Mazda 787B 1991 #55 by Autoart
Race/Series: Le Mans 24 Hours 1991
Result: Outright Winner, 363 laps
Drivers: Volker Weidler (D)/Johnny Herbert (GB)/Bertrand Gachot (B)
The Mazda 787B is a quite unique Le Mans winner. It is currently the only Japanese car to have won the race, despite much bigger attempts by the likes of Nissan and Toyota over the years. It is also the only car to have won the race using a rotary type engine, and will remain so for the foreseeable future, as these engines were outlawed the following year. Mazda had competed at Le Mans for a considerable number of years leading up to 1991, both as a manufacturer and engine supplier, taking class victories with the 757 and 767 in the 1980s, but the orange and green 787B is undoubtedly the most famous Mazda Le Mans entry of all. The 4-rotor engine, with a total displacement of only 2.6 litres, pushed out in the region of 700bhp, and took the 787B to victory by two laps over the much fancied Jaguars. Perhaps most impressive though, it is said that when Mazda engineers took the engine apart after the race they could find little sign of wear, and were confident it could have run for another 24 hours! Quite an achievement given that the engines in two of the Sauber-Mercedes C11s did not manage to complete the race. The victory for the 787B came as a surprise to everyone, Mazda included, and the car is a must have in a Le Mans collection.
The model is the first to be released under Autoart's 1/18 signature range, and was priced at around £95. Packaging is a polystyrene box and cardboard outer, and the model even comes with its own cleaning cloth and magnifying glass!
