Mazda Familia
The
Mazda Familia is a long-running nameplate used by
Mazda for their
small family cars or
compact cars manufactured between 1964 and 2003, with 10,589,052 sold worldwide. The Familia was marketed under various names, including
1000,
1200, and
1300,
800,
808, and
818. In many markets, however, the more recent Familias were known as
Mazda 323. In North America, the names
Mazda GLC and then
Mazda Protégé were used. In
South Africa, it was known as the
Etude. The Familia formed the basis of the
Ford Laser and
Meteor in Asia, Australia and from 1991, the
Ford Escort and
Mercury Tracer in North America.
Familias were built in
Hiroshima,
Japan, although they were also assembled in
Taiwan,
Malaysia,
South Africa,
Colombia and
New Zealand. The Familia line was replaced by the
Mazda Axela in 2004.
1964
The first production Familia appeared in October 1963, and was a commercial two-door wagon called the
Familia Van. It was joined in 1964 with a sedan, styled by
Giugiaro, and was later sold in other markets as the
800. Both were powered by a 782 cc aluminum inline 4 engine.
The Familia received a larger 985 cc engine for 1965, and a
coupe variant was introduced as well.
1967
The new Familia appeared in 1967 with a 987 cc engine. It was sold as the
Mazda 1000 in some markets. It also formed the basis for the
Mazda R100 rotary car. A larger 1169 cc
I4 engine came along later, becoming the
Mazda 1200 for export.
The 1970 Familia featured a 1.3
L TC engine and new styling. It was exported as the
Mazda 1300 and
Mazda 818.
Engines:
- 1968-1973 - 987 cc I4, 50 hp (37 kW)/56 ft·lbf (77 N·m)
- 1968-1970 - 1.2 L (1169 cc) I4, 58 hp (43 kW)/69 ft·lbf (94 N·m)
- 1970-1973 - 1.3 L (1272 cc) TC I4, 2 barrel, 69 hp (51 kW)/67 ft·lbf (92 N·m)
1200 (USA)
The "1200" was offered in the United States in 1971 and again in 1973. The 1971 version was the first piston-powered Familia sold in the United States and arrived alongside its
rotary R100 in 2- and 4-door forms. It was replaced by the
808 the next year. The name returned for 1973 as the base-model economy Mazda. The company focused on performance for two more years, dropping the economy car, then returned with the
Mizer in 1976.
Engines:
- 1971, 1973 - 1.2 L (1169 cc) I4, 58 hp (43 kW)/69 ft·lbf (94 N·m)
1973
The 1973 Familia
Preso featured a 1272 cc engine. It was sold as the
Mazda 808 in some export markets such as
New Zealand and Australia and Asia Pacific markets and
Mazda 818 in many others (presumably due to the usage of numbers with a middle zero by
Peugeot for its automotive models). In Japan this model is also known as the Mazda Grand Familia and its top line model is a 2 door coupe with twin round headlamp and a rotary powered engine known as the RX3.
This generation was available in coupe, sedan, and station wagon forms. Engines were inline 4 cylinders and included a 1272 cc, a 1490 cc, and a 1586 cc option.
Engines:
- 1973-1976 - 987 cc I4, 50 hp (37 kW)/56 ft·lbf (77 N·m)
- 1970-1973 - 1.3 L (1272 cc) TC I4, 2 barrel, 69 hp (51 kW)/67 ft·lbf (92 N·m)
- 1973-1976 - 1.6 L (1586 cc) I4, 80 hp (60 kW)/91 ft·lbf (124 N·m)
Mizer (USA)
For 1976 and 1977, the 1.3 L version was sold as the
Mazda Mizer in the United States.
Engines:
- 1976-1977 - 1.3 L (1272 cc) TC I4, 2 barrel, 69 hp (51 kW)/67 ft·lbf (92 N·m)
808 (USA)
The
Mazda 808 was sold in 1972 and 1973 (on the previous platform), then updated and sold through 1977. This name was given only to the 1.6 L version of the Familia.
The 808 cost $2997, which was some $200 above the
Honda Civic and
Toyota Corolla. The car came with a "pleasant" 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission.
Engines:
- 1972-1977 - 1.6 L (1590 cc) 1600 I4, 1-barrel, 70 hp (52 kW)/82 ft·lbf (111 N·m)
1977
1977-1980 Mazda Familia hatchback
The
Great Little Car or
GLC debuted for 1977 as a standout in the
rear wheel drive subcompact crowd, replacing the 818/Mizer. There was a choice of hatchbacks and station wagon bodies, both available with a 3 or 5 door bodystyle. Three
Mazda engines were on offer, the 985 cc
PC, 1272 cc
TC, or 1416 cc
UC. It shared many parts with the older
Mazda RX-3.
In South Africa a 1600 cc model was available - however this model did not have a
Mazda engine, unlike the rest of the range. In order to satisfy that country's local content regulations, a
Mitsubishi Saturn 1.6 litre unit was used.
The range was replaced in 1980, however the station wagon models continued in production until 1985. In 1981 a facelift was given to the wagon range, to give a front end treatment similar to Mazda's front-wheel drive 323/Familia range.
The
Mazda 323 name appeared for the first time on export models.
GLC (USA)
For the United States, the GLC, advertised as the Great Little Car, was only offered with one engine at a time. The new GLC overlapped with the old-style Mizer for part of 1977 and was produced through 1980 before being replaced by the next-generation GLC.
The first
Mazda GLC was a version of the fourth-generation Japan-market Mazda Familia.
It was available in several body variants:
- Five-door four-seat hatch.
- Three-door four-seat hatch.
- Five-door four-seat station wagon.
- Three-door four-seat station wagon.
- Three-door two-seat van with an extended roof profile.
Several of these were available in several trim levels.
Engines:
- 1.0 L PC, 45 hp (33.6 kW)/51 ft·lbf (69 N·m)
- 1.3 L TC (1977-1978)
- 1.4 L UC (1979-1980)
Later, a five-speed manual gearbox was introduced as an alternative to the original four-speed manual gearbox. At the same time the original 7
in (17.8
cm) round sealed beam headlights were replaced with square sealed beam units on all models except the van, together with a general styling and mechanical upgrade. A three-speed automatic gearbox was also available throughout the model run.
When the next generation front-wheel-drive Familia/323/GLC models were released in 1980, the wagon and van models continued unchanged, due to Mazda not developing wagon models for the newer range. A facelift however was given to the wagons in 1981, which gave the models the front clip (albeit with different bumpers) of the front-wheel-drive models. Production of the wagons continued to 1985, when a new front-wheel-drive model was introduced.
In Indonesia this Mazda type was reborn by Indomobil. They rename it to Mazda MR90 (Hatchback) [1990-1992], Baby Boomers (Hatchback} [1992-1994], and Vantrend (Station Wagon) [1993-1997]. All this Mazda type headlamp is using Mazda 626 GC platform models and have a different bumpers. For engine, this version only using UC 1.4 engine and 5 speed transmission. This car was make for intermediate soriety because this car price is cheap enough than other car in the year of this car was made.
1980
The 1980 BD 1051 Familia was entirely new - it was Mazda's first
front-engine,
front wheel drive subcompact car. It had been developed with some input from
Ford, and had a twin called the
Ford Laser (and
Ford Meteor, for its four-door model in
Australia). The 1.4 L
UC engine was dropped, and offered the newer 1.3 L
E3 and 1.5 L
E5 as options.
Engines:
- 1980-1985 - 1.1 L (1071 cc) E1, 1 barrel, 55 hp (40 kW)/58 ft·lbf (79 N·m)
- 1980-1985 - 1.3 L (1296 cc) E3, 2 barrel, 68 hp (50 kW)/70 ft·lbf (95 N·m)
- 1980-1985 - 1.5 L (1490 cc) E5, 2 barrel, 75 hp (55 kW)/85 ft·lbf (116 N·m)
- 1980-1985 - 1.5 L (1490 cc) E5S, 2x2 barrel, 85 hp (63 kW)/88 ft·lbf (120 N·m)
For the Japanese market 2 other top end models were offered, the 2 door Familia XGI with a 1500cc single cam, single point fuel injected engine and an XGI Turbo R with a turbo added in. Its twin the Ford Laser S were also offered with the same specifications but in limited numbers.
This particular Familia was a strong comeback for Mazda in the Japanese market, even outselling the Toyota Corolla on several occasions.
GLC (USA)
The second-generation American GLC appeared in 1981. It was only offered with a single engine (the 2 barrel 1.5 L) and lasted through 1985, after which it was replaced by the next-generation Mazda 323.
The 1980 323 featured a 1.5 L engine, and was
front wheel drive. It was available as a hatchback and sedan. The 1980 Carol/323 was the first front-engine, front-wheel drive vehicle from Mazda since the rare
R130. A
station wagon version, which was simply a facelifted version of the previous rear-drive model, was also sold. The 323 was
Wheels magazine's
Car of the Year for 1980.
Engine options:
- 1980-1987 - 1.1 L E1 I4, 55 hp (41 kW) and 79 N·m (58 ft·lbf)
- 1980-1987 - 1.3 L E3 I4, 60 hp (44 kW) and 95 N·m (70 ft·lbf)
- 1980-1987 - 1.5 L E5 I4, 75 hp (56 kW) and 116 N·m (86 ft·lbf)
- 1981-1985 - 1.5 L (1490 cc) E5, 2 barrel, 75 hp (55 kW)/85 ft·lbf (116 N·m)
1985
The 1985 Familia featured many updates. It was available as a hatchback or sedan only for the first year, a wagon being added for 1986.
As before, it spawned a
Ford Laser twin sold in the Asia-Pacific. The Laser sedan and wagon were nearly identical to the Familia but with a Ford grille. By contrast the Laser hatchback model, which was sold in the US as the
Mercury Tracer used completely different panels from the Familia's.
This generation was sold through the 1989 model year in the United States. The wagon continued alongside the succeeding generation in most markets until 1995, with a new grille and lights.
The model remained in production in
South Africa, as an entry-level model, also being sold as the Ford Tonic until 2003. A locally designed pick-up called the Rustler was also produced, and sold as the
Ford Bantam. In 1991, the
South African-made model was exported to the
United Kingdom as the
Sao Penza.
A rare cabriolet version was also produced in both Mazda 323 and
Ford Laser (323 panels from firewall back) forms. This was not a conversion, as it was actually a factory built model designed to be a cabriolet from the outset.
Engines:
- 1985-1986 - 1.1 L (1071 cc) E1, 2 barrel, 8-valve, 55 hp (40 kW)/59 ft·lbf (80 N·m)
- 1985-1986 - 1.3 L (1296 cc) E3, 2 barrel, 8-valve, 68 hp (50 kW)/71 ft·lbf (97 N·m)
- 1987-1989 - 1.3 L (1324 cc) B3, 2 barrel, 66 hp (49 kW)/74 ft·lbf (101 N·m)
- 1985-1989 - 1.5 L (1498 cc) B5, 2 barrel, 12-valve, 73 hp (54 kW)/81 ft·lbf (110 N·m)
- 1985-1989 - 1.6 L (1597 cc) B6, 8-valve, 103 hp (76 kW)/98 ft·lbf (133 N·m)
- 1985-1989 - 1.6 L (1597 cc) B6T, turbo, 16-valve, 143 hp (105 kW)/138 ft·lbf (187 N·m)
- 1985-1989 - 1.7 L (1720 cc) PN, Diesel, 8-valve, 57 hp (42 kW)/79 ft·lbf (107 N·m)
- 1985-1988 - 1.5 L (1490 cc) E5, 2 barrel, 8-valve, 73 hp (54 kW) 4WD, Model BF5R (J-Spec only)
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USDM Mazda 323 hatchback (6th Generation)
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1989
This generation of Familia had hatchback, sedan and wagon (carried over from 1985) variants, which shared no body panels — a policy that may have led to Mazda's financial difficulties in the 1990s. The
Familia Astina was a 5-door fastback version of this Familia, sold as the 323F or 323 Astina elsewhere.
The 1989/1990
BG Familia was available in
hatchback or
sedan formats, with front- or
all-wheel drive and a 1.3 L, 1.5 L, 1.6 L, or 1.8 L gas or 1.7 L
diesel engine. In
North America, the 323 sedan became the Protegé, while the 323 hatchback remained the same name. The Protegé was in competition with the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, while the 323 hatchback competed with the
Geo Metro and
Toyota Tercel.
The
GT model, only sold in Canada in 1990, 1991 and 1993, came with the 1.8
BP engine also found on the 1994-97
Mazda Miata. It borrowed the interior from the GTX model, and had all factory options including a rear trunk spoiler not available in America. Ford also had a twin called the Laser in the
Asian Pacific for this generation, but sold it in the United States as the Escort. It no longer resembled the Mazda versions externally.
The
JDM GTX model featured
all wheel drive, Limited slip differentials and a
turbocharged 1.8 L
BP engine. In the U.S. the Protégé came with a 1.8 L non-turbo, with the
AWD. In 1992, the rare JDM
GT-R rally version was added featuring a number of performance enhancements over the GTX model: a stronger gearbox (
G5M-R), sodium filled exhaust valve stems, an aggressive front bumper and bonnet vents, stronger engine internals, larger upgraded roller-bearing turbo and homologated five stud wheel hubs.
In
Japan, the 5-door hatchback, featuring a distinct front end with pop-up headlights, was sold as the
Mazda Familia Astina and
Eunos 100. Trim lines in Japan included
Clair,
Interplay,
Supreme, and
GT-X.
The car donated its mechanicals/Unibody to the 1991-1996 Ford Escort and
Mercury Tracer and 1994-1997
Kia Sephia in North America, as well as the
Ford Laser in Australia and South Africa.
In America, the LX version of the Protégé became known for its interior room (for its class), sporty handling, and revvy 125 horsepower engine. LX models also had 14-inch wheels, front and rear disc brakes, and dual stabilizer bars.
Production of the 1994 model ended on
May 24,
1994.
Engines:
- 1989-1991 - 1.6 L (1598 cc) B6, 1 barrel, 8-valve, 87 hp (64 kW)/92 ft·lbf (125 N·m)
- 1989-1994 - 1.8 L (1839 cc) B8, FI, 16-valve SOHC, 103 hp (77 kW)/108 ft·lbf (133 N·m)
- 1989-1994 - 1.8 L (1839 cc) BP, FI, 16-valve DOHC, 125 hp (96 kW)/118 ft·lbf (160 N·m)
- 1989-1991 - 1.8 L (1839 cc) BPT, FI, 16-valve DOHC, turbo, 163 hp (120 kW)/159 ft·lbf (216 N·m)
- 1991-1994 - 1.8 L (1839 cc) Mazda B engine#B8, FI, 16-valve SOHC, 165 hp
- 1992-1993 - 1.8 L (1839 cc) BPD, FI, 16-valve DOHC, turbo, 210 hp (156 kW)/173 ft·lbf (235 N·m). Powered the Familia GT-R
- 1990-1993 - 1.3 L (1324 cc) B3, 1 barrel, 75 hp (55 kW)/76 ft·lbf (104 N·m)
- 1990-1993 - 1.7 L (1720 cc) PN, Diesel, 8-valve, 57 hp (42 kW)/79 ft·lbf (107 N·m)
1990-1992 Mazda Protégé DX sedan (US)
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1994
The 1995
BH model was available internationally (The
BH model was released for the Japanese Domestic Market the previous year, in 1994) with both
front wheel drive and
all wheel drive. Production of this generation started on
August 8,
1994, and ceased on
June 18,
1998.
However, Japan did see an unusual model with this generation after 1995, with the cancellation of the 1985-generation station wagon. The
Mazda Familia Van offered after this year was a
rebadged Nissan Sunny California, which was essentially the station wagon version of the
Nissan Sunny.
This generation of Familia grew considerably, with the four-door sedan's wheelbase only a few millimetres short of the then-current
Toyota Camry, a
mid-size car.
The rare North American ES model is the only Protegé that came with the Miata's 1.8-liter twin-cam engine (though the internals were not the same), 4-wheel disc brakes, and dual stabilizer bars.
Engines:
- 1994-1998 - 1.5 L (1489 cc) Z5, FI, 16-valve DOHC, 89 hp (66 kW)/97 ft·lbf (132 N·m)
- 1994-1996 - 1.8 L (1840 cc) B8, 114 hp (84 kW)/115 ft·lbf (157 N·m)
- 1994-1996 - 2.0 L (1995 cc) KF V6, FI, 24-valve DOHC, 144 hp (106 kW)/132 ft·lbf (180 N·m)
- 1995-1999 - 1.3 L (1324 cc) B3, 74 hp (54 kW)/77 ft·lbf (105 N·m)
- 1995-1999 - 1.8 L (1840 cc) BP, FI, 16-valve DOHC, 131 hp (96 kW)/118 ft·lbf (160 N·m)
- 1995-1999 - 2.0 L (1998 cc) RF, Diesel, 8-valve, 71 hp (52 kW)/94 ft·lbf (128 N·m)
Models:
- 4-door sedan (called the Protegé in North America)
- 3-door hatchback (Familia Neo in Japan, 323c in Europe Laser Lynx)
- A tall wagon, called the Familia Van, was also available in Japan. In South Africa, this model was known as the Mazda Etude.
323f/Astina/Lantis
A five door hatchback and four door sedan, both featuring pillarless doors and distinct sheetmetal from other 323s was sold in Japan as the
Mazda Lantis, in
Australia and
South Africa as the
Mazda 323 Astina, in
Colombia as the
Mazda Allegro and in
Europe as the
Mazda 323f. They were built on platforms distinct from the other
323s. The bodyshape was designed by former
Porsche designers. The
Lantis was on the
CB, a minor update of the
CA that underpinned the
luxury Mazda Xedos 6 and
Eunos 500. The European
323f was designated
BA, but was actually almost identical to the
CB, and had little to do with other
B platforms. These models were sold with the 1.5 L and 1.8 L engines seen in the rest of the 323 range, as well as a 2.0 L
V6 shared with the
Eunos 500.
Familia Neo/323c/Laser Lynx
The Familia Neo started production for the Japanese Domestic Market in 1994. Ford released a rebadged version which was mechanically the same although different bumpers, headlights and bonnet were fitted, badged as the Ford Laser-Lynx in Japan and Australia. This model was only available as the Ford Laser-Lynx in the Australian market, as Mazda already had the 323 Astina Hatch filling the gap for a hatchback in the Mazda range. Oddly enough to contradict this, Mazda Australia also offered two 323 sedans, the Astina/Lantis hardtop and the 323 Protege until production of both models ceased in 1998. This was released new in
New Zealand as the Mazda 323 Neo. It featured a glass rear hatch, much like the
Honda CR-X. Aesthetically the Familia Neo was very close in looks to a Mazda Lantis/323F and equated to a 2 door version and also shared the Lantis suspension. The top spec Mazda Neo was fitted with a DOHC 1800 cc BP engine which produced around 100
kw, this was the same engine fitted to the base model Mazda Lantis. It was also sold for a single year (1995) in
Canada as
323 Neo GS. In Europe it was named Mazda 323 C (stand for
coupe) and it was equipped with 1.3 L SOHC (75 PS), 1.5 L
DOHC 16V (88 PS), and 1.8 L DOHC 16V (115 PS) engine.
There was a
MAZDASPEED touring kit released in
Asia for Familia 96-98:
1995-1996 Mazda Protege LX (US)
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1999-2003
A redesigned
ninth-generation BJ Familia was introduced on
June 9,
1998 as a 1999 model. Body styles were the sedan, 5-door
S-Wagon (sold as the
Protegé5 in the United States and Canada, and Astina NU in some Asian countries), 3-door hatchback, and traditional 5-door
Wagon. A
4EC automatic transmission and two 5-speed
manual transmissions are available.
All wheel drive is optional.
The 1999
BJ platform was updated with a 4-door sedan or 5-door hatchback chassis based on the larger
Mazda 626 and more engine choices. The Japanese Mazda Familia again got
all wheel drive as an option. In America, the ES's engine was still 1.8 liters large but was a shrunken version of the 626's engine rather than the Miata's more exciting motor. Disc brakes on the ES were also lost.
The
Familia Van and
Familia Business Wagon were introduced for 2000, and continued to be supplied by
Nissan under an
OEM deal, based on the
Wingroad.
The entire line was updated for 2001 with sharper styling, a revised suspension, and a new audio system.
A 2.0 L gas engine appeared in 2001 on the Japanese market Sport 20. A tall wagon version of the Familia called the
Mazda Premacy was also available, and which was sold in Japan as the
Ford Ixion. In 1999, Ford of Japan ceased to market Mazda-based models, and the
Ford Laser, along with the Ixion,
Telstar and
Festiva, was dropped.
For the 2001 model year in North America, Mazda introduced the limited-edition
Protegé MP3 featuring a new sport-tuned suspension, 17 inch Racing Hart wheels, and a 10 hp (7.5 kW) gain for a total of 140 hp (104 kW), which was achieved through a tuned factory ECU which advances ignition timing and requires Premium Pump Gasoline, cat-back exhaust by Racing Beat, and removal of the Mazda VTCS system which hindered air velocity in the intake manifold. As the name suggests, the MP3 also came from the factory with a complete 450-watt Kenwood powered
MP3 stereo with 10 inch powered subwoofer. Only 1500 were produced - 1000 of the blue, and 500 yellows.
2001 also saw Protegés getting a sharper face lift, the ES getting its rear disc brakes back and a stiffer suspension, and the 1.8 L engine growing to 2.0 L in the ES models, and also an option on the LX model, becoming the 2.0LX. All 2001 Protege LX's with no 2.0 distinction came with the 1.6 L ZM-DE engine offered previously.
2002 saw the introduction of a station wagon version called Protegé5. All Proteges (including the 5) got the 2.0 L engine this year and a slightly revised interior.
A
Protegé 5 was introduced as another limited edition, having a revised 2.0 L engine, offering 130 hp (127 kW)/135 ft·lbf (180 N·m)
In 2003,
Mazdaspeed introduced the
Mazdaspeed Protegé, an update to the Protegé MP3 that had a 170 hp (127 kW)/160 ft·lbf (217 N·m)
turbocharged engine, shared the MP3's full Racing Beat suspension, redesigned 17 inch wheels, larger four-wheel
disc brakes, and a
Kenwood stereo system that included an amplifier along with a rear-deck mounted 8 inch sub. Mazda then followed with a mid year change dubbed the "2003.5." This model included a different aero-kit, the same 17 inch Racing Beat wheels, but with a darker color, and custom interior pieces. In total, there were only 4,500 Mazdaspeed Protegé models ever produced. (1,750 Black/Orange (2003) and 2,750 Yellow/Titanium/Blue/Silver (2003.5/7))
Also of note in the 2003 model is that the ES model received a tiptronic Automatic transmission as an option, as well as a new wheel design refresh appearing on models with the 15 inch alloy rim option. This was also the last year of production for the Protegé.
This generation went into production on
September 29,
1998, and the very last model rolled off the assembly line on
October 2,
2003. It remains in production in
Taiwan, where it is also
badged as the
Ford Activa, which, unlike the
Ford Laser, has no styling changes from the 323, except for the badges. (In
Southeast Asia, a version of the last Laser is still assembled in
Indonesia,
Malaysia and the
Philippines as the
Ford Lynx).
This Generation is also still in production as at 2008, in Asia (Taiwan) As the Mazda
Genki (sold as hatch and sedan and with little or no styling differences to the original 1998 production model), and in some South American countries (Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela), badged as The Mazda Allegro. Each Allegro keep in the styling of the last generation 323/Protege/Astina/Familia.
In
Colombia, production of the Mazda 323 continued well until 2003, built by its local subsidiary, the
Compañía Colombiana Automotriz. The 323 remains to this day one of the most successful cars made in the country and many models made across the years can still be seen in the streets of most Colombian and
Andean cities.
Oddly enough, the "boxy" look that characterized the vehicle during the 1980s and the early 1990s remained until production's end due to the demand of the local market for the car's lines.
Chinese company
FAW Haima Automobile Co., Ltd. produces a restyled version of 323 called Haima Family. It is equipped with a 1.6 L gasoline engine mated with either a 5-speed manual gearbox or 4-speed automatic gearbox.
Engines:
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2002-2003 Mazda Protege5 (North America)
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2001-2003 Mazda Protege DX sedan (US)
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MazdaSpeed Protege (North America)
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2004
The Familia was replaced by the new
BK model known as
Axela/Mazda3 for 2004. The Axela/Mazda3 comes in both 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback varieties, with a 2.0 litre engine on the 3i sedan and a 2.3 litre engine on the 3s sedan and the hatchback. It shares a platform with the current generation
Volvo S40 and the second generation Ford Focus (not sold in
North America).
Racing
A Protege is currently used in the Speed Touring Car Championship.