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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.

Last Tango in the Fast Lane

30 April, 2026

In the mid ’80s, I locked into a serious Nissan/Datsun performance obsession. It could have kicked off with my ’82 Datsun Sunny, though this would have been a bit of a stretch of the imagination, given its normally aspirated 1.2-litre motor — not the sort of thing to unleash radical road warrior dreams. But it did plant a seed, and it was a sweet little machine and surprisingly quick, in contrast to all the diabolical English offerings I had endured.
I was living in South Auckland at the time and was an unrepentant petrolhead. Motor racing was my drug of choice, and I followed the scene slavishly. Saloon car racing, with the arrival of the international Group A formula, was having a serious renaissance here and in Australia and Europe. There was suddenly an exotic air in local racing that had been absent for 15 years.
I was transfixed by this new frontier of motor racing that had hit our tracks in 1985–87 and the new array of machinery on display. In 1986, the Nissan Skyline RS DR30 made a blinding impression on me. The Australian Fred Gibson-run, Peter Jackson-sponsored team of George Fury and Glenn Seton were the fastest crew of the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship. But Kiwi legend Robbie Francevic snuck through to win the Aussie Championship in his Volvo 240T after a strong start and consistent finishes.

NZ Classic Car magazine, May/June 2026 issue 405, on sale now

26 April, 2026

Reincarnation of the snake
We are captivated by a top-quality sports car
The Shelby NZ build team at Matamata Panelworks has endured a long and challenging journey, culminating with the highly anticipated public unveiling of the 427SC and firing up of its sonorous V8 at the 2026 Ayrburn Classic Festival of Motoring in Queenstown on February 20. This is a New Zealand-built car with loads of character and potential.
The car is now back in Matamata, and I finally have an opportunity to get up close and personal with it. But before then, the question that must be asked is, “Why would ya?”
The first answer is easy, as mentioned in the last issue of New Zealand Classic Car (#404). It was a great way to use up all the surplus Mustang parts acquired while converting brand-new Mustangs into Shelbys. The unused new Mustang parts would be great in any kit car, but the 427SC in front of me cannot be classified as one.
This is not a kit car. The reality is that it is a high-quality, factory-made production car.
Possibly the second answer is because the CEO of Matamata Panelworks, Malcolm Sankey, wanted to build a replica of the car that is a distant relation to the Shelby Mustangs scattered around his showroom floor, a car created long before the first Mustang was even thought of, and the brainchild of Carroll Shelby back in the early ‘60s.