LA2

Mazda launched its 82kW (110bhp SAE) 1.8L four-cylinder 929 series in four-door sedan, four-door wagon and two-door Hardtop coupe guises during 1973.

It was a conventionally engineered with leaf-spring rear suspension and rear-wheel drive, and competed against the popular up-spec Datsun 180B, Toyota Corona, Ford Cortina and Holden Torana.

Transmissions were a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic.

The fussy “Coke bottle” styling was typical of the period and equipment levels were high.

The 929 spawned the 97kW rotary engine RX4, although that was released early in ‘73.

A new nose, cleaner tail design and revised cabin trim arrived in late ’75.

The 929 wagon lived on to mid-’79, almost a full year after the others were discontinued.