
Alongside the live-axled RX-3, Mazda developed the upmarket Luce line. The Luce saloon was a familiar, rear-drive piston-engined saloon with elegant Italian styling. However for the coupe, Mazda went all-out technically with a front-drive layout, powered by a specially designed 13A engine, designed to be torquier than the 12A but still as short as possible.
13A ahead of transaxle gearbox - just like an NSU Ro80
The RX-87, aka Luce Coupe, was another expensive model that sold in low volumes. The affordable RX-3 Savanna, on the other hand, blazed a trail followed by the first RX-7, which sold almost half a million cars.
Many people were disappointed when the RX-8 came out, considering it unable to fill the shoes of the legendary RX-7. However, looking back at the Cosmo Sport, the RX-3 and the RX-87 Luce Coupe, we can see that the rotary's story has always been a long and winding road, filled with dead-ends and diversions, as Mazda has tried different approaches to bring the rotary magic to market. Here's hoping we don't have to wait too long for the next chapter in the story.
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