Mazda Heritage

Mazda Heritage

In 1920, Jujiro Matsuda founded a company that 14 years later would combine his surname and the name of the Zoroastrian god representing light and goodness, Ahura-Mazda, to create Mazda. It was his son and third president Tsuneji Matsuda, who 26 years later, would embark on a path that would not only redefine Mazda but the entire automotive industry. Matsuda realized that the future of the industry lay in engineering excellence.

His extraordinary vision, passion and dedication inspired him to pursue a competitive edge. In doing so, he set the stage for greatness.

Felix Wankel

- a radical genius chose Mazda

In December 1959, Felix Wankel shook the automotive world by announcing he had designed and developed a viable alternative to the traditional piston engine. The competition to win his radical technology was unbelievably fierce.

Against all expectations, Wankel chose Mazda ahead of more than 100 competitors, including General Motors, Daimler-Benz, Nissan and Toyota. For Wankel, it was Mazda’s engineering excellence, insight, passion and determination that gave them the edge. He had also found a kindred spirit in the form of Tsuneji Matsuda and a partnership that Wankel believed would make his dream an automotive reality.

Kenichi Yamamoto

Tsuneji Matsuda saw in Kenichi Yamamoto the values he believed would take Mazda into the future. The Mazda Cosmo Sport, powered by a compact rotary unit with massive dynamic potential, had a gigantic impact on the press, enthusiasts and ordinary people in equal manner. Soon after joining post-war Mazda Corporation, Yamamoto spearheaded the design of the first overhead valve engine, which overnight established Mazda in the passenger car market.

Yamamoto also had the vision to see that the motor industry was devoid of any revolutionary improvements. He believed the rotary engine was the radical departure that would change the status quo. His vision for rotary was not about niche products. Yamamoto wanted to mass produce a rotary engine sports car. Kenichi Yamamoto went on to become Mazda’s Director of Research and Development and later Chairman of Mazda Motor Corporation from 1978 until 1982.

The Mazda legend lives on and on RX-7

In 1982, the rotary movement was at its pinnacle. The first generation RX-7 was launched, followed by the RX-5 speciality coupe. This was followed by the legendary third generation, twin-turbo RX-7. Mazda continued their search for perfection and their uncompromising attitude led to huge technological advancements in the rotary engine’s design. Altogether 811 634 RX-7’s were produced between 1978 and 2002.

The company famous for rotary builds the world’s most popular roadster

In 1983, Michinori Yamanouchi, head of product planning and development set up a small advance team to probe off-line projects free of existing product boundaries. In a program blandly called ‘Off -line 55’, he encouraged engineers to tackle projects with as little as 10% success ratios. The winner was Project LWS (Light Weight Sports). In the motor industry environment of the time, the idea of producing a roadster did not seem destined for success. However, once again Mazda demonstrated their visionary approach to business and continued to pursue what they believed in.

And 6 years later, in February 1989, the Mazda MX-5 made its debut at the Chicago Motor Show. 15 Years beyond that, 700,000 unit sales and a Guinness World Record later, it was evident that the MX-5 was an insightful and brilliant concept. It also proved that Mazda was not just the rotary company. They apply the same dedication, engineering excellence and vision to every car they make.

Mazda 787B

Mazda wins le mans and the rotary is banned

Car No 55

At four minutes past one on June 23, 1991, car No 55, a quad powered Mazda 787B, streaked into the lead at Le Mans, holding off fierce attention from Jaguar, Porsche and Mercedes to take the chequered flag three hours later. It gave Mazda and Japan their first and only victory in this famous event.

Astonished, the racing world reacted swiftly and in a desperate attempt to protect their traditional cylinder and piston driven sport, they slapped a ban on Mazda’s rotary engine. Even such drastic measures could not destroy Mazda’s drive to popularize an engine so different and so advanced. The rotary endured to become an automotive icon and the only choice for that special breed of driver who seeks the exhilaration and liberation of driving a Mazda.

Dark days for the rotary but the unconventional spirit never dims

In 1995, the plug was almost pulled on rotary and the program had to go underground, driven by a skeleton team of passionate rotary fanatics. They set up a ‘skunk works’ and worked on the program in their spare time, funded only by sympathetic departments and ‘miscellaneous items’ budgets. The unsung hero was Seiji Tashima, who begged, pleaded and fought for the continuation of the program, ensuring that the dream did not die. In 1997, Mazda cautiously approved a program for the Y-Series RX-7. The rotary ‘skunk works’ continued to operate unsanctioned and unrecognized and one day, after a scheduled evaluation of prototype Y-vehicles at the Miyoshi Testing Ground, the ‘skunk works’ team was alerted to the search for a new RX-7 program. Ever hopeful, they rolled out their battered MX-5 to show Martin Leach, the man chosen to spearhead Mazda’s product development.

Martin Leach gets rotary back on track

Martin Leach agreed to test drive the ‘skunk works’ MX-5. However, as he was powering through a bend the steering froze and he spun out. Undaunted, Leach had the foresight to see the incredible potential of the ‘skunk work’s’ engine. He decided to fund its progress using advanced technology money. The skunk team continued to operate undercover, refining and honing their engine.

Evolving Seiji Tashima’s side intake and side exhaust technology, their rotary moved from 180hp up to 220hp until finally they had the engine they wanted. Martin Leach needed to convince Ford’s top management to support Mazda’s return to rotary. Knowing they would be flying from London to America, he booked himself on the same flight. By the time the plane had landed, Leach had convinced Ford management to support Mazda’s return to rotary with the development of a concept car for the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show – Project RX-EVOLV. This was the birth of the RENESIS engine, the name being a combination of Rotary Engine (RE) and the work Genesis (ESIS). Up until launch 2002, the RENESIS engine had been through 7 distinct stages of development, spanning 4 decades from 1973.

Development is integral to Mazda’s DNA and is the power behind the incredible Mazda RX-8.

A true sport car designed with passion

Isao Tohda had fallen in love with the RX-7 long before he worked for Mazda. On the day he took delivery of the first of the three RX-7’s he had owned, it was snowing. He spent the rest of the day in the car, stationary.

He was an engineering student at the time and had one desire – to work for the ‘RX-7 company’. Mazda saw in Tohda a person imbued with the Mazda spirit. Like most Mazda people, someone who had the potential to make a difference. And he did. In a design simply titled, ‘A New Sports Car’, Tohda included the front-midship engine placement that provided rare 50/50 weight distribution so critical for true sports car performance. This design went on to become a unique and radical feature of the Mazda RX-8.

The Mazda Renesis

Rotary – Engine of the year 2003 and 2004

The rotary engine has powered so many Mazda classics. Three generations of legendary RX-7’s, the hugely powerful Mazda RX-5 with its 6-port induction engine and now the revolutionary Mazda RX-8.

The Mazda RX-8 is the world’s first four-door sports car, where futuristic design has eliminated the traditional B-pillar, allowing for forward opening, wing doors for the rear seat passengers. Once again, Mazda has given the automotive world and all its enthusiasts, a truly brilliant car that features a futuristic frame and an astonishing interior. A car built on a radical chassis around a truly revolutionary engine.

Icon reborn

The spirit of Mazda has always run deep in South Africa

Scheckter & Morgenrood both drove Mazdas

Mazda introduced rotary engines into South African Motorsport in the early 70’s and competed very successfully in the famous Springbok Series. After first succeeding in a rotary-powered Mazda in 1970 and driving many Mazdas to victory, Jody Scheckter went on to win the Formula One Driver’s Championship in 1979.

During the 1980’s, rotary-powered Mazda Capellas were a force to be reckoned with on the South African racing scene. The legendary Ben Morgenrood in his phenomenal four-rotor Mazda “Mazdarati” was a household name and one of South Africa’s motor racing giants.