Some might say that rotary engines are an acquired taste. That could literally be true in the case of this second-generation Mazda Familia, which absolutely and utterly annihilated its under-hood innards in a spectacular fashion not often seen outside tractor pull events, or NHRA alcohol dragster competition. Nobody was hurt as far as we know, which is pretty amazing considering the amount of metal this engine ejected.
We don't know much about the car itself, save that it looks to be a two-door Familia from the early 1970s. Originally, these cars were fitted with a 1.0-liter rotary capable of making a respectable 100 horsepower. We're going to go out on a limb and say this car makes a tad more than that, or rather, it did before its biblical explosion.
And we do mean biblical – keep a close eye to the video clip and you'll see high-speed shrapnel zinging in all directions, never mind the heaping pile of metal beneath the car. Word is the flywheel let go with the engine spinning upwards of 10,000 RPM. Here's another view of the action . . . holy crap doesn't even begin to cover it.
By now, you're probably thinking the driver of this Mazda was a complete tool for revving the pee out of it for no reason. That's where you're wrong, because this car was apparently competing in a loud exhaust competition at Rotary Revival 6 – a massive gathering of rotary fans that just took place in Sydney, Australia. That would explain why the driver was achieving maximum brap, not to mention the guy standing off to the side with what we'll assume is a decibel meter. Being so close to the explosion, we suspect he may have been looking for a fresh pair of underwear once things calmed down a bit.
Here's hoping this mighty Mazda is resurrected so that it may once again scream the song of its people.
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