The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the most grueling endurance-focused sports car race in the world, where the demands of speed and the car’s ability to run for 24 hours without encountering mechanical failure should be balanced. It is the ultimate proving ground for both cars and automakers alike—and those who emerge victorious have every reason to celebrate.
Mazda first took on the Le Mans challenge in 1970. But it was during the 1991 race when the company finally made history, and became the first Japanese manufacturer to take the overall win, after several setbacks in the years prior.
The company entered three cars—two 787B models and a year-old 787. The iconic 787B cemented the victory as the very first rotary engine-powered vehicle that was awarded gold at the prestigious race.
Quite the engineering feat, the R26B rotary engine of Mazda’s race car produced an outrageous 690 horsepower and 608 Nm of torque. Briton Johnny Herbert, German Volker Weidler, and Belgian Bertrand Gachot drove the winning car, and finished 362 laps of the famous 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe circuit.
Mazda became the first and sole rotary engine manufacturer in the world. This engine is a symbol of their “never stop challenging” spirit that the company displayed in Le Mans.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the company’s legendary achievement. As a celebration, Mazda created a special website (www.mazda.com/en/innovation/lemans30th/) for fans to enjoy and relive the moment. The inspiring history, technology, winning teams, and a video clip of the glorious win are presented in the website to give you a glimpse of the journey and what it took Mazda to get to the pinnacle of success.
“Our commercialization of the rotary engine and subsequent win of the pinnacle event in endurance racing, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, utilizing the technology is symbolic of our commitment to finding ingenious solutions, chief communication officer of Mazda Corporate, Masahiro Moro said.
Today, the Mazda 787B Chassis No. 002, one of the most iconic vehicles Mazda has ever built can be found at the Mazda Museum in Hiroshima, Japan.
Every challenge faced in its 100 years of existence have been nobly overcome and bested by Mazda. You can rest assured that everything Mazda offers is only about to get better.
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