1970 Mazda Cosmo Sport Series II L10B Coupe

The first Mazda to wear the Cosmo name was the first 2-rotor rotary engine-powered car. A prototype was introduced at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show, and 60 pre-production Cosmos were produced for dealership testing in 1965. Full production began in May of 1967 and lasted through 1972, though Cosmos were built by hand at a rate of only about one per day.

The Series I Cosmo was powered by a two-rotor 982cc engine that produced about 110 horsepower. The Series II was introduced in July of 1968. It had a more powerful 128 horsepower engine with 103 lb-ft of torque, power brakes, 15-inch wheels, and a 5-speed manual transmission. It was good for more than 120 mph and could cover a quarter mile in 15.8 seconds.

Very few Mazda Cosmos were imported into the United States when new, and it is believed that only about a dozen are here today.