Great Cars of Mazda

Advancing with the times

The Familia, which debuted as a genuine family car in 1963, underwent its first full redesign in 1967, when it was given a modern oval body shape. The rotary-engined Familia R100 was introduced in 1968, following the launch of the Cosmo Sports. With its distinctive round rear lights, the Familia Rotary featured a 491 cc x 2 10A rotary engine that developed 100 PS and had a top speed of 180 kilometers per hour. It also accelerated from standstill to 400 meters in as little as 16.4 seconds. This performance put it at the top of its class. Emitting a unique high-pitched exhaust note, the Familia Rotary Coupe recorded its maiden victory at the Grand Prix of Singapore in 1969, and performed impressively at circuits in Belgium, Germany, the UK and South Africa.

The first oil price shock struck in 1973. The period also saw a growing demand for exhaust emissions regulations and improved safety. Mazda's third generation Familia made its debut in this severe climate. The new Familia offered improved comfort and control and in 1976 adopted lean-burn technology and Mazda's original oxidizing catalyst. This version earned a strong reputation for its practical value.

The Familia Hatchback appears in the movie, 'The Yellow Handkerchief of Happiness'

The 4th generation Familia was launched in 1977 after the oil price shock had ended and the business climate was beginning to recover. At the time, two-box hatchbacks were predominant in Europe's compact car market. The Familia targeted the youth market, and its styling was based on four themes: new values, versatility, economy and high quality, and these themes were sustained in subsequent iterations.




A bright red 5-door hatchback Familia appeared in the movie , 'The Yellow Handkerchief of Happiness' driven by the character Kinya Hanada who was played by Tetsuya Takeda. The interest sparked by the movie was maintained with the subsequent, very popular 'Red XG' Familia.




To be continued in Part 3 of the Familia Series

The 4th generation Familia

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The celebrated Familia was designed to cater to family outings. It began life as a modern van and went on to transform the image of commercial vehicles. In 1960, Mazda was planning to make inroads into the compact passenger vehicle segment and was developing a sedan equipped with a 600cc ~ 800cc watercooled engine, with the aim of becoming a fullscale automaker. On another front, market surveys indicated that customer preferences were leaning toward a lightweight van with performance and comfort a class above mini commercial vehicles. The company took notice and the focus of the development plans shifted from sedans to lightweight vans. The result was the Familia Van that was launched in September 1963. It came equipped with a 782cc new aluminum alloy watercooled inline four cylinder engine. Commercialization of this all aluminum alloy engine was made possible by advanced diecasting, shell molding and machining technologies that only Mazda possessed at that time. The Familia Van gained a favorable reputation for its engine and its distinctive taut, linear design. By February 1964, just four months after its launch, the model had climbed to the top of its class with a 44 percent market share.

Familia Sedan changes the course sedan history
While production of the Familia Van was expanding, Mazda exhibited the Mazda 700 compact passenger car at the 1961 Tokyo Motor Show and the Mazda 1000 prototype model the year after. In response to this favorable reception, Mazda progressed towards development of a Familia Sedan that would break the mold of conventional minicars with a design to suit the sensibilities of modern motorists. The result was the Familia Sedan launched in October 1964. It soon gained a name for itself as a model that delivered a balanced blend of performance, style and comfort. In the first month of sales, it garnered a 23 percent market share. Mazda added a wagon, a twodoor sedan and a truck to the Familia series and in December 1964 recorded an annual production volume topping 10,000 units. The Familia had established itself as Mazda's prime model.

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Advancing with the times
The Familia, which debuted as a genuine family car in 1963, underwent its first full redesign in 1967, when it was given a modern oval body shape. The rotary-engined Familia R100 was introduced in 1968, following the launch of the Cosmo Sports. With its distinctive round rear lights, the Familia Rotary featured a 491 cc x 2 10A rotary engine that developed 100 PS and had a top speed of 180 kilometers per hour. It also accelerated from standstill to 400 meters in as little as 16.4 seconds. This performance put it at the top of its class. Emitting a unique high-pitched exhaust note, the Familia Rotary Coupe recorded its maiden victory at the Grand Prix of Singapore in 1969, and performed impressively at circuits in Belgium, Germany, the UK and South Africa.

The first oil price shock struck in 1973. The period also saw a growing demand for exhaust emissions regulations and improved safety. Mazda's third generation Familia made its debut in this severe climate. The new Familia offered improved comfort and control and in 1976 adopted lean-burn technology and Mazda's original oxidizing catalyst. This version earned a strong reputation for its practical value.

The Familia Hatchback appears in the movie, 'The Yellow Handkerchief of Happiness'
The 4th generation Familia was launched in 1977 after the oil price shock had ended and the business climate was beginning to recover. At the time, two-box hatchbacks were predominant in Europe's compact car market. The Familia targeted the youth market, and its styling was based on four themes: new values, versatility, economy and high quality, and these themes were sustained in subsequent iterations.
A bright red 5-door hatchback Familia appeared in the movie , 'The Yellow Handkerchief of Happiness' driven by the character Kinya Hanada who was played by Tetsuya Takeda. The interest sparked by the movie was maintained with the subsequent, very popular 'Red XG' Familia.

To be continued in Part 3 of the Familia Series
The 4th generation Familia