Mazda's 1990s Cosmo coupe offers smooth, luxurious performance motoring at an affordable grey import price. By Cliff Chambers.

Among the flood of Japanese imports arriving every year, Mazda's free-spinning Cosmo stands out for its rarity and cutting edge technology.For a country which in the space of a decade achieved dominance in so many sectors of the world automotive market, Japan's inability to compete in the realm of luxury grand-touring cars is hard to understand.

Not until the late 1980s did the penny - or yen - drop with a thud in the charcoal-suited boardrooms of Tokyo and Toyota City. Nissan led the way with a twin-turboed 300ZX, then the 'Godzilla' GT-R. Honda followed with the Ferrari-inspired NSX and Mitsubishi chimed in by way of the 3000GT.

For 1991, Toyota transformed its Cressida-based Soarer into a Lexus, with V-eight or twin-turbo six-cylinder powerplants. Even Subaru had a go but its oddball SVX didn't make the cut. That left Toyo Kogyo - Mazda to you and me - which in 1985 had displayed the MX-03 concept car and by 1990 was ready to launch a production version.

Carrying Eunos emblems, the chunky and handsome 'two plus two' came with power-operated everything and offered buyers the choice of twin or triple-rotor engines. Perhaps sensing that this car might well be the last rotary-powered Mazda product, the marketing department delved into history to revive the Cosmo name.

In twin-rotor 13B form, the Eunos Cosmo generated 172kW with 294Nm of usable torque; however, this was not the engine which would drag status-seeking Japanese out of their SEC Mercedes or 8-Series BMWs.

Optional and significantly more expensive was the triple-rotor 20B. Under Japanese convention, maximum advertised engine output is limited to 206kW, but according to David Morris of Sydney-based Cosmo specialist DMRH, factory-stock triples develop better than 220kW and have the capacity to reach 400kW when highly-modified.

Displacing in conventional terms less than two litres, rotary engines generate prodigious performance by virtue of internal efficiencies, high engine speeds and the ability to metabolise fuel at the same rate as a six-litre V-eight. The dual-rotor RX7 in which Allan Moffat won the 1983 Australian Touring Car Championship generated a claimed 255kW without benefit of turbocharging, but at the cost of 11,000 ear-splitting rpm and a 2.5km/lt thirst.

The triple-rotor Cosmo developed just 10 percent fewer kWs than Moffat's flame-spitting racer, but did so far more economically and quietly. Turbo One made its presence known from 2000rpm - at which point torque output was already at 390Nm - and by the time T2 joined the party at 3500rpm, peak torque of 402Nm had already been achieved. Factory figures for City Cycle motoring cite a realistic 16.7lt/100km - improving to 11lt/100km on the highway.

Suspension was very much Jaguar-inspired, with double wishbones at the front, independent with four shock-absorbers and limited-slip differential at the rear. Four-wheel disc brakes came from Mazda's hefty 929 sedan; ABS standard on tri-rotor cars and optional on twins.

Four levels of trim and equipment were offered, but Australian buyers are most likely to encounter the Elegant Car Control System (ECCS) version with leather seat trim, six-speaker, 12-stack sound, on-board television and GPSS navigational guidance via a large dash-mounted screen. Although neither GPS or television reception will currently work in Australia, ECCS cars can be identified by a hump in the roof which houses the GPS sensor.

ON THE ROAD
Our 'test' car is not the DMRH-owned example in the photographs, but Fred Cox's 1993 model 20B.

From outside, the cabin looks broad and inviting; those deep, leather-bound seats as comfortable as they appear - but closing the door is not a recommended move for claustrophobics. Subscribing to Mazda's 'horse and rider' philosophy which worked so well in the MX5, the dash curves to envelope occupants in a semi-circle of vinyl. Something akin to occupying a corner table in Tokyo's top karaoke bar - but far quieter.

The central console is broad and beautifully-trimmed, the leather-bound steering wheel and seat adjust electrically, but nothing can be done about the gear selector which sits 10cm too high for rapid or comfortable self-shifting.

Select drive, apply minimal pressure to the long-travel accelerator pedal and the Eunos glides serenely into the afternoon light. Those expecting the ear-wrenching cackle normally associated with rotaries will be pleasantly surprised; engine noise is virtually non-existent until revs get close to the 7000rpm redline. At that point the dual exhausts' subdued burble is supplanted by a jet-like howl - by then the driver's eyes are far too busy concentrating on a rapidly-approaching horizon to spare a glance for the difficult-to-read tachometer.

Given its head, the Cosmo is a seriously quick car. Road test figures quote sub-15sec times for the standing 400m and 0-100km/h in a wink over 6sec. Midrange performance is mind-boggling; 50-100km/h takes around 4sec and Cox describes the car's open-road overtaking abilities as "awesome".

Exploring the Cosmo's ultimate cornering capabilities wasn't possible in the confines of suburban Brisbane, but if well-weighted, accurate steering and excellent damping count for anything, the Cosmo should tackle high-speed bends with the same assurance it displayed around town.

Deceleration is rapid once the pedal is pushed, but therein lies a problem. Seeking perhaps to emulate Europeans - like Audi, which for years couldn't mount pedals anywhere near where the driver's feet were - the Cosmo's brake pedal is 5cm above the throttle. The vital milliseconds needed to shift your foot back and across in an emergency could mean the difference between a near-miss and a serious dent in your no-claim bonus.

Left to its own devices in suburban running, the three-speed - plus overdrive - auto-box will surge disconcertingly as it tries to keep engine speeds stable. Sport mode will hold gears longer during full-throttle acceleration, and for instantaneous response you can always flick the lever back a notch or two. Conversion to five speed (Mazda) or six-speed (Tremec) manual transmission is possible from $2500-$6000.

Working out how to master every aspect of the Cosmo dash will probably take a week and/or a tertiary study in automotive electronics. Its dominant feature is the massive touch-screen which - subject to legalities and a PAL conversion currently under development - can provide on-the-move television or navigational tips via the GPSS. Important controls are ideally located on multi-function stalks, but anything operated via that screen is a mystery which would baffle Columbo.

BUYER'S CHECKLIST
Cosmos are at present in reasonably short supply, but with three compliance holders each authorised to import 25 units, numbers are expected to swell during the coming couple of years.

Production during the Cosmo's six-year lifespan totalled just 9000 units but since virtually all of them were sold within the Japanese market - plans for a left-hand drive version never eventuated - stocks remain reasonably plentiful.

Twin-rotor cars in Sport trim without the leather, GPS or premium sound start below $12,000, with the best of these costing up to $23,000. An average-quality three-rotor will sell for about $16,000, however Morris advises potential owners to choose the best car they can afford.

"Quality, well-maintained cars are rare and quite expensive on the Japanese used-car market," he said. "Imported, complied and fully-serviced, a 20B Cosmo with less than 60,000km on it should cost between $25,000-$30,000. Cheap cars are available under $20,000, but anyone who picks one of those needs to be aware of the potential repair costs."

These cars are extremely well-constructed and with most examples on the Australian market less than a decade old, rust shouldn't be a problem unless the car has been left submerged in a rice paddy. Accident damage is another matter; check for uneven panel gaps and rippling of the inner mudguards, overspray and evidence of 'quickie' repairs to cracked bumpers. To ease the apprehension of your insurer, body panels are available courtesy of importers who cannibalise sound cars for their triple-rotor engines and sell off the remainder. Windscreens are available for $250.

ENGINE
Rotary engines are by nature highly-stressed units and turbocharging only embellishes potential problems. Frequent oil changes, every 3000-5000km, are essential to maximise engine life. David Morris recommends Shell Helix 15/50 and says that well-maintained tri-rotor units will last 160,000km before the apex seals give way. Turbos are less durable and anyone considering a Cosmo with close to 100,000km on the clock will need to budget for a $7000 turbo replacement bill. Mazda sells replacements for the Hitachi-built units - but only in pairs.

TRANSMISSION
The four-speed auto is a proprietary Jatco unit and common to several models, including the Mazda 929 and Nissan Patrol. It's inherently durable but if maintenance has been neglected - a common problem with Japanese-import cars - a replacement costs around $2500. The limited-slip differential is extremely durable.

CHASSIS & SUSPENSION
No real mysteries here; many components are shared with other Mazda products, but the car's weight and hard use will quickly reduce the effectiveness of those six shock-absorbers.

ELECTRICAL
Age rather than kilometres travelled will reveal faults in Cosmo electrical components. Fred Cox reports that his car needed alternator repairs at around 40,000km. Power-window switches, especially the driver's side, also take early retirement, as do LEDs in the dash display. Due to heat generated behind the dash, touch-screens can be rendered blank by power supply failure, but uprated, heat-resistant replacements are available.

INTERIOR TRIM
Everything inside the Cosmo is finished in high-quality materials and cars showing low-kilometres but with wear to the seat bolsters or carpets need to be viewed with suspicion. Replacement trim will need to be sourced second-hand.

See David Morris' comprehensive website: www.dmrh.com.au for all the clues to buying, maintaining or modifying a Cosmo.