Mazda North America picks up (literally) an Original Cosmo in Arizona
06-21-2007, 10:22 AM
#1
Administrator
Thread Starter
Mazda North America picks up (literally) an Original Cosmo in Arizona
In what appears to be a preview of the Caravan in September. Jeremy Barnes(of MNAO) and Aaron Robinson of Car&Driver drove an RX-8 to pick up the Cosmo in Arizona and DROVE THE COSMO back to Irvine California.
Now since Mr. Barnes is a member here maybe he can pop in a give us a few remarks? Dont want to give the whole article away of course before C&D print it
http://rotarynews.com/node/view/930
Now since Mr. Barnes is a member here maybe he can pop in a give us a few remarks? Dont want to give the whole article away of course before C&D print it
http://rotarynews.com/node/view/930
06-21-2007, 12:52 PM
#3
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Hello all. WARNING: Long post, sorry...
Well, as Charlie accurately points out, Mazda North American Operations did indeed just purchase a wonderful 1967 Cosmo 110s to add to our growing collection of significant Mazda road and racing cars.
Knowing the 40th anniversary of Mazda's two-rotor rotary engine was coming up this year, we'd been looking for a while for a Cosmo. Our colleagues to the north, Mazda Canada, Inc., have a very nice restored 1970 Series II long wheelbase car, so we really wanted to concentrate on finding an early (1967 or 68) SWB model, known as the 110a, to add to the North American collection.
We found a car in the LA area about a year or so ago, but moved too slowly and it was bought out from under us. Dissapointed, I asked the seller if he could tell me where it went (thinking that perhaps the new buyer would sell it on), and he said it went to Jay Leno. Hmm, good home, indeed!
Anyway, time went on and we learned about the car that Glenn had out in Arizona. He and I chatted over the phone a number of times, we dispatched one of our lead engineers out from California to look at the car, Glenn and I chatted again, and ultimately a deal was done.
Aaron Robinson, from Car and Driver magazine, and I drove out in an RX-8, spent the night in the Phoenix area (where, I might mention, it was 106 degrees at 9pm...not a good omen for the next day), and met Glenn and Tim at Glenn's house the next morning. We went over paperwork, hopped in both cars and drove off.
Aaron and I swapped-off time behind the wheel of the Cosmo on the drive home, and she drove like an absolute champ. Never skipped a beat, barely used 1/2 a quart of oil, got close to 20mpg. She hummed along on the freeway quite happily at 70-80 mph without a complaint, although once we got onto I-10 heading west through Desert Center, and it was 108 degrees out, the oil and water temps did rise to the top of the "normal" range. We dropped speed to about 55-60 and the temps stayed solid the whole way. As we got closer to the ocean, the air temp dropped and we picked up speed again, comfortably in traffic at 75mph.
Some impressions: she's very, very small! You can see this when she's parked next to pretty-much anything, even the RX-8 which is no monster truck itself. She's a 40-year-old car, and a little testy when cold. It takes 10 or so minutes of driving before the steering, gearbox, brakes, throttle response all loosen up, but when warm, she's as responsive as you could possibly want. You tend to forget that, because modern cars are just so very, very good in comparison.
Could you drive her everyday? Really, yes. The trunk's small (but so is the one on my Miata). There's no A/C, but the vent windows are a wonder on the freeway. She's small, so you're at the mercy of the big cars when lanes merge. That said, parts are beyond hard to find, and every gas stop is 5 minutes longer than it needs to be because of the questions.
She's been used for one media program in the Washington DC area already, is in Cleveland for the Champ Car race this weekend, will be driving to the Monterey Historics in August, will be at SevenStock (with the Mazda Canada LWB car), and at a host of other media events and autoshows into and throughout next year.
She'll be well cared for!
Best to all,
Jeremy.
Well, as Charlie accurately points out, Mazda North American Operations did indeed just purchase a wonderful 1967 Cosmo 110s to add to our growing collection of significant Mazda road and racing cars.
Knowing the 40th anniversary of Mazda's two-rotor rotary engine was coming up this year, we'd been looking for a while for a Cosmo. Our colleagues to the north, Mazda Canada, Inc., have a very nice restored 1970 Series II long wheelbase car, so we really wanted to concentrate on finding an early (1967 or 68) SWB model, known as the 110a, to add to the North American collection.
We found a car in the LA area about a year or so ago, but moved too slowly and it was bought out from under us. Dissapointed, I asked the seller if he could tell me where it went (thinking that perhaps the new buyer would sell it on), and he said it went to Jay Leno. Hmm, good home, indeed!
Anyway, time went on and we learned about the car that Glenn had out in Arizona. He and I chatted over the phone a number of times, we dispatched one of our lead engineers out from California to look at the car, Glenn and I chatted again, and ultimately a deal was done.
Aaron Robinson, from Car and Driver magazine, and I drove out in an RX-8, spent the night in the Phoenix area (where, I might mention, it was 106 degrees at 9pm...not a good omen for the next day), and met Glenn and Tim at Glenn's house the next morning. We went over paperwork, hopped in both cars and drove off.
Aaron and I swapped-off time behind the wheel of the Cosmo on the drive home, and she drove like an absolute champ. Never skipped a beat, barely used 1/2 a quart of oil, got close to 20mpg. She hummed along on the freeway quite happily at 70-80 mph without a complaint, although once we got onto I-10 heading west through Desert Center, and it was 108 degrees out, the oil and water temps did rise to the top of the "normal" range. We dropped speed to about 55-60 and the temps stayed solid the whole way. As we got closer to the ocean, the air temp dropped and we picked up speed again, comfortably in traffic at 75mph.
Some impressions: she's very, very small! You can see this when she's parked next to pretty-much anything, even the RX-8 which is no monster truck itself. She's a 40-year-old car, and a little testy when cold. It takes 10 or so minutes of driving before the steering, gearbox, brakes, throttle response all loosen up, but when warm, she's as responsive as you could possibly want. You tend to forget that, because modern cars are just so very, very good in comparison.
Could you drive her everyday? Really, yes. The trunk's small (but so is the one on my Miata). There's no A/C, but the vent windows are a wonder on the freeway. She's small, so you're at the mercy of the big cars when lanes merge. That said, parts are beyond hard to find, and every gas stop is 5 minutes longer than it needs to be because of the questions.
She's been used for one media program in the Washington DC area already, is in Cleveland for the Champ Car race this weekend, will be driving to the Monterey Historics in August, will be at SevenStock (with the Mazda Canada LWB car), and at a host of other media events and autoshows into and throughout next year.
She'll be well cared for!
Best to all,
Jeremy.
06-21-2007, 01:12 PM
#6
Administrator
iTrader: (7)
Jeremy,
Thanks for signing on and giving us the story. It's awesome to hear that she drove so well on the way back to Irvine.
Can't wait to see this beauty in person at SevenStock.
Thanks for signing on and giving us the story. It's awesome to hear that she drove so well on the way back to Irvine.
Can't wait to see this beauty in person at SevenStock.
06-21-2007, 05:27 PM
#10
Super Moderator
Yeah, it is a very clean one, I wonder what MNAO paid for it!!..
Not sure what the one went for here last year at the Shannon's Auctions, that was a 110B
Not sure what the one went for here last year at the Shannon's Auctions, that was a 110B
Last edited by ASH8; 06-21-2007 at 11:24 PM.
06-21-2007, 11:22 PM
#13
Super Moderator
See my Signature below...
06-22-2007, 08:48 AM
#15
Original Turbo 'd Auto !!
I was able to see the Cosmo at one of our club meet's at Glenns shop. It was like stepping back in time. Absolute mint condition... JeremyB you have a real treasure, but I don't have to tell you that..
Did you get to see Re140?
Did you get to see Re140?
06-26-2007, 08:24 PM
#22
i pwn therefore i am
Will I get banned if I ask about how well the AC of the 8 worked in the 109º weather?
Seriously though. I tell all my n00bish friends from other forums how we have Mazda big wigs on our forum. They're uber jealous.
Seriously though. I tell all my n00bish friends from other forums how we have Mazda big wigs on our forum. They're uber jealous.
