Mazda 787B

[NarendZORCE]

In 1991, a four-rotor Mazda 787B (2622 cc actual, rated by FIA formula at 4708 cc) won the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race outright, the only non-piston engine ever to win at Le Mans, as well as the only team from outside Western Europe or the United States. This led to a ban on rotary engines in the Le Mans race starting in 1992, which was eventually rescinded. After the race, the winning engine was publicly dismantled for internal examination, which demonstrated that despite 24 hours of extremely hard use it had accumulated very little wear.

This followed a decade of class wins from other Mazda prototypes, including the 757 and 767. The Sigma MC74 powered by a Mazda 12A engine was the first engine and team from outside Western Europe or the United States to finish the entire 24 hours of the Le Mans race, in 1974. Mazda is also the most reliable finisher at LeMans (with the exception of Honda, who have entered only three cars in only one year), with 67% of entries finishing. Mazda will return to prototype racing in 2005 with the introduction of the Courage C65 LMP2 car at the American Le Mans race at Road Atlanta. This prototype racer uses the Renesis Wankel from the RX-8.

Throughout the history of Mazda Motorsports, success on the track was often a showcase for the reliability, durability, and performance of the rotary engine. Naturally, beginning in the late 60's, the goal of winning the world's most esteemed and traditional endurance race at Le Mans 24 became an obvious and inspiring objective for the Mazda Motorsports team.

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The technology of rotary engine design competed in Le Mans for the first time in 1970. Twenty-one years later, the Mazda team found itself in the thick of competition for the ultimate reward, powerfully challenging in 1991 with two strengthened 787Bs and a 787. The pursuit of victory became more than a competitive objective for the team that year, as the organizer of the historic event made it an imperative - it was announced that the following year, only machines powered by a 3.5-liter reciprocating engines would qualify to run.

Here was the last chance for the four-rotor 787B's and the 787 to show what they could do.

That day, a triumvirate of Mazda cars competed tenaciously from the very beginning. And at the 12th hour, the 787B, car number 55, officially took over 3rd place and aggressively battled against the titans of Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and countless formidable contenders for the top spot. After 21 hours, while Mercedes-Benz pulled-in for a needed pit stop, the 787B took over first place and never looked back.

At 4 p.m. on June 23, 1991, that historic 787B roared across the finish line at Le Mans, achieving Mazda's long-awaited goal as 250,000 spectators cheered a truly legendary performance. It was a first for a Japanese car manufacturer and a first for the rotary engine. The 787B prototype sports car had gone head-to-head with the world's best for 24 grueling hours, and when the checkered fell, all three Mazda cars had found their glory in the top 10, finishing in 1st, 6th and 8th positions.
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General specifications
Record last updated:12 / 31 / 2004
Country of origin: Japan
Produced in: 1991
Numbers built: 3
Body design: N/A
Weight: 830 kilo / 1829.8 lbs

Drivetrain
Engine: R26BR4
Engine Location: Mid , longitudinally mounted
Displacement: 2.616 liter / 159.6 cu in
Valvetrain: N/A
Fuel feed: Electronic Fuel injection
Aspiration: Naturally Aspirated
Gearbox: Mazda-Porsche 5 speed Manual
Drive: Rear wheel drive

Performance figures
Power: 700 bhp / 522 KW @ 9000 rpm
Torque: 608 Nm / 448 ft lbs @ 6500 rpm
BHP/Liter: 268 bhp / liter
Power to weight ratio: 0.84 bhp / kg
Top Speed: N/A
0-60 mph Acceleration: N/A
_________________
Drags, Circuit, Solodex, Rally, Karting, the Shows, the Girls, the Car you drive...
ZORCERs done know... the speed lifestyle magazine in the Islands, ZORCE
Click to hear it >> http://www.zorce.com/fortheforums/Zorce15NEW.mp3
Download & SEE iT! >> http://www.zorce.com/fortheforums/Zorce-15.mp4
...........................................................
Oh Yeah! Feel the Rush, it's like... WOW!
May the (Mass x Acceleration)-F+Z be with you...

[NarendZORCE]

_________________
Drags, Circuit, Solodex, Rally, Karting, the Shows, the Girls, the Car you drive...
ZORCERs done know... the speed lifestyle magazine in the Islands, ZORCE
Click to hear it >> http://www.zorce.com/fortheforums/Zorce15NEW.mp3
Download & SEE iT! >> http://www.zorce.com/fortheforums/Zorce-15.mp4
...........................................................
Oh Yeah! Feel the Rush, it's like... WOW!
May the (Mass x Acceleration)-F+Z be with you...