The Coolest Mazda Sedans and Sports Cars You Forgot About
The Japanese automaker’s distinctive approach to style and engineering has produced some very cool machines that largely flew under the radar.
Performance icons like the crowd-pleasing MX-5 Miata and the rotary-powered RX-7 may be what spring to enthusiasts’ minds when they think of Mazda, but the legendary Japanese brand has produced a lot of compelling vehicles that aren’t two-door sports cars.
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The company put its first four-wheeled vehicle—the diminutive R360 kei car—into production in 1960, and things quickly ramped up from there. By the close of the decade, Mazda had both a head-turning, technologically innovative sports car (the rotary-powered Mazda Cosmo) and a flagship luxury sedan (the Giugiaro-designed Luce) in the lineup, alongside mainstream pickup and passenger car offerings.
Several of these vehicles also featured the company’s revolutionary Wankel engine, a design that uses a spinning rotor instead of reciprocating pistons—a deceptively simple layout with devilishly complex engineering challenges that only Mazda had the tenacity to solve. Taking on the rotary challenge shows Mazda’s commitment to doing things its own way, but regardless of what engine type Mazda used, all benefitted from the company’s independent streak. streak.
1966–1973 Mazda Luce
Penned by famed designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, whose portfolio includes stunners like the De Tomaso Mangusta, the Lotus Esprit, and the DeLorean DMC-12, the Luce served as Mazda’s first flagship sedan. Although its production run spanned eight years, it was only available in the U.S. from 1971 to 1973 under the “1800” moniker, making this a particularly unusual sight on American roads.
1972–1977 Mazda RX-4
Mazda’s first rotary-powered sedan in North America, the RX-4 served as the successor to the Luce and stood out among its rivals thanks to the power, driving engagement, and smoothness offered by its Wankel engine. (The RX-2 was sold as a sedan in some other markets.) Sold in the U.S. from 1974 through 1978 (the sedan went out of production in ’77), the 13B powerplant produced 110 hp and 117 lb-ft of torque, which compared favorably to competitors’ offerings.
1995–2002 Mazda Millenia
Replacing the 929 in Mazda’s lineup, the Millenia featured a 2.3-liter, supercharged Miller-cycle V-6 that dished out a 210 horsepower—an impressive figure by mid-’90s standards—while also maintaining respectable fuel economy.
In our long-term wrap-up with the ’95 Millenia S, we noted that the high-tech powerplant offered “V-8-like vigor” and outperformed both the Honda Prelude VTEC and the Ford Mustang GT in a top-speed shootout, ultimately reaching 142 mph. The luxury sedan also outpaced a Mercedes-Benz C280 on our 600-foot slalom course, and its exceptionally trouble-free operation throughout our 20,000-mile test earned the Millenia additional praise.
2001 Mazda Protege MP3
Named after its ability to play the burgeoning audio file standard through its 280-watt Kenwood audio system, the Mazda Protege MP3 was a North American exclusive. The MP3 also featured an array of other aftermarket hardware that included Racing Hart wheels, a Racing Beat exhaust system, Tokico dampers, and a Nardi steering wheel. Tweaks to the ECU and intake elevated the 2.0-liter inline-four’s output to 140 horsepower, and all the 1,500 MP3s produced featured a five-speed manual transmission.
2006 Mazda Mazdaspeed6
Boasting a unique 274-hp, 2.3-liter turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission and an advanced torque-splitting all-wheel-drive system, the performance-focused 2006 Mazdaspeed6 was touted as the fastest-accelerating, best-handling, and most sophisticated sport sedan Mazda had built to date. It also looked the part thanks to aesthetic upgrades like a more aggressive front fascia, side skirts, and a rear diffuser.
Stiffer shocks and springs, bigger anti-roll bars, and a reinforced structure with 50 percent more torsional rigidity than the standard Mazda6 also significantly enhanced its cornering capabilities. MT staffers were particularly enamored with the Mazdaspeed6’s ability to hang its tail out when trail-braking with stability control turned off.
Mazda’s Cool Cars Haven’t Only Been Sedans, Though
1967–1972 Mazda Cosmo Sport
The first Mazda vehicle to feature a rotary engine, the Cosmo Sport was a stunning halo sports car that announced the automaker’s arrival to the big leagues. When we managed to get some seat time in a Series II Cosmo Sport back in 2010, we lauded the simultaneously deep and raspy bark of its 128-hp L10B engine, as well as the coupe’s jaw-dropping design. Only a few hundred of these rakish machines are still on the road today, so it comes as no surprise that well-preserved examples regularly command six-figure sums on the secondhand market.
1988–1989 Mazda 323 GTX
Built to satisfy FIA homologation rules for Group A racing, the GTX was a comprehensive, rally-fueled revamp of Mazda’s humble hatchback. Along with a widened track and significant structural strengthening, the GTX featured a turbocharged and intercooled 1.6-liter, 16-valve, DOHC four-cylinder engine producing 132 hp, a massive upgrade from the 82-hp four-pot in the standard car.
A five-speed transmission sent the grunt to all four corners through an all-wheel-drive system, while sport seats and available digital instrumentation spruced up the cabin. All of this came at a price, though—about $13,000—which meant that the hot-rodded 323 cost substantially more than a Volkswagen GTI of the day. As a result, the 323 GTX went the way of the dodo after just two years in production.
1990–1996 Eunos Cosmo
In the late ’80s, Mazda began to toy with the idea of launching its own Lexus-fighting luxury brand in the U.S. called Amati, and the Eunos Cosmo was being considered for the flagship role. Although the Eunos Cosmo ultimately remained exclusive to the Japanese market, it featured several production car firsts like a triple-rotor Wankel engine (a twin-turbocharged unit producing 280 hp) and touchscreen GPS navigation.
Matched with a lavishly appointed cabin and top-notch fit and finish, the Eunos Cosmo was poised to take on the BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes, and Jaguars of the day. However, its price tag of $43,650 also made it the most expensive car Mazda has ever sold, which helps explain why this coupe was never offered outside of its home country.
1992–1994 Mazda Autozam AZ-1
Produced under Mazda’s short-lived Autozam subbrand, this sporty kei car was the result of a collaboration between Mazda and Suzuki, the latter of which supplied its 63-horsepower, twin-cam 657cc turbocharged inline-three engine.
Outfitted with gullwing doors and composite body panels, the mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive AZ-1 featured a five-speed manual transmission, a mechanical limited-slip differential, sport-tuned struts and springs, and no shortage of charm.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to overcome the economic recession that was underway in Japan at the time, and the AZ-1 was dropped after just three model years. Less than 4,400 AZ-1s were built in total, making this one of the rarest kei sports cars ever put into production.