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?

Autoexe's RX8.

Another RE creation, with collaboration with Option.

Legsport's RX8 sat alongside.

Rotaries are so loved, they even stuffed one into an MX5.

And moving on to conventional piston engines, Mazda showcased their MX5 "Black Edition". Yes it's green.


Mazda also launched the new CX5 at the Auto Salon. Not bad looking at all, especially in this orangey-red tint.

Read more:
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: The Girls! Part 1!

Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: The BMWs
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Audi & VW
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Volvos
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Mercedes-Benz
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Porsches
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: MINIs and an Evoque
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: The Italians
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: British Marques
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: The Carpark
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Fatlace
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Rotaries and Mazdas
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Toyota Hachiroku
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Subaru BRZ
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Old School Cool "The Classics"
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Honda
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Subarus & Mitsubishis
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: GTRs & Nissans
Tokyo Auto Salon 2012: Daihatsu & Suzuki

Tokyo 2012 Day 1
Tokyo 2012 Day 2 - Part 1: Sushi-Dai & Ginza
Tokyo 2012 Day 2 - Part 2: Toyota Megaweb
Tokyo 2012 Day 3 - Tokyo Disneysea!
Tokyo 2012 Day 5 - Asakusa & Harajuku
Tokyo 2012 day 7 - Akihabara
Tokyo 2012 day 8 - Hakone!
Tokyo 2012 day 9 - Last day in Tokyo

Rotary Renaissance at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2010

To be honest, i'm not the most knowledgeable person to go to with regards to the Mad Mazda machines powered by the Wankel. What i do know is, the previous gereration RX7s were and are still one of the most beautiful looking Japanese sports cars ever made. First appearing in 1996, the design for this car remained relatively unchanged for it's lifespan. The last FD3S RX7 rolled off the lines back in 2002, and 8 years later at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, the popularity of the RX7 is still going strong. Here are a few examples of the RX7s(& RX8) during my visit.

You cannot be a fan of the Rotory machines if you have never heard of RE Amemiya. This tuning shop from Chiba produces some of the wildest and most well known Rotary powered cars in the World.

My favourite RX7 of the show was a car from RE, this crazy looking "Itasha" inspired yellow machine has artwork courtesy of Art Factory. I love the details on the wheels.


At the booth, RE had an RX8 fitted with a brand new front bumper/grille and a Westfield inspired "8". A fully stripped out lightweight chassis with a charged Rotary will probably make for some really interesting times.


Check out the funky rear section.

The main man, Mr Amemiya!

Another mad machine from the masters at RE, the wild blue "Genki 7"! Looking absolutely insane with those wheel covers. Looked like it jumped straight out of some sci-fi movie.


The "Super Greddy 3", also courtesy of RE Amemiya!


Auto Craft had a beautiful widebodied FD sporting some lovely wide wheels. The paintjob on this FD is just wild.


This FD from Total Car Produce Magic will be running in the D1 powered by a 4-Rotor R26B. It WILL be loud, no, make that deafening! Bring it on!


A whole row of FDs were flanked by Abflug's Pink Spider. This car belonged to one of the original members of the "Midnight" club. The Pink Spider maxes out at 313 km/h and pushes out around 520 horses.


Check out the immaculate engine bay.

How can anyone have a feature of Rotarys without a car from Knight Sports?

Beautifully clean FD3S featuring AutoExe parts.

This stealth looking machine is courtesy of Fujita Engineering.


A couple of RX7s from Pan Speed, serious builders of cars heading out for Time Attacks.

And finishing off this post is the wildest and craziest RX7 of the show. Full Carbon body, and insane amounts of engineering. This car is purpose built for time attacks and for sure it will shine in 2010!