![]() “These seem to be the cars which have the largest followings, and we have seen the price of them begin to climb over the following years,” he said. He specifically pointed out the Nissan Skyline, Toyota Celica, Datsun 240z, Datsun 510, Honda S600/800 and Mazda RX3. Rudd believes that cars like the 2000GT will reach the highest value when it comes to Japanese collectors. Thanks to his expertise, the pair finished the series in second and third place, even though they had less power than their rivals. The success of the cars was not without a strong American connection, however, with the team being run by none other than the legendary Carroll Shelby. Additionally, a pair of 2000GTs competed against the likes of Porsche 911s and Lotus Elans in races sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America. ![]() Back in the ‘60s the 2000GT set FIA records for speed and endurance in a 72-hours test. The 2000GT is valuable thanks to its racing heritage. “It seems as if the generation that is now starting to have some extra spending money for a classic car, really appreciate the racing heritage of many of these classic Japanese cars, as well as the designs which were coming out of Japan in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.”Ī recent example of a Japanese classic reaching the prestige of its American and European counterparts is a 1967 Toyota 2000GT, that was sold for $375,000. ![]() A representative from Barett-Jackson even told us that they “haven’t seen much in the way of Japanese classics at their auctions.” Traditional outlets for classic cars seem to be oblivious to the changing attitudes. “As the younger crowd takes its place in the car world, they are going to have the desire to own the cars they loved in their childhood years,” Rudd said, “It is easy to see the different generations, and which cars they loved.” JDM Legends was “born out of passion for JDM cars” and is a go-to place for restored (and modified) classic Japanese cars.įor a long time Japanese cars have been thought of as too common and too cheap to become serious collector material. Rudd works at one of a popular Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) restoration shops in Utah. “In the U.S., the following of classic Japanese cars is growing at a very high rate as well.” For instance, a 1970 Nissan Skyline GTR can go for well over $100,000 in Japan.” Rudd said. Aussie motoring journalists did well to push 17.6 second quarters at 76mph out of the lighter sedan (16.3 for the RX-2).“I believe the Japanese classics will reach the prestige and price of the American and European cars, in fact, in many places, they already have. With a power-to-weight ratio of 10.9 kg per kW compared to the RX-2’s 9.9 kg per kW, the RX-3 was slower. Performance-wise the 10A RX-3 wasn’t able to match the RX-2 with 12A. Fortunately price didn’t play an overwhelming role in RX-3 sales – the rotary engine was Mazda’s main selling point. Comparing the coupe in price, Mazda priced the RX-3 against cars like the 190-hp Holden Torana GTR XU-1 ($3455), the 144-hp Ford Capri GT V6 ($3490), and the 218-hp Valiant RT Charger ($3395). The manual sedan cost AUS$3299 (3-speed automatic transmission was a $341 option) and the coupe AUS$3479. All Series 1 RX-3s came with the 982cc 10A. The coupe carried an optional body stripe, clock, rear defogger and the centre console/high armrest and collapsible steering column. Australian-model RX-3s came in two bodies – the Deluxe sedan and the Super Deluxe coupe.Įquipment differences between the RX-3 Deluxe sedan and the Super Deluxe coupe were many. Not only missing out on the wagon but the 130hp 12A. The Australian market (and New Zealand) was less fortunate. Following the ‘peoples rotary’ theory, the first rotary station wagon was made available in Japan and in the US. With the addition of three new body styles, the rotary line up now totalled nine choices internationally. March of 1972, the Mazda RX3 Coupe was released in Australia – seven months after Mazda Japan had launched the RX-3 and the Familia/808/818 (1600cc/1800cc) domestically.
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