autoevolution
 

Mazda Cosmo Sport Series II Reimagined With Widebody Kit, “Kari” Number Plate

Believe it or not, the rotary engine that put Mazda on the map isn’t a Japanese design. The Hiroshima-based automaker relied on the Germans at NSU, and themselves took inspiration from the design conceived by Felix Wankel in the 1920s. Fast-forward four decades or so, and Mazda rolls out the Cosmo Sport.
Mazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson Tomazoni 10 photos
Photo: Anderson Tomazoni on Behance
Mazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson TomazoniMazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson TomazoniMazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson TomazoniMazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson TomazoniMazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson TomazoniMazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson TomazoniMazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson TomazoniMazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson TomazoniMazda Cosmo Sport Series II widebody rendering by Anderson Tomazoni
From there until the JC-based models of the 1990s, the rotary and Cosmo were joined at the hip. Mazda pulled the plug, however, because sales were abysmal at best and the RX series had more pull within the sports car and tuning scenes. The Cosmo nameplate, however, is far from dead. Mazda’s marketing material is loaded with past glories like rotary-engined classics, and to this day, these cars continue to fascinate.

“Self-taught 3D artist”
Anderson Tomazoni paid tribute to the Cosmo Sport Series II and the twin-rotor Wankel hiding under its hood by means of a rendering, and as expected, the original design has morphed into a different animal altogether.

A lip spoiler complements the black bumper trim and flared wheel arches, and black paint also beautifies the fender-mounted side mirrors, headlight bezels, rear bumper, and decklid spoiler. At the rear, quad-split LED taillights and a rather fat exhaust pipe bring the point home. The red diagonal stripe on the plate indicates that we’re dealing with a Kari, which is Japanese for temporary license plate.

A set of 10-spoke wheels, Pirelli P-Zero sticky rubber on every corner, black door handles and M A Z D A lettering, as well as black window frames over the yellow paint job make this Cosmo Sport a sight to behold. It’s not Bosozoku and neither Shakotan or a Kaido racer. It’s a truly unique design, and given the rarity of the Series II, we’re glad no car has been hurt during the making of this rendering.

What Mazda calls the Series II ran from 1968 to 1972, and it was equipped with the 0813 engine. Only 833 units were made, and the two-rotor Wankel used to crank out 128 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories