Last week we learned that Toyota and Mazda have become bedfellows. We don’t yet know what will come of the union, but let’s imagine for a second that anything goes and that a time machine is involved. A V8-powered Luce? A three-rotor 2000GT? An AE86 with a tiny 1.8L V6?
What’s the ultimate Toyota-Mazda combo?
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your dream Datsun 510 build?”
The great thing about the Datsun 510 is that there’s so many different styles, parts and purposes this single model can undertake, all of them cool in their own ways. However, the answer that evoked the most emotion from us, both a chuckle and heartache, was indy510‘s:
My dream 510 involves a time machine, traveling back to 2011, and throwing away all my sawzall blades.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
For years the rotary engine swap has been a common sight in rwd corollas. When the rx7 became the only car that would come with a rotary from mazda people still wanted cars with more than 2 seats with wankel power, so they resorted to rotor swapping every corolla they could get their hands on, so naturally toyota will have to follow this model. These days toyota makes the corolla fwd, but fear not! Mazda has already made a fwd rotary. So the only logical solution here is for mazda to supply toyota with 1000 20B engines and run a limited run of stupid fast corollas that decimate all the competition in the small to midsized car matket. Nothing really destroys the ego of muscle car owners quite like losing a race to a corolla.
For the engine, I’d take two 12As and line them up with a custom e-shaft for a four rotor. Then, I’d peripheral port the housings and run four individual bike carbs on real short velocity stacks to create a 10,000 RPM+ beast of an engine.
For the car, I’m thinking an X20 Corona Mark II Coupe. The suspension and brakes would have to be completely re-worked, and the entire body would have to be seam welded to handle the monster under the hood, but other than that, I would keep the exterior and interior as close to stock looking as possible.
A sexy body that can throw a knockout punch? Yes, please!
The best real example of this mash-up, in my opinion, is Mad Mike’s 26b Turbo Aristo drift car. http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/01/the-1000hp-4rotor-turbo-nitrous-lexus/
As far as classic metal goes, I think a 2JZ in an RX-3 would be just about right.
The best product Mazda had to offer early 90s was the Eunos Cosmo JC and one year later the Toyota Soarer (Lexus SC300/SC400 abroad) arrived. Both cars were gran turismo cars produced at the peak of the Japanese bubble economy.
Both cars were great cars and had many innovative ideas. First cars with navigation, crt-touchscreens, full windtunnel design, reversing cameras, speed sensitive wipers, etc. Of course both companies had to invent these innovations separate from each other.
Of course there were differences like the triple rotor versus the 4 liter 1UZ-FE V8 engine (not counting the 1JZ-GTE/2JZ-GE inline 6 here) where the former just did not have the oomph that was required for a gran turismo but the triple rotor gave it a sweet engine note. At the same time Toyota’s V8 wasn’t the most sporty engine but had all the necessary torque there.
Wouldn’t it have been great if Toyota and Mazda teamed up in the late 80s and have created the best gran turismo possible?
In Japan the straight six was destroked to 250 cu in and twin turboed. It had more torque and horsepower than the V6.
The twin-turbocharged 20B actually had plenty of oomph, w/ realistic output of over 300hp and similar number for torque in lb-ft. To put it in perspective, the V12 in the BMW 850i had slightly lower hp and a bit more torque.
The Cosmo and Soarer/SC are two of the very best GTs in the world back then. I personally love each car’s own distinctiveness and groundbreaking legacy. But you’re right, they complement each other in some ways.
Nobody is thinking of a rotary Previa? =P
There is a Puerto Rican dude in Minneapolis that I know with a 74 Corona and it has a 12A swapped into it. I drove it a couple of years ago and that was pretty quick for sure!
Toyota and Mazda are by far my two favorite Japanese car manufacturers. I’d rather see them compete than team up. There’s also the “problem” of that neither has a flaw that would be fixed by switching in something from the other company. Chassis, engines, interiors, styling, production quality.
A Toyazda Camryspeed 6 would probably be the best bet, since any collaboration on the true enthusiast fanboy cars isn’t possible, because the essence of “Supra” and the essence of “RX7” are mutually exclusive things. Same with MR2s and Miatas.
Hrmmm I’m thinking a super rare FA3TS Mazda 1300 Coupe with bolt-on fender flares, front air dam and boot spoiler rolling on deep TRD Tosco’s powered by the legendary 3KR engine. Great… now I can’t stop thinking about it!
First gen Supra + Naturally aspirated 20b
After mass debating with myself (Rotary powered MR2? Autozam with a 4AG?) I have come to the conclusion that I would like to see a first gen RX7 with a 1UZFE! Why? Cause craming a gigantic motor in an itty bitty car just seems right!
A 4×4 Hilux/REPU mashup would be ideal. Take a solid axle king cab yota and your choice of rotary, set it on steel wheels with white letter all terrains. Add winch and proceed to go anywhere.
Rotary turbo Hybrid Prius/MR2. !0,000 rpm generator/motor in the back. Mad quiet driving in your mid engine hybrid when you need, complete total insanity when you need. Throw in the regen brakes, the lower CofG battery in the bottom/front. A turbo rotary would be plenty small enough to fit in the back with a couple of electric motors, and the power generation you could make with a 10,000 rpm motor would be great. Insane gas mileage with the potential of insane power in a tiny package would be a world changer. It would be a cheap affordable P1 or 918.
Best Toyota and Mazda garage combo?
Toyota Century and a Mazda Miata!
Think about it. With the Century you have an classic and elegant cruiser that essentially nobody else has, at least not any commoners! You can relax in comfort for those laid back days, bathing in the conservative indulgences the Imperial limo provides. But when you aren’t feeling like a mob boss and you want to have fun, you have the most iconic droptop sportscar ever made! The Miata comes out of the garage and you’re touge’n it up through the mountainous backroads. Yet despite your racecar anecdotes, you’re barely breaking the law in the Miata while having more fun than you legally should in a hairdresser’s convertible.
Best Toyota and Mazda garage combo?
Toyota Century and a Mazda Miata!
Think about it. With the Century you have a classic and elegant cruiser that essentially nobody else has, at least not any commoners! You can relax in comfort for those laid back days, bathing in the conservative indulgences the Imperial limo provides. But when you aren’t feeling like a mob boss and you want to have fun, you have the most iconic droptop sportscar ever made! The Miata comes out of the garage and you’re touge’n it up through the mountainous backroads. Yet despite your racecar anecdotes, you’re barely breaking the law in the Miata while having more fun than you legally should in a hairdresser’s convertible.
My Toyota into Mazda would be a 1500 estate with 4AGE.
My Mazda into Toyota would combine my Sunday drive with my daily. 13bt into a GT86 (FRS). Would be the best of both worlds, awesome handling with and engine to match, and tucked up against the firewall, a 13b isn’t going to upset the handling the way a 2J would.
I always loved how Mazda design it’s cars especially the new ones which they called “KODO – Soul of Motion”. Combine this with Toyota’s “J-factor” design philosophy, you might get a completely sleek & fresh looking body.
Then, combine Mazda’s SKYACTIV & Toyota’s VVT-i technology to get the most fuel efficient engine.
So, I was hoping that this union would produce the most salable city car. Think a Corolla & Mazda6 mashup
Rotary powered Hi-ace.
Oh god that’d be hell to work on.