Mazda Motorsport: The Cars

Imagine somebody booked you a racetrack, lined up a bunch of cars and said go your hardest. That's exactly what Mazda and its in-house Mazda Motorsport operation did last week, fronting up with a selection of its racecars both old and new.

Sitting proud as punch in Wakefield Park's pit lane were an eclectic group of vehicles -- from a museum quality 1967 Cosmo rotary sports coupe, through two 12-Hour winning RX-7s to Mazda Motorsport's latest hotrod, the turbocharged RX-8 SP.

Like an automotive buffet, it was hard to pick our favourite... But there was one surprising hit that we couldn't help but go back for more than one serve...


MAZDA COSMO SPORTS 110S
While many think that NSU made the first rotary production car, it was in fact the Mazda Cosmo 110S which first debuted as a prototype at the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show. Production commenced in May 1967 and lasted through to 1972 with a total of 1519 vehicles built. The cars were virtually handbuilt with only one per day being produced.

In 1968 Mazda made its way into motor racing for the first time. Their target was the 84 Hour de la Route at the legendary German Nurburgring circuit. Mazda entered two mostly standard cars with one Belgium team and one Japanese team. A total of 58 cars lined up for the start of the most gruelling event in Europe.

The cars ran together in fourth and fifth place during most of the three and half days of the race. The Japanese crewed car broke an axle and retired in the 82nd hour but the Belgium crewed car went on to finish fourth.

After a great deal of research it appears this Cosmo Sports, owned by Mazda Australia was built in 1967 and one of the first models made.

The car rebuild was a 10 year project for Mazda Motorsport. It arrived in very poor condition with lots of rust, tattered upholstery and electrics in very poor condition.

A stroke of luck was had during the rebuild when a Mazda staffer mistakenly put all the parts numbers required for the rebuild (including all the unique suspension parts) only to find a Mazda dealer in north Queensland had most of them in stock. Whoever took the time to convert 25 year old stock numbers into the computer has the thanks of the Mazda team to this day.
-- edited text from Mazda Motorsport

CN says: as the classic slogan goes, it's a wee ripper. The diminutive Cosmo is cultured and in the engine department super, super smooth -- even by today's standards. It's not fast though -- a bog stock Mazda2 would run away from it and hide.

But that's not what driving a classic like this is about -- sit back relax and enjoy the ride. Like most of Mazda's early rotaries, it surprises with its torque and the fine rimmed wheel and fine A-pillars give the car a sense of delicacy that is missing from even the best small cars today.

The restoration of the Cosmo was a labour of love for Mazda Motorsport's head, Allan Horsley. It holds pride of place in Mazda Australia's growing 'museum' fleet.

It also makes you wonder whether there's a place for a superlight roadster/coupe today -- something that would make even an MX-5 seem lardy...


MAZDA RX-7 BP VISCO RACECAR
This car has very little modifications. Unlike today's showroom cars the production car rules of the 1990s were near standard and strictly enforced. Apart from the obvious safety features and the ECU modifications added after the 1993 event, it is close to standard.

This car competed in a number of events at Phillip Island, Sandown, Oran Park, Surfers Paradise Indy Car, Oran Park, Lakeside, Calder and Bathurst. It won two James Hardie Bathurst 12 Hour events: The first on April 12, 1993 and then again on April 4, 1994.

The 1993 event was won in this car with Garry Waldon and Australia's former F1 World Champion Alan Jones running against some pretty hot competition. Opponents included Jim Richards driving the lead car for the Porsche factory team, Larry Perkins in the Lotus Esprit S4 and Allan Grice in the Toyota Supra. Dick Johnson made his debut at the 12 Hour in a Ford Laser TX3 turbo, while Peter Brock ran a Holden Commodore SS.

Gregg Hansford and Charlie O'Brien finished second in Mazda Motorsport's other RX-7 with Wayne Gardner in the Honda NSX third.

Although the Porsches finished second and third they were disqualified at post race scrutineering for oversized wheels and tyres.

In 1994 Gregg Hansford and Neil Crompton won the James Hardie 12 Hour in the same car. The second RX-7 was driven by Mark Skaife and Garry Waldon but DNF'd. This car was later converted into a RX-7 SP for Terry Bosnjack.

Again the competition was strong from the factory Porsches. Finishing second was Jim Richards and Peter Fitzgerald with third place to Brad Jones and Brett Peters. Dick Johnson and son Stephen then led a stack of Falcons home. Peter Brock headed a two-car factory-backed Volvo team driving a Volvo 850 T5 while up and coming driver Craig Lowndes drove a Nissan Pulsar SS.

A much-favoured Maserati Shamal turbocharged V8 finished but could only manage eighth.
-- edited text from Mazda Motorsport

CN says: save for a refresh of fluids, a quick check over and new rubber, the Visco-liveried RX-7 arrived at Wakefield Park virtually as it crossed the finish line at Bathurst in 1994. In comparison to today's race and rally cars it's very stock in appearance -- even the electric windows and BOSE cassette player and audio system is still in place.

In deference to its age a strict 7000rpm rev limit was imposed by Mazda Motorsport boss, Horsley. But even under instructions it's all too easy to rev the car past it if you're not extra careful. All the time it feels mechanically fresh, though not as sharp as today's hotties.

The car's obviously well used and, as is often the case with 'classic' racecars, the interior is perfumed with fuel, brakes and clutch odours.

The RX-7's turbo rotary is a smooth, yet at the same time gruff and inviting powerplant that wouldn't feel out of place in a current performance car. In comparison to even the 3 MPS driven the same day, however, it's not super fast. No, the BP RX-7's Bathurst wins were all about consistently fast and smooth laps -- and being kind to tyres and other components (including the drivers!).

Mazda Motorsport chief, Horsley agrees: "Compared to the faster cars our drivers could stay flat [wide open throttle] more often and the car had great corner speed. And it didn't tire the guys out -- we've still got Greg and Neil's lap times and they were incredibly consistent from the start of their stint to the end."

It's easy to understand H's point. Even on Wakefield Park's tight layout, this car flatters its driver and encourages a more precise approach than the point and squirt brakes and power of the newer cars.

After only a couple of laps you're feeling at home. It makes you want to start combing carsales.com.au to put one just like it in the garage.


MAZDA RX-7 SP MMM RACECAR
Horsley first discussed plans for the SP project with Mazda boss Malcolm Gough in January 1995. With Gough's enthusiastic go-ahead work was started in February. The prototype first saw the light of day on March 8 at the opening day of the Melbourne Motor Show. This car's first run as a racecar was at the Calder Park Raceway in May.

There were a number of people engaged in the under-bonnet work while the mechanical design work was initially carried out by Allan Horsley and Ian Baker. Ian Pollard was engaged to build the carbon-fibre parts under the direction of Horsley.

Mazda's own mechanics did the refinements to the designs while rotary engineering guru Jon Waterhouse worked on the engines, with parts being drawn from the wider Mazda parts bin.

The aluminium bonnets were from Mazda Japan with modifications added by Frank Carmody at Calwell's who also carried out the respraying of the RX-7 SPs.

Over 60 modifications were made to the standard RX-7 to produce the SP variant model with no parts used from accessory aftermarket houses.

At the Eastern Creek 12 Hour event on August 27, 1995, the Mazda pairings of Dick Johnson and john Bowe and Mark Skaife and Garry Waldon had some very serious competition. Even after Mazda winning three Bathurst 12 Hour events in a row they were not the favourites.

Porsche let it be known they were bringing ten of the very new Porsche 911 RSCS to play. These were specially built competition cars without any luxuries. There was no air conditioning, electric windows or mirrors. No upholstery or sound system. All sound deadening material had been removed and the side windows had thinner glass. The roof lining had been removed. Even the interior panels were thin on paint. Three of these cars eventually ran in the 1995 event.

BMW also brought out a special -- the M3R -- with a view to running it in this year's event. The design work was done by BMWs head office in conjunction with Australian Frank Gardner's workshop. After extensive testing the car proved too slow and the decision was taken to withdraw it prior to the event.

Volvo also commissioned a homologation special for Peter Brock and Win Percy.

Porsche took the first three places on the grid and led the race until they were overtaken by Bowe on lap 15. Bowe was racked in pain for the last few laps suffering from cramps while co-driver Johnson encouraged him on the radio to cross the finish line in first place.

Fifteen years on and the Bathurst GT Production Car lap record is still held by Terry Bosnjak in an RX-7 SP -- the same car that Skaife and Waldon drove in 1993.

Only one RX-7 SPII was built in preparation of the 1996 race but the 12 Hour race faded and plans were discontinued. This car was totally disassembled and the parts are still stored at Mazda Motorsport's Kingsgrove workshop.

The 911RSCSs of Jim Richards and Peter Fitzgerald, and Andrew Miedecke and Mark Noske took out second and third while the other RX-7 SP of Mark Skaife and Garry Waldon finished fourth.
-- edited text from Mazda Motorsport

CN says: Dick Johnson turned up at Wakefield Park at Mazda's request to reunite himself with the MMM RX-7 SP. In three quick laps, you could see the width of the smile behind the windscreen all the way from pitlane. The car was spitting flames on the over run like it did in its heyday and Dick looked very much at home. Then as he rolled down pitlane to start a few 'taxi' rides, the car went silent.

Like the BP car, the MMM RX-7 SP was essentially untouched -- waken from its slumber for the event. But a suspected engine seizure put paid to any plans of driving it and sampling one of Australia's production car legends... At least until next time...


MAZDA3 MPS TARGA CAR
Mazda Motorsport's jet black Mazda3 MPS was the 2WD Showroom class winner at the 2010 Targa Tasmania Rally. Out of the 230-plus entries Brendan Reeves and co-driver (and sister) Rhiannon Smyth finished a credible tenth outright against some pretty hot machinery.

The only modifications allowed in the production Showroom class are to the suspension. You can also add a 'piggy back' ECU, however, turbos and fuel injectors must remain standard thus limiting the performance gain.
-- edited text from Mazda Motorsport

CN says: As yours truly effectively competed against the 3 MPS in our Skoda Octavia RS-P wagon at Targa Tasmania , this was the car I really wanted to drive. And without even slightly belittling the giant-killing driving performance of Brendan Reeves (perhaps Australia's best young rally driver), I can understand why every time 'Brendo' stepped out of the car he had a smile on his face... What a weapon!

The Mazda Motorsport 3 MPS is a very different beast to the standard MPS road car. Better brakes (though the pedal was plenty long by the time I got to drive it), a serious competition clutch, and a chassis set-up that is at the same time sharp but forgiving, makes it an easy car to enjoy.

It's got pace aplenty and grip that would seem to suggest that the 'piggy back' ECU does more than simply liberate a few horses. There's something very different going on in the electronically controlled front differential than we've experienced in the standard car... Not only can you steer this car, but it puts its power down at the same time. On Targa's challenging stages it would have been a hoot... On the fastest stages -- a jet!

The Carsales Network got to sample a Horsley-fettled 3 MPS roadcar and used it to some effect to win its class at a recent round of the Australian Tarmac Challenge. That car was at Wakefield too, and it's an indication of just how potent these hot hatches can be with the right mods.


MAZDA RX-8 SP
The 'SP' made its debut at the Sydney Motor Show in October in 2004 as the RX-8 Extreme. Though the current car is essentially no different, many refinements have been carried out. Ian Baker engineered the [very difficult] installation of the Garrett turbo with Mazda's Nathan Hui carrying out a lot of the technical work.

The car's racing debut was a last minute affair at the 2009 Targa Tasmania Rally with Steve Glenney and co-driver Bernie Webb waving the Mazda flag.

While the car was well behaved on the Tasmanian roads, the step up to racing brought out some problems. The car was very underdone with many parts of the car not race ready although this did result in a great learning exercise for the team.

The roadcar-based electronics of the RX-8 SP proved to be the major problem and the Jon Waterhouse prepared engine suffered terribly. The gearbox also needed attention slipping out of gear regularly when hot. Despite these challenges the RX-8 SP finished in an amazing tenth outright.

Horsley worked through the electronics problems with Rocky Rehayem of PAC Engineering and all involved were delighted to see the engine running beautifully. The efficient [saddle] fuel tank set up of the standard car also caused headaches in a racing environment. Again, Horsley with help from Rehayem solved the problem

With a strong engine as usual from John Waterhouse it was a nervous crew with little testing that headed to Tasmania for the start of the 2010 Targa Tasmania, again with Glenney and Webb.

The RX-8 SP had been running very strongly and consistently in the top three until the gremlins struck on Day Two of the event. This time, fuel pressure was the problem. Once identified as a blocked fuel pump filter, the engine was able to again run at full pace.

By Day Three of the event the RX-8 SP had regained second outright when disaster struck. A slower competitor had stopped to assist at a crash. Glenney arrived at full throttle to find the stopped car on the racing line. Only Glenney's extraordinary talent averted a more serious outcome, as he 'backed' the RX-8 SP into the parked car.
-- edited text from Mazda Motorsport

CN says: Steve Glenney is one of Australia's most underrated drivers. Horsley himself says "the most underrated"... But even Steve's prodigious talent wouldn't be enough to put a standard RX-8 up there among Lamborghinis, GT-Rs, 911 GT3s and the like...

But thanks to the combined efforts of Glenney, co-driver Webb and the engineers at Mazda Motorsport, that's exactly what the RX-8 SP did at Targa. With a scrap of luck on its side it has every chance of pulling off a giant-killing result at the upcoming Targa High Country in November.

This car has a blend of serious mumbo and great poise -- and amazing levels of grip, both in corners and in terms of power down out of the twisty bits.

Glenney estimated it was perhaps 40-50kW off full bottle at the Wakefield test day, but it was still clearly in a different league to the 170kW of the standard car. Horsley jokes he'll tell us how much power it has after Glenney wins the 2010/11 tarmac championship, but estimates in the 280-290kW range won't be far wrong.

Though it has big power and big brakes -- and another one of Horsley's sharp,no-nonsense race clutches -- it's still a car that rewards delicacy on the circuit. Like most good Targa set-ups it's a touch too soft to produce its best at the track, so to go fast you have to slow down a little -- at least figuratively.

Alas your writer couldn't do that and wobbled his way around the track far off the car's ultimate pace. In my own defence, Steve's tall and slim and I'm short and not -- and couldn't reach the pedals.

Maybe a seat fitting's all that's stopping me from matching the South Aussie's rally winning pace? I think not...

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