Fascinating Facts About the Mazda RX-3 Reveal Why Its Legacy Lives On
Motorsport enthusiasts have a special place in their hearts for the compact Mazda RX-3. But how did this little road rocket become a legendary race car champ?
is known for its rotary engines and as far as the RX-line, people often remember the RX-7 and maybe even the RX-8. But what about the rotary wagon RX-3?
With a twin-rotor Wankel engine, how did this baby muscle set the tone for Mazda
Launched in 1971, the car was available in a coupe, sedan, or in estate body styles. In Japan, they sold it as the Savanna, and piston-powered four-cylinder versions were called the 808, 818, Mizer, or Grand Familia. The Mazda RX-3 falls in the same class as the Mitsubishi Lancer and the
Bringing this type of car into the market was a big risk, as French and German automakers suffered financial blows when attempting to do the same. Though the Japanese market was competitive, Mazda was confident its unique engine would make them stand out.
The Mazda RX-3 had two different engine options and spiffy round headlights. According to
The Mazda RX-3’s special engine intrigued enthusiasts and proved to be wonderfully tweakable for their creative endeavors. “Japanese car maker Toyo Kogyo ‘Mazda’ went from being a builder of three-wheeler commercial vehicles and passenger cars during the 1950s to being the world’s only major manufacturer of Wankel-powered automobiles by the 1970s,” according to
The first RX series was available as a two-door coupe, four-door sedan, or five-door station wagon. The front featured a protruding honeycomb grille with coil springs and the rear had semi-elliptic leaf springs. The Mazda RX-3 also split up its braking systems, with disc breaks in the front and drum brakes in the back.
In 1972, the wagon’s engine was updated to a 12A and incorporated Rotary Engine Anti-Pollution System (REAPS). The year after the 12B was introduced, it was “the permanent engine for the RX3 from 1974 until its last model in 1978,” according to
In 1976, the third series of the RX3 came to be, with an end to New Zealand and Australian exports. Its high-speed stability was improved with a new front with a lower spoiler lip.
The ultra-rare GT coupe “got a five-speed manual instead of the regular four-on-the-floor, the USA export 12A engine with about 125b hp, lowered suspension, and a tarted-up interior,” notes
You may not think this vehicle would be one for drag racing or the track. But this type of engine was so impressive, the compact car was raced in various countries around the world including Europe, Australia, the U.S., and of course, Japan.
At the 1972 Touring Car Grand Prix at Fuji, RX-3s took first, second and third place. According to Top Gear, “RX-3 was the one to beat, with championship titles in 1972, 1973 and 1975.” That’s pretty significant for a 1-liter engine with more than 100 bhp. However, with turbocharged modifications for the track, these wagons could crank out around 1100 bhp!
In 1978, the Japanese automaker entered a factory team in the Daytona 24 Hours, and in 1979, Mazda took victory in the GTU class with their new RX-7.
The Mazda-RX put rotary-powered cars on the map. The road rocket was the company’s second best-selling auto, with just under 300,000 models produced. Also, it was one of Mazda’s most affordable models at the time.
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