Model
Cosmo
Make
Mazda
Body
Coupe
Year
1971
Colour
White
Condition
Restored Condition
Description
Designed by Kenichi Yamamoto, the striking and still unique Mazda Cosmo was something of a Halo-model for Mazda throughout its production life. A prototype was presented at the Tokyo show in 1964, just a month prior to the Toyko Olympics. The L10A was powered by a twin-rotor Wankel engine and at it release was amongst the first in the world to be so-powered, along with NSU’s revolutionary Ro80 and their Sport Spider. With a Hitachi four-barrel carburetor, the engine produced 110 horsepower and endowed the car with lively performance.
This vehicle was purchased near Hiroshima, Japan in the early 1980s from a collector. Vehicle has been in Melbourne since then. It is in good overall condition. It gets driven as often as possible to various motor shows. The engine designation is L10A, approximately 1000cc capacity. It is a twin rotor engine with two distributors for the ignition. Front engine, rear wheel drive. Disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. Five speed manual gearbox. Front suspension is double wishbones with coil springs. Rear suspension is De Dion axle with leaf springs. The early rotary engines are very prone to wear. This engine is no exception, having been rebuilt twice since its arrival in Australia. The Cosmo Sport was a Japan domestic only model with no left hand drive versions manufactured. Less than 1500 were built between May 1967 until September 1972.