Mazda's automotive plans for the early sixties consisted of growing alongside the Japanese economy. To achieve this goal, they began by building an extremely cheap Kei car

Kei car

Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...

, the R360

Mazda R360

The R360 was Mazda's first real car - a two-door, four-seat coupé. Introduced in 1960, it featured a short 69 inch wheelbase and weighed just 838 lb . It was powered by a rear-mounted air-cooled 356 cc V-twin engine putting out about 16 hp and 16 ft·lbf of torque. The car...

 in 1960, planning on introducing gradually larger and pricier cars as the Japanese customers became able to afford them. As a preview, testing the waters, a larger "Mazda 700" prototype was shown at the 8th Tokyo Motor Show

Tokyo Motor Show

The is a biennial auto show held in October-November at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association , it is a recognized international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs...

 in 1961, and formed the basis for the upcoming Mazda Familia.