Garage36: Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Of Rotaries and Mazdas

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Of Rotaries and Mazdas

You don't go to the Tokyo Auto Salon and miss out on the Japanese cars and here to kick off our coverage of the JDM-rides are cars blessed with some of the more special engines out there. Engines that go round and round instead of up and down, yes sir, i am talking about the Rotary engines from Mazda. And they don't come any more special then the 787B. The winner of the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans, and to date, the only Japanese manufacturer to have won that famous endurance race.

If it's pretty cool seeing one of your hero cars in the flesh, it was totally amazing to hear it get started up, revved and driven around.

Another 787B resided inside the show halls.

Scoot had their famous quad-rotor on the show floor.

To listen to this baby, click the youtube link above. Imagine driving this baby down the wangan tunnels.

Also spinning quads is MadMike's Dorifto machine looking awesome with some camo warpaint.

We can't mention Rotaries without showing some love to RE Amemiya right?

Here is the RE-Amemiya Super NA7 with a very "interesting" front end. What do you think?

Next to the Super NA7 was this RX8.

Plenty of RE love going on, makes you want to pick up a Rotary machine doesn't it?

This FD had a full carbon look going on. I couldn't tell if it was all real or a wrap. Looked pretty legit, and the best part? 20B and 700 horses.

With plenty of RE machines, it would have been too easy to miss out on the other Rotary specialists out there. Like R-Magic....

...Fujita Engineering...

...and Knight Sports, just to name a few.

Weber Sports showcased an RX8 alongside a Fairlady. With the RX8's production ended, you have to will Mazda bring out a successor to carry the Rotary torch?