Mazda 787B

[Styria]

Has anyone heard of this particular Mazda Le Mans Racer ? Well, I hadn't until I came across this particular feature from the internet magazine "Winding Road". It finished up cleaning the Le Mans 24 hour race sometime in the '80s.

I recall the RX3 - I think that was its designation, and a couple of owners doing 160 on the M1 (F3) in years gone by for mile after mile after mile. The most ungainly looking cars, very narrow in appearance but apparently they would rev forever - until the engines broke (I guess). Anyway this video is informative and for me unearthed a hitherto unknown car. Regards Styria

http://www.windingroad.com/articles...-57815765&mc_cid=632d558b68&mc_eid=104969fe56

BTW, try and find, let alone buy a Mazda Cosmos nowadays. Good luck !

 

[motec 6.9]

Yes after winning they changed the rules banning the Roatary. Its a legend of the sport. The next year Mazda came back with a piston powered car again to prove a point then retired from racing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_787B

 

[SEL_69L]

Although the 787B was originally accepted for enduro racing, there always a body of opinion to not allow it, according to it's deemed equivalent engine capacity.

I guess that is why it fairly quickly dissapeared from racing at the top level after it's Le Mans win. As we all know, motor sport at the top level is 'shot through' with financially backed politics.

 

[motec 6.9]

As I said they banned it (After the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans the 787B would compete once more at the last race of the season, 430 km of Autopolis finishing 9th and 10th. At the end of the season, Wankel-type rotary engines were outlawed and, as per Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's earlier decision, 3.5-litre Formula One engines became the new formula for the 1992 season. The following year, Mazda entered the MXR-01, based on the Jaguar XJR-14 and powered by a Judd unit, without much success (placed 4th at Le Mans 1992).