R100 - are they a myth?

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Now we're talking! 

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4-door R100s don't show up every day. But here is one! 

https://kuruma-ex.jp/usedcar/detail/ccAU6064654306

[rxkid]

is this car in the UK? in japan the JDM for these is Presto. Very cool little cars

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Yes, you're right. It's a second generation Familia and a Presto.    The Italian influence from Bertone lingered in the names, even though the Familia was by now an in-house design. This car is in Japan. I don't know if R100s were ever exported in any other form than the coupé.

[clive]

Yes the R100's exist and we have at least two in the UK at the moment. The green one came from Switzerland and has just had a full restoration. Currently trying to get a UK reg on it but sadly its not staying in the UK. Many know the red one and here it is at the Mazda UK show we held a few years ago. The other picture is the same car from way back.     

[Eccentric shaft]

Great pics of stunning R100s! Thanks for sharing, Clive! 

Reputedly, only one batch of R100s were delivered to Norway. 55 cars, all 1969 models. When the vehicle register shows a 1973-model, it is one of these 55 cars, road registered first time in 1973. One worker at the Mazda dealership in Oslo, was allowed to take R100s out for racing at the traffic lights. BMW-owners would scratch their heads when a little Mazda left them behind. He crashed once during such a routine, writing the car off and bringing the number down to 54.

I've been told that the same man owned as many as 18 of those R100s over the years!

The R100s were rallied, too – also in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally (see my latest YT video). As the pic below shows, Kjell Gudim drove it (and the tyres) to shreds. The Mazda importer, the Kolberg brothers, both raced R100s briefly in national competitions (see sample result page from november 1970).

[clive]

Years ago I met Walter Frey and his brother. His brother interpreted and told me he had an unused R100 a crate.

This was way before the museum, so maybe it's in there now .     

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This is the one in the Frey Museum. Could be the one!

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Another stunner:

[clive]

Wow!