Mazda Cosmo - Ford Wiki Mazda Cosmo Automobile layout FR layout There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related. All were GT car, with the first proving a successful launch for the Mazda Wankel engine and acting as a Halo vehicle for the new Mazda brand. Later Cosmos competed in the ultra-high luxury performance market in Japan with the final JC Cosmo (1990-1995) sold as the Eunos Cosmo - Eunos was a luxury sales channel similar to Toyota's Lexus brand. Contents Cosmo Sport 110 (First generation) Production 1,519 series cars built [1] Internal combustion engine Mazda Wankel engine (Series I) Mazda Wankel engine (Series II) The first Mazda to bear the Cosmo name (called the 110S) was one of the first 2-rotor Wankel engine powered cars.

A prototype was introduced at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show, and 80 pre-production Cosmos were produced for the Mazda test department (20) and for dealership testing (60) between 1965 and 1966. Full production began in May 1967 and lasted through 1972, though Cosmos were built by hand at a rate of only about one per day. The car was also featured in the show Return of Ultraman. Cosmos were built in five batches: Date Series II Racing In 1968, Mazda went racing with the Cosmo. They selected one of the most grueling tests in Europe to prove the reliability of the rotary engine, the 84-hour Marathon de la Route at the legendary Nürburgring circuit in Germany. Two mostly-stock Cosmos were entered, along with 58 other cars. One major change to the cars' Mazda Wankel engine was the addition of a novel side- and peripheral-port intake system: A butterfly valve switched from the side to the peripheral port as RPMs increased. The engines were limited to 130 Horsepower to improve durability.

The cars ran together in fourth and fifth place for most of the race, but the all-Japanese car was retired with axle damage in the 82nd hour. The other car, driven by Belgians, completed the race in fourth overall. This was to be the only racing outing for the Cosmo - the next Mazda race car would be a Familia Rotary (R100) . Series I The Series I/L10A Cosmo was powered by a Mazda Wankel engine two-rotor engine with 982 cc of displacement and produced about 110 hp (thus the 110 name). It used a Hitachi, Ltd. 4-barrel Carburetor and an odd ignition design - two spark plugs per chamber with dual distributors. A 4-speed Manual transmission and 14 in wheels were standard. The front Independent suspension was A-arm/coil spring design with an Anti-roll bar. The rear used a Live axle with a De Dion tube, trailing arms, and semi-elliptic Leaf spring. Power-unassisted 10 in (254 mm) Disk brake were found in front with 7.9 in (201 mm) Drum brake in the rear.

Performance in the quarter-mile (400 m) was 16.4 s, with a 115 mph (185 km/h) top speed. The price was lower than the Toyota 2000GT at 1.48 million yen (US$4,100). Series II The Series II/L10B was introduced in July, 1968. It had a more-powerful 128 hp (95 kW)/103 ft·lbf (140 N·m) Mazda Wankel engine engine, power brakes, 15 in wheels and a 5-speed Manual transmission. The wheelbase had been expanded by 5.9 in (150 mm) for more room and a better ride. This Cosmo was good for over 120 mph (193 km/h) and could accelerate to cover a quarter mile (400 m) in 15.8 s. Visual changes included a larger grille under the front bumper with two additional vents to each side of this "mouth". Only 1,519 were ever made, and just six were imported into the United States.

The price was up a bit to 1.48 million yen (US$4,390). Talk show host Jay Leno owns a 1970 Series II Cosmo which was featured on the Speed Channel series My Classic Car in March, 2006. It was believed to be the only remaining Series II Cosmo in the United States. However, Mazda's U.S. division "found another in the garage of Phoenix-area car collector Glenn Roberts and made an offer that he couldn't refuse," according to Car and Driver magazine's September 2007 issue ("A Tale of Two Rotaries"). 1975 - 1981 Mazda RX-5 Cosmo coupe L The second generation CD Cosmo appeared in 1975 and lasted until 1981. It was known as the Cosmo AP in Japan, and sold internationally as the Mazda RX-5 , though in some export markets its piston powered counterpart was called the Mazda 121 (a name later applied to Mazda's subcompact model). Mazda America used the Mazda Cosmo name and offered it from 1976 through 1978.

The CD Cosmo/RX-5 series was a flop internationally as Mazda tried too hard to "americanize" the car. It was however an enormous success in Japan where over 55,000 where sold in the first year alone. Due to its poor sales as an export, the series-II version from 79-81 was not exported and remained on domestic sale only. The Cosmo was Mazda's 'large' compact rotary coupe and based on the Mazda RX-4 floorpan and mechanics, but slightly heavier due to body design and more luxurious appointments, including a 5-link rear suspension and rear disc brakes. It was available with the Mazda Wankel engine and Mazda Wankel engine engines. A piston engine version, the Cosmo 1800, used a 1769 cc (80x88 mm) Straight-4 SOHC engine that produced 100 hp (75 kW) and 110 lb·ft (149 N·m). See [1] - For more information on this model.

1981 - 1989 Rotary turbo Cosmo two-door coupe interior The third generation HB Cosmo from 1981 shared the Mazda HB chassis with its twin, the Mazda Luce (marketed overseas as the Mazda 929 ). The HB Cosmo was available as a coupe, hardtop and sedan. Its Mazda Luce counterpart was not available in coupe form. The HB Cosmo/Luce was the only car in automotive history to offer a choice of both Gas and Diesel piston engines and Rotary engines. Mazda offered three different rotary engines for the HB series. A 12A-SPI, 12A-turbo and 13B-RESI. The latter available with automatic transmission only. The 1982 12A-turbo Cosmo coupe was officially the fastest production car in Japan until being overtaken by the Nissan FJ engine powered Nissan Skyline. The HB Cosmo & Luce were sold in Japan only, with the 929 being the export version (which was not available with the rotary engine options).

While the sister models (the Luce & 929) were replaced in 1986, the Cosmo variant remained in production at a trickle until 1989. 1990 - 1995 1570 kg (3461 lb) Eunos Cosmo 3-rotor rotary engine The Eunos Cosmo (loosely based on the 1985 MX-03 Concept car) started production in 1990 on the new JC platform . The Eunos Cosmo was the top-line touring flagship of the Eunos luxury channel. It is the only Mazda to use a triple-rotor engine. The car was a 2+2 coupe and was loaded with power amenities. Only an electronically controlled 4-speed Automatic transmission was available. Two engines were available, the twin turbo Mazda Wankel engine and the Mazda Wankel engine. The triple rotor 20B had 2 Litres(1962 cc) of displacement, making it the largest capacity rotary offered for sale by Mazda.

It produced 300 hp (224 kW) and 300 ft·lbf (402 N·m) with twin turbochargers. The JC series Cosmo set several firsts in Automotive history. Its 13B-REW and 20B-REW engines were the first series production Twin turbo systems to be offered for sale. The better known FD RX-7 didn't receive its 13B-REW engine until early 1992. Plus was the first production car in the world to get a GPS option & the first in Japan to use the "Palmnet" serial data comms system for ECU-to-ECAT operation. This 4th generation Cosmo was way ahead of its time electronically as well by being offered [2] with Car Control System, a CRT colour Touch-screen controlling Climate control, Mobile phone, GPS Car navigation, NTSC TV, radio and CD-Player. The Cosmo was speed limited to 180 km/h to suit Japanese regulations, but the 20B-REW version was capable of 255 km/h if given a free run [3] .

With over 380 Nm of torque available at just 1800 rpm, the Cosmo could launch from standstill to freeway speeds quickly; however, this came at the expense of heavy fuel consumption. The JC Cosmo was expensive even by today's standards, as Mazda still has not matched the sales price of this car some 18 years later for anything else in its range. The Cosmo was manufactured from February 1990 until September 1995, and gathered a total of 8,875 sales. A split of 60/40 sales between 13B-REW and 20B-REW variants made the triple rotor 20B-REW version a rare car. Although the Cosmo remained a Japanese market-only vehicle (export had been proposed originally under the Eunos sales channel or the defunct USA-only Amati sales channel. [3] ), the Cosmo has found its way to RHD countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Norway & the UK thanks to limited import regulations for private importers from these countries.

Dimensions: Wheelbase: 2750 mm (108.3 in) Front Track: 1520 mm (59.8 in) Rear Track: 1510 mm (59.4 in) Length: 4815 mm (189.6 in) Width: 1795 mm (70.7 in) Weight: 1570 kg (3461 lb) References Mazda Cosmo Mazda Cosmo FR layout The Mazda Cosmo is a grand touring coupé that was produced by Mazda from 1967 to 1995. Throughout its history, the Cosmo served as a “halo” vehicle for Mazda, with the first Cosmo successfully launching the Mazda Wankel engine . The final generation of Cosmo served as Mazda’s flagship vehicle in Japan, being sold as the Eunos Cosmo through its luxury Eunos division in Japan. Mazda chose to use the name “cosmo”, reflecting international cultural fascination with the Space Race , as Mazda wanted to showcase the rotary engine as forward-thinking, with a focus on future developments and technology.

Contents 982cc 0810 (Series I), 110hp 982cc 0813 (Series II), 130hp Curb weight 940 kg (2,072.3 lb) The first Mazda to bear the Cosmo name (called the 110S on models intended for export) was the first 2-rotor rotary engine powered series car. A prototype was introduced at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show , one month before the 1964 Summer Olympics , and after the introduction of the German made NSU Spider also in 1964 at the Frankfurt Motor Show , and 80 pre-production Cosmos were produced for the Mazda test department (20) and for dealership testing (60) between 1965 and 1966. Full production began in May 1967 and lasted through 1972, though Cosmos were built by hand at a rate of only about one per day, for a total of 1,519 (343 Series I cars and 1,176 Series II cars).

[1] [2] The car was also featured in the show The Return of Ultraman . [3] Cosmos were built in five batches: Date Series II Racing In 1968, Mazda went racing with the Cosmo. They selected one of the most grueling tests in Europe to prove the reliability of the rotary engine, the 84-hour Marathon de la Route at the legendary Nürburgring circuit in Germany. [2] Two mostly stock Cosmos were entered, along with 58 other cars. One major change to the cars’ 10A engines was the addition of a novel side- and peripheral-port intake system: A butterfly valve switched from the side to the peripheral port as RPMs increased. The engines were limited to 130 PS to improve durability. The cars ran together in fourth and fifth place for most of the race, but the all-Japanese car was retired with axle damage in the 82nd hour. The other car, driven by Belgians, completed the race in fourth overall. [2] This was to be the only racing outing for the Cosmo—the next Mazda race car would be a Familia Rotary (R100) .

Series I The Series I/L10A Cosmo was powered by a 0810 two-rotor engine with 982 cc of displacement and produced about 110 hp (thus the 110 name). It used a Hitachi four-barrel carburetor and an odd ignition design—two spark plugs per chamber with dual distributors. A four-speed manual transmission and 14-inch wheels were standard. In Japan, the installation of a rotary engine gave Japanese buyers a financial advantage when it came time to pay the annual road tax in that they bought a car that was more powerful than a traditional inline engine, but without having the penalty for having an engine in the higher above-one-litre tax bracket. The front independent suspension was A-arm /coil spring design with an anti-roll bar . The rear used a live axle with a de Dion tube , trailing arms, and semi-elliptic leaf springs . Power-unassisted 10 inch (254 mm) disk brakes were found in front with 7.9 inches (201 mm) drum brakes in the rear.

Performance in the quarter-mile (400 m) was 16.4 s, with a 115 mph (185 km/h) top speed. The price was lower than the Toyota 2000GT at 1.48 million yen (US$4,100). Series II Series II L10B interior The Series II/L10B was introduced in July 1968. It had a more-powerful 128 hp (95 kW)/103 lb·ft (140 N·m) 0813 engine, power brakes, 15 inch wheels and a 5-speed manual transmission . The wheelbase had been expanded by 15 inches (38.1 cm) for more room and a better ride. This Cosmo was good for over 120 mph (193 km/h) and could accelerate to cover a quarter-mile (400 m) in 15.8 s. Visual changes included a larger grille under the front bumper with two additional vents to each side of this “mouth”.

Only 1,176 were ever made, and fewer than six Series II models were initially imported into the United States . The price was up a bit to 1.48 million yen (US$4,390). Comedian and former talk show host Jay Leno owns a 1970 Series II Cosmo which was featured on the North American Speed Channel series My Classic Car in March 2006. It was believed to be the only remaining Series II Cosmo in the United States, though the original Cosmo 10a engine was replaced with an RX-7 12a. However, Mazda’s U.S. division “found another in the garage of Phoenix-area car collector Glenn Roberts and made an offer that he couldn’t refuse,” according to Car and Driver magazine’s September 2007 issue (“A Tale of Two Rotaries”). There is a Series II Cosmo in a collection in Alberta, Canada as well. A 1970 Mazda Cosmo Sport Series II L10B Coupe sold in January 2015 for US$110,000 inclusive premium at auction at Bonhams .

[4] Series CD (1975–1981) 2,469 lb (1,120 kg) Mazda 121 L The second generation CD Cosmo appeared in 1975 and lasted until 1981. It was known as the Cosmo AP (Anti-Pollution) in Japan, and sold internationally as the Mazda RX-5, though in some export markets its piston-powered counterpart was called the Mazda 121 (a name later applied to Mazda’s subcompact model). Mazda America used the Mazda Cosmo name and offered it from 1976 through 1978, after which the Cosmo was replaced by the Mazda RX-7 as their rotary-powered sports coupe. The CD Cosmo/RX-5 series was positioned as a personal luxury car , offered as a notchback coupe, called the Landau, which included an “ opera window ” and padded vinyl roof covering, that appeared to be influenced by the 1970s era Lincoln Continental . It was also available as a fastback, but neither body style found many international buyers.

It was however an enormous success in Japan where over 55,000 were sold in the first year alone. This new body style competed with the Toyota Crown , Nissan Cedric , Nissan Gloria , and the Mitsubishi Galant Lambda coupes newly introduced to Japan. Due to its poor sales as an export the Series II version, built from 1979, was not exported and remained a Japanese domestic sale only. RX-4 exported to Europe saw very little competition in the rotary-engine equipped market, with the introduction of the short-lived Citroën GS Birotor , as well as any remaining NSU RO80 sedans. The Cosmo was Mazda’s largest rotary-powered coupe, based on the LA series Mazda Luce floor pan and mechanics, but slightly heavier due to body design and more luxurious appointments, including a five-link rear suspension and rear disc brakes. It was available with the 12A and 13B engines. This series Cosmo was joined by the short-lived Mazda Roadpacer , a large, heavy sedan powered only by a rotary engine.

A piston engine version, the Cosmo 1800, used a 1769 cc (80 x 88 mm) inline-four SOHC engine that produces 100 PS (73.5 kW) and 110 lb·ft (149 N·m). There was also the bigger Cosmo 2000 with 110 PS (81 kW). The rotary engine had financial advantages to Japanese consumers in that the engine displacement remained below 1.5 liters, 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. Series HB (1981–1989) Cosmo two-door coupe interior 1986 Mazda 929 coupe The third generation HB Cosmo from 1981 shared the Mazda HB chassis with its twin, the Mazda Luce (marketed overseas as the Mazda 929). The HB Cosmo was offered both as a coupe, and sedan, and was exported to Europe as the 929, alongside the Luce sedan, which shared the 929 export name.

The HB Cosmo was the only car in automotive history to offer a choice of both Gasoline and Diesel piston engines and Rotary engines, and this was the last generation Cosmo to be exported. The Cosmo sedan was a badge engineered version of the Luce sedan, with the Cosmo coupe and sedan sold at an exclusive dealership called Mazda Auto, while the Luce was available as a sedan only, sold at previously established Japanese Mazda dealerships. All Cosmo-branded vehicles were installed with rotary engines only, while the Luce offered rotary, and piston-driven engines. Later in 1991, Mazda Auto locations were renamed Eunos . When the FC series Mazda Savanna RX-7 was introduced in 1986 internationally, this series Cosmo coupe retained its top position as Mazda’s largest rotary powered personal luxury car , with a comfortable backseat, trunk, and every luxury amemity available, while adopting the retractable headlights from the RX-7. Mazda offered three different rotary engines for the HB series. A 12A-6PI (for “six-port induction”), 12A-turbo and 13B-RESI, with all using electronic multiport fuel injection.

The latter available with automatic transmission only. The 1982 12A-turbo Cosmo coupé was officially the fastest production car in Japan until being overtaken by the FJ20ET powered R30 Skyline RS . 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. The HB Cosmo & Luce names were used in Japan, with the 929 being the export version (which was not available with the rotary engine options). While the Luce was updated in 1986, the Cosmo variant remained in production at a trickle until 1989. The Mazda 929 Turbo EGI (Electronic Gasoline Injection) Luxury was available in Australia from 1986 to May 1987 (with these later cars produced in 1986). It used the FET engine and came only with a manual transmission .

Not all two-door 929 models used the FET, most used other variants of the FE engine, either Carburetor or EGI with optional four-speed automatic transmission. The 2.0 L (1998 cc) fuel injected , turbocharged FET version of the FE produced 135 hp (100 kW) and 175 lb·ft (237 N·m). It was a water cooled 8-valve SOHC engine featuring a small turbocharger, and no intercooler . Series JC (Eunos Cosmo, 1990–1996) Series JC Curb weight 1,490 kg (3,285 lb) – 1,640 kg (3,616 lb) The Eunos Cosmo (loosely based on the 1985 MX-03 concept car ) started production in 1990 on the new JC platform . The Eunos Cosmo was the top-line touring flagship of the Eunos luxury channel. It is the only Mazda to use a triple-rotor engine. The car was a 2+2 coupe and was loaded with power amenities.

Following the Japanese luxury theme, only an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission was available. In Japan, sales were affected by the fact that this series Cosmo no longer complied with Japanese Government dimension regulations , and Japanese buyers were liable for yearly taxes for driving a larger car compared to previous generations. Mazda 20B-REW three rotor engine Two engines were available, the twin turbo 13B-RE and the 20B-REW . The triple rotor 20B had 2 Litres (1962 cc) of displacement, making it the largest capacity rotary offered for sale by Mazda. It produced 300 horsepower (220 kW) and 403 newton metres (297 lbf·ft) with twin turbochargers. The JC series Cosmo set several firsts in Automotive history. Its 13B-RE and 20B-REW engines were the first Japanese built, series production twin sequential turbo systems to be offered for sale on a rotary engined car. The internationally known FD series RX-7 didn’t receive the twin turbo 13B-REW engine until early 1992.

The Eunos Cosmo was the first production car in the world to get built-in GPS navigation system , [5] and the first in Japan to use the “Palmnet” serial data communication system for ECU-to-ECAT operation. This 4th generation Cosmo was ahead of its time electronically as well by being offered [6] with Car Control System, a CRT colour touch-screen controlling climate control , mobile phone , GPS car navigation, NTSC TV , radio and CD-Player. Mazda promotional video for Eunos Cosmo (Japanese) Cosmo interior The Cosmo was speed limited to 180 km/h (111.8 mph) to suit Japanese regulations, but the 20B-REW version was capable of 255 km/h (158.4 mph) if given a free run. [7] With over 380 N·m (280 lb·ft) of torque available at just 1800 rpm, the Cosmo could launch from standstill to freeway speeds quickly; however, this came at the expense of heavy fuel consumption.

The JC Cosmo was expensive even by today’s standards, as Mazda still has not matched the sales price of this car some 22 years later for anything else in its range. The Cosmo was manufactured from February 1990 until September 1995, and gathered a total of 8,875 sales. A split of 60/40 sales between 13B-REW and 20B-REW variants made the triple rotor 20B-REW version a rare car. Although the Cosmo remained a Japanese market-only vehicle (export had been proposed originally under the Eunos sales channel, and under the stillborn Amati brand in the USA). [7] ), used Cosmos have found their way to various RHD countries thanks to import regulations for private importers from these countries. The Cosmo appeared in Sega GT and in the Gran Turismo and Gran Turismo 2 games, as well as the Arcade game series Wangan Midnight: Maximum Tune 1, 2, 3, 3DX, 3DX+, 4, and 5.

Dimensions: Wheelbase: 2,750 mm (108.3 in) Front Track: 1,520 mm (59.8 in) Rear Track: 1,510 mm (59.4 in) Length: 4,815 mm (189.6 in) Width: 1,795 mm (70.7 in) Weight: 1,570 kg (3,461 lb) JCESE = Series-I (90–93) – 20B JCES = Series-II (94–95) – 20B JC3SE = Series-I (90–93) – 13B JC3S = Series-II (94–95) – 13B References The History of Mazda Eunos Cosmo Car Directory / Mazda / Mazda Eunos Cosmo / History The History Of Mazda Eunos Cosmo There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related.

All were GT cars, with the first proving a successful launch for the Mazda Wankel engine and acting as a halo vehicle for the new Mazda brand. Later Cosmos competed in the ultra-high luxury performance market in Japan with the final JC Cosmo (1990-1995) sold as the Eunos Cosmo - Eunos was a luxury sales channel similar to Toyota's Lexus brand. The first Mazda to bear the Cosmo name (called the 110S) was one of the first 2-rotor rotary engine powered cars. A prototype was introduced at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show, and 80 pre-production Cosmos were produced for the Mazda test department (20) and for dealership testing (60) between 1965 and 1966. Full production began in May 1967 and lasted through 1972, though Cosmos were built by hand at a rate of only about one per day. The car was also featured in the show Return of Ultraman. Cosmos were built in five batches: Racing In 1968, Mazda went racing with the Cosmo.

They selected one of the most grueling tests in Europe to prove the reliability of the rotary engine, the 84-hour Marathon de la Route at the legendary Nürburgring circuit in Germany. Two mostly-stock Cosmos were entered, along with 58 other cars. One major change to the cars' 10A engines was the addition of a novel side- and peripheral-port intake system: A butterfly valve switched from the side to the peripheral port as RPMs increased. The engines were limited to 130PS to improve durability. The cars ran together in fourth and fifth place for most of the race, but the all-Japanese car was retired with axle damage in the 82nd hour. The other car, driven by Belgians, completed the race in fourth overall. This was to be the only racing outing for the Cosmo - the next Mazda race car would be a Familia Rotary (R100). Series I The Series I/L10A Cosmo was powered by a 0810 two-rotor engine with 982cc of displacement and produced about 110hp (thus the 110 name).

It used a Hitachi 4-barrel carburetor and an odd ignition design - two spark plugs per chamber with dual distributors. A 4-speed manual transmission and 14in wheels were standard. The front independent suspension was A-arm/coil spring design with an anti-roll bar. The rear used a live axle with a de Dion tube, trailing arms, and semi-elliptic leaf springs. Power-unassisted 10in (254mm) disk brakes were found in front with 7.9in (201mm) drum brakes in the rear. Performance in the quarter-mile (400m) was 16.4s, with a 115mph (185km/h) top speed. The price was lower than the Toyota 2000GT at 1.48 million yen (US$4,100). Series II The Series II/L10B was introduced in July, 1968.

It had a more-powerful 128hp (95kW)/103ft·lbf (140N·m) 0813 engine, power brakes, 15in wheels and a 5-speed manual transmission. The wheelbase had been expanded by 5.9in (150mm) for more room and a better ride. This Cosmo was good for over 120mph (193km/h) and could accelerate to cover a quarter mile (400m) in 15.8s. Visual changes included a larger grille under the front bumper with two additional vents to each side of this "mouth". Only 1,519 were ever made, and just six were imported into the United States. The price was up a bit to 1.48 million yen (US$4,390). Talk show host Jay Leno owns a 1970 Series II Cosmo which was featured on the Speed Channel series My Classic Car in March, 2006. It was believed to be the only remaining Series II Cosmo in the United States. However, Mazda's U.S.

division "found another in the garage of Phoenix-area car collector Glenn Roberts and made an offer that he couldn't refuse," according to Car and Driver magazine's September 2007 issue ("A Tale of Two Rotaries"). The second generation CD Cosmo appeared in 1975 and lasted until 1981. It was known as the Cosmo AP in Japan, and sold internationally as the Mazda RX-5, though in some export markets its piston powered counterpart was called the Mazda 121 (a name later applied to Mazda's subcompact model). Mazda America used the Mazda Cosmo name and offered it from 1976 through 1978. The CD Cosmo/RX-5 series was a flop internationally as Mazda tried too hard to "americanize" the car. It was however an enormous success in Japan where over 55,000 where sold in the first year alone. Due to its poor sales as an export, the series-II version from 79-81 was not exported and remained on domestic sale only.

The Cosmo was Mazda's 'large' compact rotary coupe and based on the Mazda RX-4 floorpan and mechanics, but slightly heavier due to body design and more luxurious appointments, including a 5-link rear suspension and rear disc brakes. It was available with the 12A and 13B engines. A piston engine version, the Cosmo 1800, used a 1769 cc (80x88 mm) straight-4 SOHC engine that produced 100hp (75kW) and 110lb·ft (149N·m). See - For more information on this model. The third generation HB Cosmo from 1981 shared the Mazda HB chassis with its twin, the Mazda Luce (marketed overseas as the Mazda 929). The HB Cosmo was available as a coupe, hardtop and sedan. Its Mazda Luce counterpart was not available in coupe form. The HB Cosmo/Luce was the only car in automotive history to offer a choice of both Gas and Diesel piston engines and Rotary engines. Mazda offered three different rotary engines for the HB series.

A 12A-SPI, 12A-turbo and 13B-RESI. The latter available with automatic transmission only. The 1982 12A-turbo Cosmo coupe was officially the fastest production car in Japan until being overtaken by the FJ20ET powered R30 Skyline RS. The HB Cosmo & Luce were sold in Japan only, with the 929 being the export version (which was not available with the rotary engine options). While the sister models (the Luce & 929) were replaced in 1986, the Cosmo variant remained in production at a trickle until 1989. The Eunos Cosmo (loosely based on the 1985 MX-03 concept car) started production in 1990 on the new JC platform. The Eunos Cosmo was the top-line touring flagship of the Eunos luxury channel. It is the only Mazda to use a triple-rotor engine. The car was a 2+2 coupe and was loaded with power amenities. Only an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission was available.

Two engines were available, the twin turbo 13B-REW and the 20B-REW. The triple rotor 20B had 2 Litres(1962 cc) of displacement, making it the largest capacity rotary offered for sale by Mazda. It produced 300hp (224kW) and 300ft·lbf (402N·m) with twin turbochargers. The JC series Cosmo set several firsts in Automotive history. Its 13B-REW and 20B-REW engines were the first series production twin sequential turbo systems to be offered for sale. The better known FD RX-7 didn't receive its 13B-REW engine until early 1992. Plus was the first production car in the world to get a GPS option & the first in Japan to use the "Palmnet" serial data comms system for ECU-to-ECAT operation. This 4th generation Cosmo was way ahead of its time electronically as well by being offered with Car Control System, a CRT colour touch-screen controlling climate control, mobile phone, GPS car navigation, NTSC TV, radio and CD-Player.

The Cosmo was speed limited to 180 km/h to suit Japanese regulations, but the 20B-REW version was capable of 255 km/h if given a free run . With over 380 Nm of torque available at just 1800 rpm, the Cosmo could launch from standstill to freeway speeds quickly; however, this came at the expense of heavy fuel consumption. The JC Cosmo was expensive even by today's standards, as Mazda still has not matched the sales price of this car some 18 years later for anything else in its range. The Cosmo was manufactured from February 1990 until September 1995, and gathered a total of 8,875 sales. A split of 60/40 sales between 13B-REW and 20B-REW variants made the triple rotor 20B-REW version a rare car. Although the Cosmo remained a Japanese market-only vehicle (export had been proposed originally under the Eunos sales channel or the defunct USA-only Amati sales channel.

), the Cosmo has found its way to RHD countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Norway & the UK thanks to limited import regulations for private importers from these countries. Dimensions: Mazda Cosmo : definition of Mazda Cosmo and synonyms of Mazda Cosmo (English) 982cc 0810 (Series I), 110hp 982cc 0813 (Series II), 130hp The first Mazda to bear the Cosmo name (called the 110S) was the first 2-rotor rotary engine powered series car. A prototype was introduced at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show , and 80 pre-production Cosmos were produced for the Mazda test department (20) and for dealership testing (60) between 1965 and 1966. Full production began in May 1967 and lasted through 1972, though Cosmos were built by hand at a rate of only about one per day, for a total of 1,176. [2] The car was also featured in the show Return of Ultraman .

[3] Cosmos were built in five batches: Date Series II Racing In 1968, Mazda went racing with the Cosmo. They selected one of the most grueling tests in Europe to prove the reliability of the rotary engine, the 84-hour Marathon de la Route at the legendary Nürburgring circuit in Germany. [2] Two mostly stock Cosmos were entered, along with 58 other cars. One major change to the cars' 10A engines was the addition of a novel side- and peripheral-port intake system: A butterfly valve switched from the side to the peripheral port as RPMs increased. The engines were limited to 130 PS to improve durability. The cars ran together in fourth and fifth place for most of the race, but the all-Japanese car was retired with axle damage in the 82nd hour. The other car, driven by Belgians, completed the race in fourth overall. [2] This was to be the only racing outing for the Cosmo - the next Mazda race car would be a Familia Rotary (R100) .

Series I The Series I/L10A Cosmo was powered by a 0810 two-rotor engine with 982 cc of displacement and produced about 110 hp (thus the 110 name). It used a Hitachi 4-barrel carburetor and an odd ignition design - two spark plugs per chamber with dual distributors. A 4-speed manual transmission and 14 inch (335 mm) wheels were standard. The front independent suspension was A-arm /coil spring design with an anti-roll bar . The rear used a live axle with a de Dion tube , trailing arms, and semi-elliptic leaf springs . Power-unassisted 10 inch (254 mm) disk brakes were found in front with 7.9 inches (201 mm) drum brakes in the rear. Performance in the quarter-mile (400 m) was 16.4 s, with a 115 mph (185 km/h) top speed. The price was lower than the Toyota 2000GT at 1.48 million yen (US$4,100).

Series II The Series II/L10B was introduced in July, 1968. It had a more-powerful 128 hp (95 kW)/103 lb·ft (140 N·m) 0813 engine, power brakes, 15 inch wheels and a 5-speed manual transmission . The wheelbase had been expanded by 15 inches (38.1 cm) for more room and a better ride. This Cosmo was good for over 120 mph (193 km/h) and could accelerate to cover a quarter mile (400 m) in 15.8 s. Visual changes included a larger grille under the front bumper with two additional vents to each side of this "mouth". Only 1,519 were ever made, and just six were imported into the United States . The price was up a bit to 1.48 million yen (US$4,390). Talk show host Jay Leno owns a 1970 Series II Cosmo which was featured on the Speed Channel series My Classic Car in March, 2006.

It was believed to be the only remaining Series II Cosmo in the United States, though the original Cosmo 10a engine was replaced with an RX-7 12a. However, Mazda's U.S. division "found another in the garage of Phoenix-area car collector Glenn Roberts and made an offer that he couldn't refuse," according to Car and Driver magazine's September 2007 issue ("A Tale of Two Rotaries"). 1975 - 1981 Mazda Luce The second generation CD Cosmo appeared in 1975 and lasted until 1981. It was known as the Cosmo AP (Anti-Pollution) in Japan, and sold internationally as the Mazda RX-5, though in some export markets its piston-powered counterpart was called the Mazda 121 (a name later applied to Mazda's subcompact model). Mazda America used the Mazda Cosmo name and offered it from 1976 through 1978. The CD Cosmo/RX-5 series was a flop internationally as Mazda tried too hard to "americanize" the car.

It was however an enormous success in Japan where over 55,000 where sold in the first year alone. Due to its poor sales as an export, the series-II version from 79-81 was not exported and remained a Japanese domestic sale only. Subsequent generations of the Cosmo were not exported to North America. The Cosmo was Mazda's 'large' compact rotary coupe and based on the Mazda RX-4 floorpan and mechanics, but slightly heavier due to body design and more luxurious appointments, including a 5-link rear suspension and rear disc brakes. It was available with the 12A and 13B engines. A piston engine version, the Cosmo 1800, used a 1769 cc (80x88 mm) straight-4 SOHC engine that produced 100 hp (75 kW) and 110 lb·ft (149 N·m). See [1] - For more information on this model.

Cosmo coupe L Rotary turbo Cosmo two-door coupe interior The third generation HB Cosmo from 1981 shared the Mazda HB chassis with its twin, the Mazda Luce (marketed overseas as the Mazda 929 ). The HB Cosmo was available as a coupe, hardtop and sedan. Its Mazda Luce counterpart was not available in coupe form. The HB Cosmo/Luce was the only car in automotive history to offer a choice of both Gasoline and Diesel piston engines and Rotary engines. Mazda offered three different rotary engines for the HB series. A 12A-SPI, 12A-turbo and 13B-RESI. The latter available with automatic transmission only. The 1982 12A-turbo Cosmo coupe was officially the fastest production car in Japan until being overtaken by the FJ20ET powered R30 Skyline RS . The HB Cosmo & Luce were sold in Japan only, with the 929 being the export version (which was not available with the rotary engine options).

While the sister models (the Luce & 929) were replaced in 1986, the Cosmo variant remained in production at a trickle until 1989. 1990 - 1995 Mazda RX-7 The Eunos Cosmo (loosely based on the 1985 MX-03 concept car ) started production in 1990 on the new JC platform . The Eunos Cosmo was the top-line touring flagship of the Eunos luxury channel. It is the only Mazda to use a triple-rotor engine. The car was a 2+2 coupe and was loaded with power amenities. Only an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission was available. Two engines were available, the twin turbo 13B-RE and the 20B-REW . The triple rotor 20B had 2 Litres (1962 cc) of displacement, making it the largest capacity rotary offered for sale by Mazda. It produced 300 hp (224 kW) and 300 lb·ft (402 N·m) with twin turbochargers.

The JC series Cosmo set several firsts in Automotive history. Its 13B-RE and 20B-REW engines were the first series production twin sequential turbo systems to be offered for sale on a rotary engined car (The twin sequential turbo piston engined Porsche 959 predates the Eunos Cosmo by several years). The better known FD RX-7 didn't receive the twin turbo 13B-REW engine until early 1992. Plus was the first production car in the world to get a GPS option & the first in Japan to use the "Palmnet" serial data comms system for ECU-to-ECAT operation. This 4th generation Cosmo was way ahead of its time electronically as well by being offered [4] with Car Control System, a CRT colour touch-screen controlling climate control , mobile phone , GPS car navigation , NTSC TV , radio and CD-Player.

Mazda promotional video for Eunos Cosmo (Japanese) The Cosmo was speed limited to 180 km/h (111.8 mph) to suit Japanese regulations, but the 20B-REW version was capable of 255 km/h (158.4 mph) if given a free run. [5] With over 380 N·m (280 lb·ft) of torque available at just 1800 rpm, the Cosmo could launch from standstill to freeway speeds quickly; however, this came at the expense of heavy fuel consumption. The JC Cosmo was expensive even by today's standards, as Mazda still has not matched the sales price of this car some 18 years later for anything else in its range. The Cosmo was manufactured from February 1990 until September 1995, and gathered a total of 8,875 sales. A split of 60/40 sales between 13B-RE and 20B-REW variants made the triple rotor 20B-REW version a rare car.

Although the Cosmo remained a Japanese market-only vehicle (export had been proposed originally under the Eunos sales channel or the defunct USA-only Amati sales channel. [5] ), the Cosmo has found its way to RHD countries such as Australia, New Zealand, & the UK (LHD Norway)thanks to limited import regulations for private importers from these countries. The Eunos Cosmo appeared in Sega GT and in the Gran Turismo , Gran Turismo 2 and Gran Turismo 5 games, as well as the Arcade game series Wangan Midnight: Maximum Tune 1, 2 & 3.

Dimensions: Wheelbase: 2,750 mm (108.3 in) Front Track: 1,520 mm (59.8 in) Rear Track: 1,510 mm (59.4 in) Length: 4,815 mm (189.6 in) Width: 1,795 mm (70.7 in) Weight: 1,570 kg (3,461 lb) JCESE = Series-I (90-93) - 20B RX-Rated: Mazda's Early Rotary Cars, Part 2 - Page 5 of 6 - Ate Up With Motor 36 Comments COSMO RX-5 The big news for 1975 was the Mazda Cosmo AP, introduced in October after debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show. A big four-seat coupe reviving the name of Toyo Kogyo’s first rotary production car, the Cosmo AP had some commonality with the Luce, sharing the same wheelbase and track, but in the best American tradition, the coupe was longer, lower, and wider.

The new Cosmo’s styling had a distinct Detroit flavor as well, resembling both GM’s “Colonnade” intermediates and the 1974 AMC Matador Coupe . The Cosmo shared the Luce’s transmissions and engine lineup — the familiar OHC four in 1,796 cc (110 cu. in.) and later 1,970 cc (120 cu. in.) forms for the cheaper models, the 12A and the 13B for rotary cars — but suspension was more like the Capella’s, trading the Luce’s rear leaf springs for coils, trailing arms, and a Panhard rod. All Cosmos had four-wheel disc brakes and 14-inch (356mm) wheels. Japanese-market models also offered the choice of a JATCO automatic or a five-speed gearbox with a fluid coupling rather than a plate clutch, an arrangement shared with the Japanese Luce, but not offered on U.S. export cars, which had a conventional five-speed instead. Upper-level Cosmos were lavishly equipped, in keeping with their lofty prices; the RE Limited started at ¥1,795,000, equivalent to more than $6,000.

Export Mazda Cosmos of this generation were usually badged 121 with a piston engine and Mazda RX-5 with rotary power, but surprisingly, Mazda retained the Cosmo name for the American market. Non-U.S. Cosmos were 176.2 inches (4,475 mm) long — 179 inches (4,545 mm) with bumper overriders — on the same 98.8-inch (2,510mm) wheelbase as the Luce, weighing around 2,650 lb (1,200 kg) in 13B Limited form. Federalized Cosmos were 182 inches (4,623 mm) long and weighed about 2,825 lb (1,280 kg). They used the same 110 hp (82 kW) 13B engine as the U.S. RX-4. ( Photo: “The second generation CD Cosmo appeared in 1975 and lasted until 1981.

It was known as the Cosmo AP in Japan, and sold internationally as the Mazda RX-5, though in some export markets its piston-powered counterpart was called the Mazda 121.” © 2011 Alain Durand ; used with permission) If Toyo Kogyo had hoped for a piece of the lucrative American personal luxury car market, they were to be sorely disappointed. Federalized Cosmos arrived in early 1976 to lackluster reviews and general buyer disinterest. Extra weight made the Cosmo slower than the cheaper RX-4 coupe and the Cosmo’s Americanized looks did it no favors with U.S. import buyers; customers who wanted a Detroit-style luxury coupe could buy a Chevrolet Monte Carlo for less money. One New York dealer tried to drum up some interest by running a Cosmo in the 1976 24 Hours of Daytona, but Mazda’s U.S. organization was still struggling to interest buyers in any new Mazda, much less a $6,000 luxury coupe. We don’t have a breakdown of U.S. sales by model, but Mazda only sold around 35,000 cars in the U.S.

in 1976 and we suspect very few were Cosmos. The Cosmo met a similar fate in other export markets, but it turned out to be a big hit in Japan, which took the lion’s share of production: over 50,000 in the first year alone. In July 1977, the Cosmo even spawned a still more American-looking variation, the Cosmo L Landau, with a notchback roof and padded vinyl top. Although it didn’t seem to go over well with American buyers or critics, the Mazda Cosmo’s ‘glass pillar’ hardtop roof became its signature, retained on the subsequent HB Cosmo. While the chrome frames are fixed, the glass is retractable, an unusual touch. The interior is archetypal seventies luxury, with plush velour, woodgrain dashboard, and a genuine wood steering wheel.

( Photo: “The CD Cosmo/RX-5 series was a flop internationally as Mazda tried too hard to ‘americanize’ the car.” © 2011 Alain Durand ; used with permission) The Cosmo was popular enough at home to make it profitable, but mediocre export sales made it less successful than anticipated and it was not quite enough to stave off the company’s mounting losses. THE END OF A DYNASTY The end of the OPEC embargo had not brought much of a recovery for Mazda. Total sales for 1975 were down an additional 22%; the company declared a loss of ¥17.3 billion (roughly $60 million) for the fiscal year. By the end of the calendar year, Toyo Kogyo was close to bankruptcy. That was not a happy prospect for the Hiroshima area, where Toyo Kogyo was responsible, directly or indirectly, for about 25% of the industrial jobs, or for the Sumitomo Bank, which was the company’s second-largest shareholder and creditor, with a total financial exposure of around ¥60 billion (more than $200 million).

The bank tried to convince Toyota to purchase an equity stake in Toyo Kogyo in hopes of bolstering the company’s capital position, but when that didn’t pan out, Sumitomo Bank agreed to step in directly to keep Toyo Kogyo afloat. The final U.S.-market Mazda RX-3 was offered only as a coupe. Introduced in March 1977, the RX-3SP was 40 lb (18 kg) lighter and $150 cheaper than the previous RX-3 coupe, bringing its base price below $4,000. Since 1976, the federalized 12A engine had used a two-barrel carburetor rather than the previous four-throat, but porting changes had improved output to 95 hp (71 kW) and 102 lb-ft (138 N-m) of torque. The RX-3SP was no longer available in California, although buyers in other states now benefited from a five-year, 75,000-mile (120,750-km) engine warranty.

(author photo) Kouhei Matsuda, who had succeeded his late father as president in 1971, has ended up shouldering much of the blame for the company’s near-collapse. Unlike his father, who had been a persuasive leader of considerable vision, Matsuda ruled through intimidation as much as respect and many employees and executives were afraid of him. Toyo Kogyo had always been essentially an autocracy; there were many executives and executive committees, but most actual decision-making power resided with the president. Since no one was eager to give Matsuda bad news, much less argue with him, he was slow to recognize problems and slower still to respond even when business turned sour. Even in the face of the company’s financial crisis, Matsuda resisted outside attempts to change the company’s direction. In January 1976, he reluctantly allowed Sumitomo Bank to appoint bank executive and troubleshooter Tsutomu Murai as Toyo Kogyo’s new executive vice president. Murai and managing director Hiroshi Mineoka, another Sumitomo appointment, enlisted the support of other Toyo Kogyo executives to develop and implement new procedures and strategies throughout the company.

Murai also made some important appointments of his own, including making Hiroshima plant manager Yoshiki Yamasaki the new head of production. The Mazda RX-3SP’s rather gaudy spoilers, stripes, and decals were nominally optional, a $345 appearance package. It remained available in the U.S. through the 1978 model year, although Savanna production had ended in 1977. This car’s wheels are once again not stock. (author photo) Perhaps the most unusual strategy Toyo Kogyo adopted during this period was the dispatched worker program, which put volunteers from throughout the company through a two-week sales training course and then shipped them off to dealerships around the country for temporary stints as car salesmen, making up for the recent losses to Mazda’s sales force. At its peak, the program involved almost 3,000 employees. In December 1977, Matsuda agreed to relinquish the presidency to Yamasaki, ending the Matsuda family’s five-decade dominion. By the time of Matsuda’s departure, Toyo Kogyo had managed to reduce costs, increase sales and revenues, and improve relationships with its suppliers.

Since the company union had agreed to accept delays or reductions in bonus payments as an alternative to salary cuts or layoffs, the cost in jobs and wages was relatively modest. The company reported a net profit of ¥15 billion (perhaps $65 million) for fiscal 1978 and did even better the next two years, due in part to Ford’s belated acquisition of an equity stake: 12.9% in 1979, rising to 25% in 1980. Only seven years earlier, Henry Ford II had declared Toyo Kogyo worthless except for the rotary; now, Ford was more interested in Mazda’s piston-engined compact pickups than in the rotary engines. Mazda’s eighth new rotary of the decade was the Luce Legato, introduced at the Tokyo Auto Show in October 1977 as a replacement for both the Luce/RX-4 and the Roadpacer.

The Legato was even bigger than the Cosmo — 182 inches (4,625 mm) long and 66.5 inches (1,690 mm) wide on a 102.8-inch (2,610mm) wheelbase — and was offered as a four-door sedan, a station wagon, or a four-door pillared hardtop. Like the Cosmo, the Legato was available with a choice of four-cylinder piston engines or the 12A and 13B rotaries. Piston-engined versions were sold in some other markets as the Mazda 929L, but the rotary cars were not exported. (Photo circa 1977, courtesy and copyright Mazda) While the company’s late-seventies recovery had a lot to do with the new piston-engined Mazda Familia (a.k.a. GLC or 323), introduced in January 1977, the financial crisis and reorganization did not mean the end of the rotary engine.

Kenichi Yamamoto — by 1977 a director of the company as well as manager of rotary development — persuaded Sumitomo Bank of the rotary’s continued viability, promising even greater reductions in emissions and fuel consumption. With the bank’s support, the rotary would survive into the 1980s, albeit on a more limited basis. Yamamoto’s career also continued to advance: He became senior managing director in 1983, president in December 1984 (shortly after Toyo Kogyo officially became the Mazda Motor Corporation), and chairman from 1987 to 1991. THE WIND-UP By the late seventies, Toyo Kogyo’s ambitions for an all-rotary line were fading. While the company mostly avoided canceling products outright — the main exceptions were the Mazda Roadpacer AP and the REPU, both dropped by 1978 — it gradually pruned its export offerings. As existing rotary models reached the end of their lives, they were not necessarily replaced. The new Familia was not offered with a rotary engine, nor was the next Capella, introduced in Japan in October 1978.

The luxury-oriented Luce and Cosmo would continue to offer rotary power, but would no longer be exported in any numbers. Both models were dropped from the U.S. lineup at the end of the 1978 model year, vanishing from Australia and other export markets by mid-1979. Introduced in 1981, the third-generation Mazda HB Cosmo was offered in two- or four-door hardtop form or as a four-door sedan, all sharing a lot of structural commonality with the Luce/929. At launch, the Cosmo was available only with a piston engine, but a new six-port 12A engine was added in 1982, followed by a 12A turbo and the latest version of the 13B. Blackout pillars and retractable headlights mark this 12A turbo coupe as a facelifted Series 2 model, introduced in 1984.

( Photo: “Mazda HB Cosmo 001” © 2007 天然ガスTennen-Gas ; resized and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license ) The Savanna was another matter. Even with the energy crisis, the Savanna/RX-3 had been a solid success, selling 285,887 units worldwide, and its racing exploits had given the coupe a strong performance image in Japan. Rather than sacrifice that recognition, Toyo Kogyo applied the Savanna name to Mazda’s new rotary-powered two-seat sports car, the Savanna RX-7, which debuted in Japan in March 1978. In other markets, the new car would be called simply RX-7. The first-generation (SA/FB) Mazda Savanna RX-7 was sold from 1978 through 1985. This is a 1985 U.S.-spec RX-7 GS, powered by a carbureted 12A engine with 101 hp (75 kW).

The pricier GSL-SE had a fuel-injected 13B with 135 hp (101 kW) as well as four-wheel disc brakes, a sunroof, cruise control, and air conditioning. (author photo) Although the Savanna RX-7 would become Mazda’s best-selling rotary for the rest of its 26-year lifespan, the company continued to offer rotary engines in the Japanese-market Luce and Cosmo into the 1990s. The 1982 Cosmo RE Turbo would be the world’s first turbocharged rotary production car, while the 1990 JC Cosmo, sold through Mazda’s Eunos sales channel, would be the first production car to offer a three-rotor engine. Mazda would continue to develop rotary engine technology into the 21st century, adding catalytic converters, fuel injection, resonance supercharging, twin-scroll and sequential turbocharging, and even a hydrogen-fueled version. Mazda rotaries also saw considerable competition use, culminating in the remarkable four-rotor 787B that won Le Mans in 1991.

The JC Cosmo, sold through Mazda’s Eunos sales channel from 1990 to 1996, offered either a turbocharged 13B engine or the twin-turbo 1,962 cc (120 cu. in.) 20B-REW three-rotor engine, conservatively rated at 280 PS (276 hp, 206 kW) and 297 N-m (402 N-m) of torque. Top-spec ECCS models were laden with luxury features, including a 12-disc CD changer, an in-dash television, GPS navigation, and touchscreen audio and climate controls. Despite its mandatory four-speed automatic and 3,600 lb (1,640 kg) curb weight, the Cosmo ECCS was capable of 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 6.2 seconds, although top speed was electronically limited to 124 mph (200 km/h). Total production was 8,875 units, only a few of which ever left Japan.

(Photo circa 1990; copyright and courtesy Mazda) The company’s most recent rotary model, the RX-8, made a promising debut in 2003 with first-year production of 60,100 units, but declining sales and difficulty meeting Euro V emissions standards led to its withdrawal from European markets in 2009. It was dropped from the U.S. market at the end of the 2011 model year. Mazda announced in October 2011 that Japanese production would conclude in June 2012 with 1,000 copies of a final Spirit R limited edition. In 2007, Mazda released information about its next-generation rotary engine, known as the 16X. Still a two-rotor engine, the 16X has a narrower rotor housing than the 13B or current RENESIS, but a greater eccentricity and epitrochoidal radius (comparable to reducing the bore and increasing the stroke of a piston engine) for a total geometric displacement of 1,598 cc (98 cu. in.).

Despite the increased displacement, Mazda claimed that a lower surface-to-volume ratio and the adoption of direct injection would give the 16X fuel consumption comparable to the company’s four-cylinder 2000MZR engine, making the 16X at least 30% more efficient than the RENESIS. As of this writing, a shortage of development capital has forced Mazda to table the 16X project, but Mitsuo Hitomi, general manager of powertrain development, has maintained that the company has no intention of abandoning the rotary.

Question: The Mazda Cosmo, which began to be marketed in 1990, was the first car to be equipped with what as an option?
Answer: GPS