Vehicle Description
To be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sotheby's Santa Monica event, June
24, 2017.
Estimate:
$110,000 - $130,000 US
Mazda's "halo" car
One of fewer than 400 Series I examples
Correct houndstooth interior
Impressive 7,000 rpm redline
Mazda's reputation as a sports car builder is scrupulously
fortified today, thanks to the MX-5 Miata, the RX-7, and the RX-8,
but that was far from the case 50 years ago, when the Japanese
automaker defied expectations and displayed a prototype of its
otherworldly Cosmo at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show. The Cosmo's
space-race-inspired shape was greatly appreciated by many of those
attending. Upon further examination by those interested in the
entire package found a highly innovative twin-rotor engine under
the hood.
In May 1967, Mazda began selling the world's first dual-rotor
rotary engine car, the Cosmo Sport. The first Cosmo boasted 110
horsepower and a 7,000-rpm redline from less than a liter of
displacement (982 cc)�figures that impress even today, let alone
nearly 50 years ago. Underneath its sleek, futuristic sheet metal,
the Cosmo was more of a petite grand touring coupe than an outright
sports car, with its suspension's progressive-rate springs tuned
more for long-distance comfort than aggressive cornering.
The Type 10A engine, equipped with newly developed high-strength
carbon-based apex seals, resulted from Mazda's independent
development work and was proven durable and reliable through 1,000
hours of continuous testing. Even after a 100,000 kilometer test
drive, it showed only slight wear. The intake system featured a
side-port configuration coupled with a two-stage four-barrel
carburetor, to keep combustion stable at all speeds. For the
ignition system, each rotor was equipped with two spark plugs so
that stable combustion could be maintained in cold and hot weather
conditions alike, and on both highways and city streets.
Finished in white with a black interior that is highlighted by the
correct black and white herringbone seat inserts, the Mazda Cosmo
is a right-hand drive platform that matches the rotary engine with
a five-speed manual transmission. Additional features are seen with
covered headlights, dual fender-mounted rearview mirrors, Clarion
AM radio, wood-rimmed steering wheel, plus factory wheel
presentation with Dunlop tires fitted. The Cosmo's futuristic
styling and superb driving performance delighted sports car
enthusiasts throughout the world when new. The uncommon nature of
the Cosmo will give you the opportunity to introduce this respected
model to many new audiences.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/.