Mazda

The Mazda Luce was introduced at the April 1966 Tokyo Motor Show. It marked Mazda’s entry into the executive segment. Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone, it featured clean, European-inspired lines and a traditional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Power came from a 1,490 cc four-cylinder engine, later joined by a 1.8-litre version for improved performance. In most export markets, the car was sold under the name Mazda 1500 or 1800. A station wagon joined the range in April 1967, followed in October 1969 by the Luce Rotary Coupé, powered by Mazda’s innovative twin-rotor Wankel engine. Production ran until 1972, when the model was replaced by the larger, more refined second-generation Luce.

The Mazda 929 was introduced in 1973, as an export name for the second generation Mazda Luce. The first generation Luce had been called the "Mazda 1500" or "Mazda 1800" in export markets, but as engines of different displacement were beginning to be used across lines, such a naming philosophy would have soon become confusing. The 929 was a large coupé, sedan, and station wagon powered by a 1,769 cc engine. The Wankel engine version was named RX-4 and was produced until October 1977.