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#parismotorshow The 1960 R360 coupe was the first Mazda production car, and it was evidently in the booth as part of the 90th birthday party Mazda was throwing for itself. The first 40 years saw the company build a range of items from motorcycles to rifles.
The Mazda R360 is incredibly small -- to our imprecise naked eye, it's just over half as long as our long-term '94 MX-5. Make the jump to see the daintiest mudflaps ever.
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blueguydotcom says:
08:23 AM, 10/ 1/10
That's just awesome. Wish they made more cars this size.
ed124c says:
09:03 AM, 10/ 1/10
The logo on the mudflap is a stylized "hm" which stands for Hiroshima Mazda. I think it used to be Mazda's standard logo, back in the day.
This 50 year old 360 looks a heck of a lot better than a Smart.
bankerdanny says:
09:17 AM, 10/ 1/10
First, tell me again why I have to sign in to comment here when I JUST signed in on the home page?
Second, how about some details: engine size, HP, transmission? Cool little car and I appreciate the pic's but why do you force me to look up such obvious questions myslef?
Here, let me help (thanks Wikipedia):
The R360 was Mazda's first real car - a two-door, four-seat coupé. Introduced in 1960, it featured a short 69 inch (1753 mm) wheelbase and weighed just 838 lb (380 kg). It was powered by a rear-mounted air-cooled 356 cc V-twin engine putting out about 16 hp (12 kW) and 16 ft·lbf (22 Nm) of torque. The car was capable of about 52 mph (84 km/h). It had a 4-speed manual or two-speed automatic transmission. The suspension, front and rear, was rubber "springs" and torsion bars.
dennisjconner says:
09:31 AM, 10/ 1/10
cute car, but I just ain't feeling the ZOOM-ZOOM vibe from it
blueguydotcom says:
09:44 AM, 10/ 1/10
wish more cars had a greenhouse like that.
jdbosmaus says:
03:24 PM, 10/ 1/10
>> blueguydotcom says:
>>wish more cars had a greenhouse like that.
++ to that.
I had exactly the same thought.
Why do all the automotive stylists today think we ought to be driving around in pillboxes?
barich1 says:
04:07 PM, 10/ 1/10
"Why do all the automotive stylists today think we ought to be driving around in pillboxes?"
I think it's so we don't die horribly in collisions. Just try and survive a rollover, or any collision, really, in that.
blueguydotcom says:
10:20 PM, 10/ 1/10
barich,
Yeah, the rollover death, that's my big worry. It's so common for cars to roll in 2010. And of course, the fact that everybody is hurtling down the road in 4000 lbs chunks of steel while texting isn't the real threat. Nope, it's rollover.
I'll take my chances with a good greenhouse. Great greenhouses exist on convertibles, yet people still drive those. Ohhh...the terror they must feel.
barich1 says:
07:43 AM, 10/ 2/10
Thanks for the sarcasm. I drive an NB Miata, but I'm not going to pretend I'm anywhere near as safe in it as I would be in something with a roof and curtain airbags. I am not overly concerned about rollovers, true, but I am a bit nervous on the highway for exactly the reasons you mentioned.
p00pman says:
08:44 AM, 10/ 2/10
holy crow! that back window.... that is where they got the shape for the rear window of the removable hardtop for the miata and the rx8's rear window as well!
v8vader says:
03:49 AM, 10/ 3/10
my instantaneous reaction was that this would make a great dune buggy.
make one, Mazda!
roadburner says:
04:11 PM, 10/ 4/10
I'll take my chances with a good greenhouse. Great greenhouses exist on convertibles, yet people still drive those. Ohhh...the terror they must feel."
Agreed; that's one of the things I especially love about my 2002- although I've had my share of hand-wringing weenies who can't resist warning me that I'm risking certain death by driving a car that isn't crammed full of airbags and electronic nannys. Of course, they are the same ones who say they can't own a RWD car because they have to be able to drive in the rain.
Idiots.