Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S (L10A)
The Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S is one of the most significant cars in automotive history. Launched in 1967, it was the world's first mass-produced car powered by a twin-rotor Wankel rotary engine — a technological achievement that would define Mazda as a company for the next fifty years.
The story begins in 1961, when Mazda president Tsuneji Matsuda signed a licensing agreement with NSU/Wankel to develop the rotary engine. What followed was a heroic engineering effort. The rotary engine had a fundamental problem — the 'chatter mark' issue that caused rapid apex seal wear and catastrophic failure. While other licensees (including General Motors and Mercedes-Benz) eventually abandoned the rotary, a small team of Mazda engineers known as the '47 Ronin' (after the famous samurai legend) worked obsessively to solve the problem. They did.
The resulting Cosmo Sport was a stunning statement of intent. Its space-age styling — long, low, and curvaceous — was designed to look as revolutionary as its engine. The 10A twin-rotor engine produced 110 hp from just 982cc of equivalent displacement, spinning smoothly to high RPM with virtually no vibration. It was unlike anything else on the road.
The L10A (Series I, 1967-1968) had a shorter wheelbase and was produced in very limited numbers (~343 units). The L10B (Series II, 1968-1972) had a longer wheelbase, more power (128 hp), and a 5-speed gearbox. Total production was just 1,519 units.
The Cosmo proved that the Wankel could work in a production car, opening the door for Mazda's legendary rotary lineup: RX-2, RX-3, RX-4, RX-5, RX-7, and RX-8, plus the Le Mans-winning 787B. Without the Cosmo, none of it would have happened.
The Cosmo 110S is extraordinarily rare and virtually never appears on the open market. When they do, they command six-figure prices. Authentication is straightforward given the low production — most surviving cars are known. Rotary engine rebuilds require specialist knowledge but the 10A is simpler than later units. Parts are extremely scarce. Series I L10A is rarer and more valuable than Series II. Many surviving cars are in Japanese collections.
Total production: 1,519 units (343 Series I L10A + 1,176 Series II L10B). Series I: shorter wheelbase (2,200mm), 110 hp, 4-speed. Series II: longer wheelbase (2,350mm), 128 hp, 5-speed. Nearly all were sold in Japan. The Cosmo was hand-assembled. Later Cosmo name was used on different luxury cars (1975-1995) unrelated to the original.