# Mazda Savanna

The Mazda Savanna is a rotary-powered automobile sold by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda between 1971 and 1978. Between 1978 and 1991, spanning two generations, Mazda sold the Savanna replacement as the Mazda Savanna RX-7. Mazda exclusively used the Savanna nameplate in Japan. It was exported as the Mazda RX-3 in its first generation from 1971 to 1978, and as the Mazda RX-7 in its subsequent generations.
For the original 1971 version of Savanna, Mazda fitted its 10A rotary engine to the Mazda Grand Familia to create a separately marketed product sold in coupé, sedan, and station wagon guises. The engine was upgraded to the larger 12A rotary in the GT model introduced in September 1972, and eventually this became the standard engine across the entire range. Coupé sales accounted for over half of total sales, influencing the design and marketing of the second generation of Savanna. The subsequent two generations, released in 1978 and 1985 respectively, fitted the rotary engines to a unique coupe body that sold internationally as the Mazda RX-7.
The rotary engine had financial advantages to Japanese consumers in that the engine displacement remained below 1.5 litres, a significant determination when paying the Japanese annual road tax which kept the obligation affordable to most buyers, while having more power than the traditional inline engines.
* First generation (S102A/S124A; 1971–1978) Main article: Mazda Grand Familia
* Second generation (SA22C; 1978–1985) Main article: Mazda RX-7
* Third generation (FC; 1985–1991) Main article: Mazda RX-7
vteMazda road car timeline, 1960–1989 — next » :
Type
1960s
1970s
1980s
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Kei car
R360 Coupé
Carol
Chantez
Carol
Kei truck/Microvan
B360/B600
Porter
Porter Cab
Porter Cab
Scrum
Subcompact
Carol 600
121/Festiva
Compact
Familia
Familia, Presto
Familia Presto
Familia/323
Familia/323
Familia/323
Familia
Familia Van
Familia Van/1000,1200,1300 Pickup
Familia Van/323 Wagon
Familia Van/Wagon
Grand Familia / RX-3/Savanna
Étude
Mid-size
Capella/616 / RX-2
Capella / 626
Capella / 626
Capella / 626
Luce/1500/1800
Luce/RX-4 / 929
Persona
Executive
Luce/RX-9 / 929L
Luce / 929
Luce / 929
Luce Van / 929 Wagon
Luce R130
Cosmo/121/RX-5
Cosmo / 929 Coupé
Full-size
Roadpacer
Sports car
Familia Rotary/R100
Eunos Roadster/​MX-5/Miata
Cosmo Sport
RX-7/Savanna
RX-7/Savanna
Minivan
MPV
Pickup
B1500
Proceed/B-series
Proceed/B-series
Proceed/B-series
Van/Minibus
Bongo F800/F1000/Parkway
Bongo/E-series/Parkway
Bongo/E-series/Parkway :
vte« previous — Mazda road car timeline, 1990–2019 — next » :
Type
1990s
2000s
2010s
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Kei car/Microvan/Kei truck
Autozam Carol
Carol
Carol
Carol
Carol
Carol
AZ-Wagon
AZ-Wagon
AZ-Wagon
AZ-Wagon
Flair
Flair
Flair Wagon
Flair Wagon
AZ-Offroad
Flair Crossover
Spiano
Laputa
Autozam Scrum
Scrum/Scrum Wagon
Scrum/Scrum Wagon
Subcompact
Autozam Revue/121
Demio/121
Demio/Mazda2
Demio/Mazda2
Demio/Mazda2
Verisa
Compact
Familia/323/Protegé/Astina/Eunos 100
Familia/323/Protegé /Lantis/323F
Familia/323/Protegé
Axela/Mazda3
Axela/Mazda3
Axela/Mazda3
Mazda3
Familia Van
Familia Van
Familia Van
Familia Van
Mid-size
Capella/626
Capella/626/Cronos /ɛ̃fini MS-6
Capella/626
Atenza/Mazda6
Atenza/Mazda6
Atenza/Mazda6
Persona/Eunos 300
Autozam Clef /ɛ̃fini MS-8
Xedos 6/Eunos 500
Full-size
Millenia/Xedos 9/Eunos 800
Luce
Sentia/929/ɛ̃fini MS-9
Sentia
Sports car
Autozam AZ-1
MX-3/Eunos Presso/Autozam AZ-3
Eunos Roadster/MX-5/Miata
Roadster/MX-5/Miata
Roadster/MX-5/Miata
Roadster/MX-5/Miata
MX-6/626 Coupé
MX-6
RX-7/Savanna RX-7
RX-7/ɛ̃fini RX-7
RX-8
Eunos Cosmo
Minivan
VX-1
Premacy
Premacy/Mazda5
Premacy/Mazda5
Bongo Friendee
Biante
MPV/ɛ̃fini MPV
MPV
MPV/Mazda8
Crossover SUV
CX-3
CX-30
CX-4
Tribute
Tribute
CX-5
CX-5
CX-7
CX-8
CX-9
CX-9
SUV
Proceed Levante
Proceed Levante
Proceed Marvie
Navajo
Pickup
B-Series/Proceed
B-Series/Proceed
B-Series
BT-50
BT-50
B-Series
B-Series/Truck
Van/Truck
Bongo/E-Series
Bongo/E-Series
Bongo Brawny/E-Series
Bongo Brawny/E-Series
Bongo Brawny
Titan Dash
Titan/T-Series
Titan
Titan
Titan
Minibus
Parkway
Notes
     Sourced from Ford          Sourced from Suzuki          Sourced from Nissan          Sourced from Toyota/Daihatsu          Sourced from Isuzu :