Tag Archives: 626
This 1986 Mazda 626 GT review is surprisingly similar to that of modern Mazdas
It’s almost eerie, but Motorweek‘s review of the 1986 626 GT could be describing a modern Mazda. Take out the prices and horsepower figures and you can basically copy/paste the parts about how it handles and feels into any Mazda … Continue reading
100 YEAR CLUB: Mazda, Part 02
Mazda turned 100 years old earlier this year, and to mark this very special occasion we went in search of what makes this small Hiroshima carmaker so unique. In the previous installment of our retrospective, we examined Mazda’s origin story … Continue reading
Happy 626 Day from JNC
The Mazda 626 was known as the Capella in Japan, and though it had some really trick technology on it, it was mostly remembered as a fairly middle-of-the-road compact in the US. However, if you were in Japan, you could … Continue reading
SHOWA SNAP: Los Angeles in the early 1980s
Welcome to the first Showa Snap from the US. Taken in Los Angeles in the early 1980s, it contains a glorious sampling of Nihon steel. Right in the foreground there’s three sporty coupes from three major manufacturers, all lined up … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2018 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 06 — Mazdas
Vintage rotaries took a prime position at this year’s JCCS, thanks to a classy display by Mazda. Imagine a hillside blooming with brightly colored pistonless wonders from Hiroshima, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what the Mazda section … Continue reading
EVENTS: Petersen Museum Cruise-in, Part 02
The Petersen Museum in Los Angeles puts on many events throughout the year, each with a theme ranging from hot rods to Porsches. Recently, they hosted their annual cruise-in for Japanese cars, inviting Nihon Steel both old and new to … Continue reading
Happy 626 Day from JNC!
Many forget that the original Mazda 626 came in rear-wheel-drive and pillarless hardtop coupe form. If you can find them, they are typically pretty well preserved and fairly affordable. Perhaps you can adopt one today, this happy 626 Day!
BACKROADS: 1988 was Mazda’s Year of the Turbo
It’s an old trope among JNC enthusiasts in North America: we never get the good stuff like they do in Japan. From the obvious to the obscure — the Skylines, the City Turbo, the AZ-1 — the list never ends. But … Continue reading
RIP James Garner, 1928-2014
James Garner, actor, car enthusiast, and Mazda spokesman has passed away at the age of 86. He will be missed.
NEWS: NFL running back reunited with restored Mazda 626
NFL running back Alfred Morris got his 1991 Mazda 626 back today. As you may remember, Morris recently signed a $2.2 million contract with the Washington Redskins, yet continued to drive the car he’s nicknamed “Bentley.” Upon hearing of his … Continue reading
NEWS: NFL player Alfred Morris’s Mazda 626 under restoration
Despite signing a $2.2 million NFL contract, Alfred Morris has chosen not only to keep his 1991 Mazda 626 5-speed, but to restore it. Until recently, Morris daily drove the car, which he’s named “Bentley,” to his job as running back for … Continue reading
Kidney, Anyone? 1982 Mazda 626 Capella
In the United States, the Mazda 626 was mostly known as an honorable mention in the Accord-Camry wars of the 1990s. Competent if unmemorable, the front-wheel-drive sedan was Hiroshima’s answer to the family car question few had asked. Europeans love … Continue reading
No Rotors Here: Mazda 616 Coupe
It’s March in SoCal. That means the weather is warming and meets are ramping up. We rolled down to Cypress, California (home of Mitsubishi North America HQ) in the ol’ JNC wagon on Sunday to check it out. It was … Continue reading
Classic CM: Mazda Capella is Autobahn Bound
This baby was made for scaling the Alps, breezing down the Autobahn, and evoking grand helicopter tracking shots! You probably can’t even remember the last time you saw one of these on the streets, but the Japanese the rear-wheel-drive coupe … Continue reading