Mazda 787B to lap Circuit de la Sarthe 20 years after victory

The Mazda 787B that won the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its victory by lapping the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 11 prior to the start of this year's race.

This particular machine is special: It is the first and only Japanese car to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 787B is also the only rotary engine-powered car to win the race; today's Le Mans rules prohibit rotary engines from competing.

Mazda had to restore this 787B to driving condition, as it has been in the Mazda Museum in Hiroshima, Japan, for most of the years since its victory. The restoration was handled by Mazda employees who worked on the company's original Le Mans project, as well as by engineers from Mazda E&T, a subsidiary engineering company.

Fans who attend this year's race will also be able to see the 787B in action in the driver's parade that travels through the city's center.

Videos and photos that cover the car's restoration and time at Le Mans will be available on Mazda's official Facebook (Mazda Motor Corporation | Facebook) and Youtube (YouTube - ‪MazdaOfficial's Channel‬‏) pages.

YouTube - ‪Testing the restored Mazda 787B (Mine Proving Ground)

Read more plus photos: Le Mans: Mazda 787B to lap Circuit de la Sarthe 20 years after victory - AutoWeek

Another great write-up with pics from Autoblog

Sounds incredible. Definitely a cool site to see for endurance racing Le Mans fans!

 

I will love to see it. This is my all time favorite race car, with the very best exhaust sound of any car ever made.

 

Does that mean if properly tweaked, rotary engines are superior? If we can't have that le mans prototype, sell us the furai mazda!

 

I took these photos of the LeMans-winning car at Monterey one year. It's one of my favorite race cars EVER!

 

That car is pure badass. Hearing it in person a number of years ago at Mazda USA in Irvine is quite inspiring. I hope Mazda continue to further its development of rotary engines. It is a very unique power plant that can upscale Mazda brand to compete with Lotus and other lightweight sports cars.

 

^^Great pics, Chris. This is an amazing machine. It could probably keep up with some of today's best prototype Le Mans races. This particular car produced around 700 hp and could be tuned to 900. Amazing!

 

In the IMSA GTP days you could hear the Mazda's half a track away. Amazing sounding machines.

 

Great post and thanks Chris for the pictures !!

 

YouTube - ‪Mazda787B Onboard lap with Johnny Herbert‬‏