Mazda 787
MAZDA787B.jpg
The Mazda 787/787B was a prototype racing car built for the 24 hours of Le Mans auto race, replacing the 767. It used a 4-rotor 26B Wankel engine which produced over 700 hp (522 kW). The 787B's 1991 win at Le Mans was historic in two ways: It marked both the first time a Japanese manufacturer had won the race, and the first time a Wankel engine won. The 787B was designed by Nigel Stroud. Two were entered at Le Mans in 1990 but were unable to complete the race. Three were entered for 1991, placing first, sixth, and eighth.
The number 55 car led the race for three hours, from lap 320 to claim the win. Drivers Johnny Herbert, Bertrand Gachot, and Volker Weidler completed 362 laps (4923.2 km/3059.1 miles), finishing 27.2 km ahead of the second-place car with an average speed of 205.3 km/h.
Rotary engines had been outlawed by the FISA for 1992, so this was the last time the car would have been allowed to compete.
The 787B's Quad Rotor powerplant was specifically developed for this race and was Peripheral Ported to achieve the high levels of power from a naturally aspirated motor. Revs were deliberately kept low for longevity (9000rpm) however interviews with the engineers who developed the motor in the years after the race revealed that the cars power increased dramatically during testing when they took the motor higher than 9000rpm. One engineer stating that the car developed 930hp with only 10,500rpm. They also noted that after the race they pulled the engine apart and it was still in excellent condition and ready for another 24hr race, a testament to the Rotary as a racing engine.
Specifications
787b.jpg
- Construction: carbon fibre
- Weight: 830 kg (1831 lb)
- Wheelbase: 2.66 m
- Length: 4.78 m
- Track (F/R): 1.53/1.50 m
- Width: 1.99 m
- Wheels: 18 in
- Tires (F/R): Dunlop 300-640x18/355-710x18