787B. Nine's off the hook.

Now to blow the dust off a run through the Mazda factory in Hiroshima earlier last year; an all-too-brief moment spent with a sampler of Mazda back-catalogue highlights, and here specifically, some detail shots (although camera-phone "quality"..) of the absolutely iconic Mazda 787B - the April 1991 No.55 car that won the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

Kicking this off now with some recycled Instagram content to save repeating myself. Unusually/shamefully I'd dabbled in this photoset in both June 2017 and March 2018 before I seem to have thought to share the lot here. Yep, I disappoint myself...

"..speaking of iconic mid-engined Japanese machinery *cough*. From the Mazda factory museum in Hiroshima earlier this month: the Le Mans 1991 winning 787B. WHAT a livery.. #renown #mazda #mazdamuseum #mazda787b #787b #lemans #24hoursoflemans #r26b #26b #wankel #rotary #4rotor #quadrotor #raysengineering #volk #volkracing #wheelporn #wheelwhores #savethewheels #turbofans #drivetastefully #1991"

"RENOWN: "The condition of being known or talked about by many people; fame." ...and coincidentally (properly - it's a clothing brand!) the livery that ended up on one of the most known/loved racecars to ever come out of Japan. #renown #charge #mazda #mazdamuseum #mazda787b #787b #groupc #lemans #24hoursoflemans #r26b #26b #wankel #rotary #4rotor #quadrotor #raysengineering #volk #volkracing #wheelporn #wheelwhores #savethewheels #turbofans #drivetastefully #1991"

"Plastic hubcap on some old Mazda in Hiroshima last year. I was actually somewhat surprised by the lack of gutter-rash and cable-ties seeing how bald those tyres were, but whatever, they probably found a spare. A missed opportunity? Tell me about it eh! I'd have gone for those chrome numbers you get with the fake (actually totally legitimate looking and completely believable) fasteners. You know the ones.. with those dainty steelie-revealing spokes, super-lightweight plating, and one more wheel-nut than there are studs. REAL stylish... #raysengineering #volk #volkracing #superfinemag #magnesiumwheels #competitiononly #dunlopslick #mazda787b #787b #groupc #renown #charge #mazda #mazdamuseum #lemans #lemans24h #24hoursoflemans #r26b #26b #wankel #rotary #4rotor #quadrotor #wheelporn #wheelwhores #savethewheels #turbofans #aerocovers #drivetastefully #1991"

...

...uhh..? Righto. Let's just jump to "the rest":

The most flattering of angles. Not as though it has bad one, honestly; but that just looks killer..

A view of the steam-roller 350/710 R18 Dunlop slicks on the rear.

The centrelock Rays Engineering, Volk Racing, SUPER FINE MAG - sans cover - over what look to be four-piston Brembo calipers..

God, yet another phenomenal angle.. 

..and a closeup of the skinnier of the Rays Engineering mags. No, that's certainly no 'hubcap'.

Urgh, again, fantastic.

The quad-rotor 2616cc R26B; good for 515kW, 608Nm, and a brilliant source of pure noise..

I'm a sucker for long intake runners / velocity stacks..

..adding a little visual appeal to a motor which, if I'm being honest, is far more technically interesting than it is pretty. 

Regardless, it's clearly ALL business; over 500kW (and a potential maximum of 670kW/900hp out of the 2600-odd cc's!) certainly not having too much trouble shifting ~850kg or so of carbon/kevlar monocoque Mazda.



Just awesome to see. Without a doubt one of my absolute all-time favourite race-cars right here.



Done.