Mazda’s American story began with a Mazda rotary engine. According to Mazda, the first vehicle it ever sold in the United States was the 1970 R100, and a Wankel engine powered it.

Over the next three decades, Mazda brought a coupe, sedans, wagons, a pickup, a luxury cruiser and three generations of sports cars here with rotary power. These are the 10 rotary models American buyers could take home, in the order they arrived.

1. 1970–1972 Mazda R100

The R100 opened the door for the whole company. Mazda calls the 1970 R100 the first vehicle it sold in the U.S. At first it reached buyers on the West Coast only, in small numbers.

Its engine was the 10A, a two-rotor unit of 982cc, or 60 cubic inches. According to Grassroots Motorsports, it made 100 horsepower at 7,000 rpm. That was a lot from such a small package, and it set the pattern for every Mazda on this list.

2. 1971–1974 Mazda RX-2

The RX-2 came next. Mazda’s own U.S. history timeline says Mazda USA debuted the rotary-powered RX-2 in 1971. It stepped up to the larger 12A engine, about 70 cubic inches.

Grassroots Motorsports lists the 12A at 120 horsepower at first. However, Mazda then detuned it to 102 horsepower for 1972 and 97 for 1973. Even so, the magazine says the RX-2 could run 0–60 in about 10 seconds, quicker than many V8 cars. Sales dropped during the 1974 fuel crisis.

3. 1972–1978 Mazda RX-3

The RX-3 arrived in 1972, according to Mazda. It became the company’s volume rotary. Grassroots Motorsports calls it Mazda’s best seller through the 1970s, with about 20,000 sold in its best year, 1973. Buyers could also get it as a sedan or a station wagon.

Mazda also makes a bigger claim for it. In its history timeline, Mazda says the RX-3 became the first vehicle in the world to pass strict new U.S. exhaust-emissions standards in 1973. Later, the 1976–1978 RX-3SP added a five-speed and a unique dual-runner intake, according to Grassroots Motorsports.

4. 1974–1978 Mazda RX-4

Mazda debuted the RX-4 in 1974 as a coupe, a sedan and a wagon, according to its timeline. It was a bigger car than the RX-3. In fact, Grassroots Motorsports calls it the heaviest of the rotary sedans at more than 2,700 pounds.

To move that weight, the RX-4 got the new 13B engine. Grassroots Motorsports lists it at 1,308cc, or 80 cubic inches, with 110 horsepower in stock form. That same engine then found its way into two more models on this list.

5. 1974–1976 Mazda Rotary Pickup

Yes, Mazda sold a rotary truck. The Rotary Pickup, often called the REPU, took the compact pickup body and dropped in the RX-4’s engine. As a result, the truck shared its engine with a Mazda sedan.

According to Grassroots Motorsports, it was sold from 1974 to 1976. Its 13B two-rotor made 110 horsepower, the same rating as the RX-4.

6. 1976–1978 Mazda Cosmo (RX-5)

The Cosmo was the luxury model of the group. Mazda’s 2008 RX-8 press release lists the “RX-5 Cosmo” among the rotary cars that followed the R100 to America. It should not be confused with the 1967 Cosmo 110S, which Mazda did not sell here.

Grassroots Motorsports describes the U.S. Cosmo as a luxury cruiser built from the RX-4. It also used the 13B engine. Mazda sold it from 1976 to 1978, but only in very small numbers.

7. First-generation Mazda RX-7, from 1979

Then came the car that made the rotary famous. Mazda’s 2008 release says the RX-7 launched in 1979 and set sales records never before seen with sports cars. Mazda’s timeline lists the introduction in 1978, ahead of the 1979 model year.

Power came from the smaller 12A again. According to Mazda’s RX-7 history page, the twin-rotor displaced 1,146cc and made 101 horsepower. Mazda’s page also credits the design’s long hood and curved glass rear hatch.

8. Second-generation Mazda RX-7, from 1986

Mazda introduced the second RX-7, known as the FC, in 1986. Its 2008 release says the later RX-7 generations brought the first production turbocharged rotary engines to the U.S. market. Mazda’s RX-7 page also points to its passive rear steering.

The top model was the Turbo II. Mazda lists its 1,308cc 13B at 185 horsepower. Meanwhile, Mazda’s timeline notes that Car and Driver named the RX-7 Turbo to its 10Best list in 1987.

9. Third-generation Mazda RX-7, from 1993

The third RX-7, the FD, reached the U.S. in 1993, according to Mazda’s 2008 release. Mazda’s RX-7 page calls it a “no-compromise sports machine.”

Its 13B-REW used two turbochargers arranged in sequence and made 255 horsepower, according to Mazda’s RX-7 history. Across all three generations, Mazda says it sold more than 800,000 RX-7s worldwide.

10. Mazda RX-8, from 2004

The RX-8 took the rotary in a new direction: four doors. Mazda’s timeline says it introduced the 2004 RX-8 in 2003, with its “Freestyle” door system. Its Renesis rotary also won the 2003 International Engine of the Year award, according to Mazda.

The Renesis moved the ports to the sides of the housings. In addition, Mazda’s 2008 RX-8 release says the engine revved to 9,000 rpm with the manual. It rated the 2008 car at 232 horsepower with the manual and 212 with the automatic. By then, Mazda said it had built nearly two million rotary-powered vehicles.

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This article was created with the help of AI and was reviewed and edited by Fast Lane Only editors before publication.