History of Mazda Motor Cars / Automobiles

• 8.11.7.  Mazda  
  
  
• In 1960 the Toyo Koygo Company produced its first car, an 836 lb, 380 kg lightweight “keicar” called the Mazda R360.
  
  
• The 16 hp (12 kW) 356 cc two-seater car had a top speed of about 52 mph (84 kph). The car was produced over a 6 year period. 
  
  
  
  
• A four seater version was introduced in 1962 followed by a convertible in 1964. 
  
  
• During the 1960s the company launched five further cars, including the Cosmo Sports, 110S model. A total of 1,519 of these hand made 110S cars were produced from 1967 to 1972.  
  
  
• It was the first car to be fitted with a 2-rotor Wankel rotary engine. 
  
  
• Three further generations of cars bearing the Cosmo name were also produced by the company between 1975-80, 1981-90 and 1990-95.   
  
  
• By 1963 the company had produced its one millionth vehicle (cars & trucks) and its five
  millionth by 1972.
  
  
• During the 1970s twelve different car models were launched, followed by a further 12 during the 1980s and 15 in the 1990s.  
  
  
• In 1984 the company changed its name to the Mazda Motor Corporation. 
  
  
• Between 1978 and 2002 Mazda produced a sports car called the RX-7. A total of 811,634 of these cars, which were fitted with the Wankel rotary engine, were produced.
  
   
  
  
• A 3-rotor Wankel engine, capable of producing 550 hp (410 kW), could be fitted to the third Generation RX-7 1992-2002 models in place of the standard 2-rotor engine.  
  
  
• The third generation RX-7 model had a top speed of over 200 mph (320 kph). 
  
  
• Cars produced in 2008 include the Mazda 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, Verisa, MX-5, MX-7, rotary engined RX-8 and the RX-9.