Mazda 616

A relatively simple family car with a powerful engine, plenty of space and equipment that made it very competitive. The car was extremely reliable and that was something most people appreciated.

The road to today's cars

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.

One of the very first models to really hit the Norwegian market was the Mazda 616. Here, Mazda offered a relatively simple family car with a powerful engine, plenty of space and equipment that made it very competitive. Compared to its European competitors, it was truly competitive. With a relatively simple construction, this model was not quite at its best on bad Norwegian country roads. Accessibility on winter roads was not the best on the market either. But the car was extremely reliable and that was something most people appreciated. Compared to European family cars at the same time, the Mazda 616 was probably a thought more reliable. In countries other than Norway, it could also be delivered with a Wankel engine. The model was produced between 1970 and 1978. It received several updates during this period, including a new design of the grill and rear lights.