1971 Mazda Cosmo Sport Coupe

Mazda displayed a prototype of its Cosmo at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show. It was an exciting vehicle with its space-race-inspired shape and innovative twin-rotor engine. The rotary engine design was licensed by Mazda from Germany's NUS. It was developed during the 1950s and early 1960s by German engineer Felix Wankel. The rotary's parts move by spinning in one direction resulting in an engine that was smooth and delivered terrific power from a compact design. The engine was not without its issues and shortcomings, which Mazda was able to overcome with a twin-rotor setup and a superior seal design.

The first Cosmo, later dubbed the Series 1, hit the market in 1967. Their engines developed 110 horsepower and had a 7,000 RPM redline from less than a liter of displacement.

In July of 1968, the updated Series II Cosmo, known as the L10B, was introduced, bringing 128 horsepower plus an upgrade to a five-speed gearbox. The wheelbase was extended by 15 inches in the rear allowing more cabin space and improving the vehicle's ride, although the overall length was unchanged. Brakes were now servo-assisted, the wheel diameter was increased to 15 inches, and cosmetic updates were adopted. In total, fewer than 1,200 examples were built, with all being right-hand drive and destined for the Japanese domestic market (including a small number bound for Australia) before production ceased in 1972.

This example is a second-series Cosmo that was recently restored in Japan. It was factory equipped with air conditioning. It is finished in the classic white over the standard black interior with houndstooth cloth inserts to the seats and deep red carpeting.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2015