Mazda 1500

When Mazda came to Norway in the early 1960s, it was perceived by most as a completely new brand. But this factory located in Hiroshima, Japan, can trace its history all the way back to 1920.

In the beginning, various industrial products were produced. Production of vehicles started with motorcycles around 1930, and the first cars came as light trucks a few years later. Passenger cars in series production started in 1960 with the small R-360. Later came the models 1500 and 1800 which were some beautiful models with a design from Bertone. Mazda started out as one of the first car manufacturers with wankel engines in their cars. The first model was a sports car with a nice design. Sales of Mazda in Norway started in 1967. Mazda quickly reached the top of sales with the models 818, 616 and 929. Reliable cars with a good price appealed to Norwegian car buyers. Since then, Mazda has been known for its family cars.

The Mazda 1500 was designed by the Italian designer Bertone. This handsome family car debuted in 1965, and hit the market in 1967. Well equipped and with a modern overhead cam engine, this was the model with which the factory wanted to gain market share. Here in Norway, Mazda was relatively unknown, but this model was well received by the Norwegian public. Mazda quickly became known for operational reliability and problem-free car maintenance. When it came to road safety, this model was top notch. Many car dealers who previously sold English cars saw that Mazda had good opportunities and started selling them. The Mazda 1500 was delivered both as a passenger car and station wagon. In 1968, a model with a larger engine came into production. It had the designation Mazda 1800.