Publication: Car Graphic
Format: Road Impressions
Date: December 1969
Author: Shotaro Kobayashi

Road testing the Luce Rotary Coupe

The third prong of Mazda’s “rotaryization” strategy, the Luce Rotary Coupe, was finally released on October 15th. Prior to its announcement to the general public, a test drive was held for the press, going from Tokyo to Hakone and back. This C/G editor, who has now recovered from his leg injury, also participated, so I would like to share my brief impressions.

Publication: Motor Fan
Format: Test Drive Report
Date: December 1969
Author: Katsumi Kageyama

From the Cosmo Sport to the Familia Rotary series, Toyo Kogyo’s mission of “rotaryization” is steadily showing signs of success.

The Luce Rotary Coupe is an attempt to further upgrade their rotary technology and apply it to luxury passenger cars. This car, which debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show two years ago under the name RX87, has lines similar to the Luce in appearance, but in terms of overall quality, it should be seen as a car that concentrates all of Toyo Kogyo’s technology into one vehicle and serves as the fuse for the upcoming rotary offensive.

Publication: Car Graphic
Format: Road Impressions
Date: April 1973
Author: “C/G Test Group” (uncredited)

Summary: The highest-performance version of the new Luce, a smooth and quiet personal luxury car. Despite its attractive specs, maneuverability is only average among domestic cars, while ride comfort and livability are excellent. As with the AP model, fuel economy is poor.

Road testing the Luce Hardtop GS II

The new Mazda Luce series was just announced last October, and for this report, we tested the top-of-the-line, high-performance hardtop GS II over a distance of about 850km. We had already had the opportunity to test drive this model for a short time immediately after its announcement, and were particularly impressed by its handling, which was far superior to that of previous Mazda mass-market cars. In the road test in last month’s issue, we covered the sedan GR AP model, which is equipped with a thermal reactor for exhaust emission control, which is currently a hot topic. Contrary to what you might imagine from the “emissions-controlled” label, the engine in that car produces effective power, and the excellent automatic transmission is well matched to it. Another thing that made a strong impression was the well-balanced chassis, even when fitted with ordinary 6.45-13-4PR bias-ply tires on 5J x 13-inch wheels (which are still on the wide side for a Japanese passenger car).