Mazda 727C 1984

[All Your Base]

Why I want this car in GT: One of my favorite Le Mans Cars IMO.

From Wikipedia: The Mazda 727C was a prototype racing car built for Mazdaspeed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the Group C2 class. It replaced the 717C in 1984 as an evolution of the Mooncraft-built design, and used the same 2-rotor 13B Wankel engine as the previous model.

Two 727Cs were entered in the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 4th and 6th in the C2 class. However, a pair of Lola T616s run by B.F. Goodrich Company used the same Mazda engine and were successful in beating both 727Cs, claiming 1st and 3rd.

The 727C was used a few more times in the 1984 World Sportscar Championship season, managing a mere 10th place in the C2 manufacturer's championship, behind two separate teams of privateers. The 727C was then replaced by the 737C in 1985.

Specifications:
Car: Mazda 727C
Chassis: - (Mooncraft) steel tubular frame
Weight: 700 kg (1,545 lbs)
Engine: Mazda 2 chamber rotary - 1,3 liter - 320 bhp
Gearbox: 5 speed manual
Drive: RWD
Tyres: Dunlop
Team: Mazdaspeed
Race: World Championship 1984 Round 3 - 24 hours Le Mans
Class: Sportscars group C - cat. C2
Qualifying: 33rd - 3min 47,600sec
Race & result: 20th - 6th C2 - 262 laps

Photos:

 

[StarLight]

Mazda Powerrrrr!
👍

Specifications

Car: Mazda 727C
Chassis: - (Mooncraft) steel tubular frame
Weight: 700 kg (1,545 lbs)
Engine: Mazda 2 chamber rotary - 1,3 liter - 320 bhp
Gearbox: 5 speed manual
Drive: RWD
Tyres: Dunlop

Team: Mazdaspeed
Race: World Championship 1984 Round 3 - 24 hours Le Mans
Class: Sportscars group C - cat. C2
Qualifying: 33rd - 3min 47,600sec
Race & result: 20th - 6th C2 - 262 laps

The small rotary engined Mazda's lacked power and downforce but were very reliable. Legendary are the stories of David Kennedy (driving the #87 car). He drove as much as possible on the shoulder of the track, everytime he got passed by the much quicker 956's, they would drag the little Mazda in their slipstream, right in front of the next 956 approaching. Davis took revenge by revving the small Mazda as much as possible when passing them in the pitlane ...The 727 were beaten in class C2 by the Lola's which were also powered by Mazda.

 

[All Your Base]

Mazda Powerrrrr!
👍

Specifications

Car: Mazda 727C
Chassis: - (Mooncraft) steel tubular frame
Weight: 700 kg (1,545 lbs)
Engine: Mazda 2 chamber rotary - 1,3 liter - 320 bhp
Gearbox: 5 speed manual
Drive: RWD
Tyres: Dunlop

Team: Mazdaspeed
Race: World Championship 1984 Round 3 - 24 hours Le Mans
Class: Sportscars group C - cat. C2
Qualifying: 33rd - 3min 47,600sec
Race & result: 20th - 6th C2 - 262 laps

The small rotary engined Mazda's lacked power and downforce but were very reliable. Legendary are the stories of David Kennedy (driving the #87 car). He drove as much as possible on the shoulder of the track, everytime he got passed by the much quicker 956's, they would drag the little Mazda in their slipstream, right in front of the next 956 approaching. Davis took revenge by revving the small Mazda as much as possible when passing them in the pitlane ...The 727 were beaten in class C2 by the Lola's which were also powered by Mazda.

Thanks for finding the specs... I really appreciate it. Also, interesting story!

 

[ClydeYellow]

Daawww, look at it! It's so cute!

No, really. It wasn't a very effective piece of kit (being beaten by Lolas with the same exact engine); it wasn't the fastest car of its bunch, and it looks so pretty and unmenancing. And yet it did its job well, with a perfect track record of 0 DNFs. It's basically the Group C equivalent of the Mazda MX-5!