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We examine Mazda’s bloodlines to find the history of the 808

13 August, 2015

The Mazda Grand Familia, as it was known in Japan, was sold as the Mazda 808 in some export markets including Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and the Mazda 818 in many others (presumably due to the usage of numbers with a middle zero by the likes of Peugeot). The Mazda 808 body-style configurations on offer were the two-door coupé, the four-door sedan, and the five-door station wagon. The Grand Familia offered only in-line four-cylinder engines. In Japan, the largely identical rotary-powered versions were marketed as the Mazda Savanna, with export markets taking this model as the RX-3.

At the time of its launch the Mazda 808 was much underrated, although the New Zealand buyer did not have much of a choice of vehicles and power options, if any. Some 808s came with three-speed automatic transmissions. At the time it was considered to be a reasonable-performing vehicle, but over time its abilities have been somewhat surpassed. However this average performance, together with the ease with which the front can be swapped over to resemble the Mazda RX-3, saw the enthusiasts who lusted after more power slotting rotary engines into them, along with the customary lowered suspension, big fat exhausts, and fancy wheels — not to mention fancy paint jobs and sound systems that cost more than the cars!

Rotary power

Although the 808 with its reciprocating piston engine proved popular, most interest in the model was probably focused on the rotary-engine variation. Titled ‘Savanna’ in Japan, this version is more popularly known as the RX-3 and, like the 808, was available in either coupé, sedan or station-wagon form. Most early examples were fitted with Mazda’s 10A rotary engine, although some markets received 12A-powered version. The S102 cars were built between 1971 and 1973, with the second generation RX-3 produced between 1973 and 1975. A third series RX-3 became available in 1976 but was never available in New Zealand, all models being destined for the US and Japan. The RX-3, at that time the sportiest of Mazda’s Wankel-engined cars, bowed out in 1978 to make way for the new RX-7.

More to the point

6 March, 2026

This Daimler SP252 is so rare, few people know it exists. It’s one of a kind. It’s the only surviving, in fact the only SP252 ever completed; the would-be successor to the SP250 Daimler Dart. It is also the last sports car to have been designed by Jaguar’s legendary founder, Sir William Lyons.
Perhaps one of the original Dart’s biggest problems was it’s somewhat-divisive looks. It certainly went well enough to win fans, although Sir William wasn’t among them. It crushed the opposition in the Bathurst six-hour race, finishing five laps ahead of anyone else, and it was snapped up by police forces in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, as it was the fastest thing on the road.
So you’d think a stunning new body with the magic Lyons touch would have been a surefire success. Why this car never made it into production is still something of a mystery, as the official explanations barely stack up.

Polishing to perfection

26 February, 2026

The secret to a show-stopping finish is colour sanding, no matter which paint system you use. Even a good painter, no matter how experienced or talented — like my mate Bruce Haye, CEO at Ace Panel and Paint in Whitianga — can’t shoot to a perfect mirror finish. To get that level of perfection, you need to colour sand.
It used to be called ‘rubbing out’ or ‘cutting’, and it was done with pastes that came in cans. They worked — sort of — but the compounds really just rounded off imperfections instead of eliminating them, and they removed a lot of paint in the process. But now your new finish can be made flawless, thanks to microfine sandpapers that come in 1000, 1500, 2000, and even 2500 grit ranges, and Farecla G3 polish — available from automotive paint suppliers.