96 years ago today, Toyo Kogyo was founded in Hiroshima by Jujiro Matsuda. Predecessor to Mazda, it moved from making corks to precision machinery, eventually into motor vehicles, and onward to the rotary engine, sports cars, and racing. Here’s to another 96 years!
Clockwise from top: the 1931 Mazda DA, Toyo Kogyo’s first vehicle; the hugely successful R360 Coupé, Mazda’s first passenger car; the Le Mans-winning 787B; ND MX-5 Miata; rotary engine housings, the Mazda Cosmo Sport, and the gorgeous RX-Vision.
I hope I look as great and have as much zoom-zoom when I’m 96! (or, 56)..
Otanjoubi omedetou !
Mazda have long been conscious of not being as big as the majors, and have focused on offering something different and original, and on appealing to drivers who take more than average interest in the process of driving.
They have made an unusual number of attractive and fun to drive cars, from the humble Demio through the MX-5 to the legendary RX-7. Their originality and determination has won a band of dedicated fans as well as wider respect across the motoring world; here’s to another 96 years ☺