Mazda Chantez with single-rotor engine

Did you know that Mazda also developed a single rotor engine as well as a special car for that engine?

Well, they did. The engine with the model-name 3A (360 cc) was developed for a new Kei-class car which was to be introduced in 1972, the Chantez.

However, the competitors in the Kei-class (e.g. Suzuki, Mitsubishi and Daihatsu) argued that it was unfair to introduce a 360 cc rotary engine (the maximum displacement allowed for a Kei-car at that time) and they blocked Mazda's plans.

As an alternative the car was introduced with a high-power 2-stroke engine originally developed for a commercial Kei-vehicle.