Mazda 727
Encyclopedia
The Mazda
727C was a prototype racing car built for Mazdaspeed
for the 24 Hours of Le Mans
in the Group C
2 class. It replaced the 717C in 1984 as an evolution of the Mooncraft-built design, and used the same 2-rotor 13B Wankel engine
as the previous model.
Two 727Cs were entered in the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans
, finishing 4th and 6th in the C2 class. However, a pair of Lola T616s using the same Mazda engine were successful in beating both 727Cs, claiming 1st and 3rd.
The 727C was used a few more times in the 1984 World Sportscar Championship season
, managing a mere 10th place in the C2 manufacturer's championship, behind two separate teams of privateers. The 727C was then replaced by the 737C in 1985.
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
727C was a prototype racing car built for Mazdaspeed
Mazdaspeed
Mazdaspeed is Mazda's in-house race and street car tuning arm. It began in 1968 as "Mazda Sports Corner", a tuning and racing operation run by Takayoshi Ohashi, who also ran Mazda's Tokyo distributor...
for the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
in the Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
2 class. It replaced the 717C in 1984 as an evolution of the Mooncraft-built design, and used the same 2-rotor 13B Wankel engine
Wankel engine
The Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine using an eccentric rotary design to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating pistons. Its four-stroke cycle takes place in a space between the inside of an oval-like epitrochoid-shaped housing and a rotor that...
as the previous model.
Two 727Cs were entered in the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans
1984 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 52nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 16 – 17 June 1984. It was also the third round of the World Endurance Championship....
, finishing 4th and 6th in the C2 class. However, a pair of Lola T616s using the same Mazda engine were successful in beating both 727Cs, claiming 1st and 3rd.
The 727C was used a few more times in the 1984 World Sportscar Championship season
1984 World Sportscar Championship season
The 1984 World Endurance Championship season was the 32nd FIA World Sportscar Championship season. It was a series running under the Group C and Group B formulas, running cars in three classes known as C1, C2, and B...
, managing a mere 10th place in the C2 manufacturer's championship, behind two separate teams of privateers. The 727C was then replaced by the 737C in 1985.