Junkyard Gem: 1990 Mazda 929 S

Between the time of the Nissan Maxima’s change to front-wheel-drive (1985 mannequin yr) and the introduction of the Infiniti Q45 and Lexus LS 400 (1990 mannequin yr), solely two massive, rear-wheel-drive Japanese luxurious sedans had been offered new in the US. One was the Toyota Cressida, whereas the opposite was the Mazda 929. Everybody is aware of in regards to the Cressida, after all, however the 929 has light almost utterly from our automotive reminiscence. The junkyard by no means forgets, although, which is why right this moment’s Junkyard Gem is a type of 929s, present in a Northern California wrecking yard lately.

The 929 was the export model of the Mazda Luce, and the four-door put up sedan model was obtainable in the US for the 1988 by way of 1995 mannequin years (sadly, the four-door hardtop Luce wasn’t delivered to our shores). Its alternative right here was the technologically superior front-wheel-drive Mazda Millenia, which by no means offered very effectively.

When Honda created its Acura luxurious model for abroad gross sales, Nissan and Toyota dove in a couple of years after with their Infiniti and Lexus marques. Seeing its Japanese rivals raking within the {dollars}, kilos and Deutschmarks, Mazda cooked up an export luxurious model referred to as Amati. The 929 (and later Millenia) had been to have been offered as Amatis right here.

Then the Japanese asset worth bubble popped in 1991, and Japan plunged right into a decade of financial stagnation. The little automobile firm from Hiroshima needed to drop its formidable plans for Amati, and the 929 remained a Mazda. North Individuals had lengthy seen Mazda as a maker of low-priced econoboxes and bizarre Wankel-engined mutants, and so the bragging-rights worth of a Mazda-badged luxurious sedan stayed low.

That is a disgrace, as a result of the 929 was each swanky and highly effective. The engine was a 3.0-liter V6 with both SOHC or DOHC design, driving the rear wheels.

You could possibly get the 929 right here with a five-speed handbook transmission, in principle; tell us for those who ever see one. This automobile has a four-speed automated.

The 929 S obtained the DOHC engine and its 190 horsepower. That was the identical because the horsepower score of the ’90 Cressida’s straight-six, although its 191 pound-feet of torque beat the Cressida by six pound-feet.

The 1990 Infiniti Q45 and Lexus LS 400 had bushy V8 engines that blew away the 929 S (with 278 and 250 horsepower, respectively), however these vehicles had been far dearer than their Mazda rival. The MSRP on the 1990 929 S was $24,800, which involves about $58,756 in 2023 {dollars}. In the meantime, a brand new Q45 price $38,000 ($90,030 right this moment) whereas a brand new LS 400 was $36,000 ($85,291 now). The 1990 Toyota Cressida was a steal at $21,498 ($50,933 after inflation).

The 929 was a very good 700 kilos lighter than these behemoths, so it was so much faster in a stoplight race.

This automobile is right here as a result of it obtained crashed arduous at age 33. In 1995 and even 2000, this injury would have been price repairing.

Simply 177,057 miles complete.

Maybe the 929 would have caught on with Amati badges, however we’ll by no means know.

James Garner was the 929’s spokesman.

In its homeland, this automobile was the “Massive Private” Luce.