![]() The coupé and sedan were mechanically identical, with front MacPherson struts and a coil sprung solid axle at the back mounted on four links with a transverse Panhard rod providing addition location. This Capella was designed with more concern for aerodynamics and achieved a Cx value of 0.38. It was, however, offered in the rest of Europe and this and later generations were particularly popular in Germany. A bolder front and rear facelift, though similar in appearance, was carried out in September 1980 but this model was not sold in the UK, where the Montrose's styling remained unchanged. Models equipped with 1.6 or 1.8-liter engines came with a more pronounced sloping grille and models with the 2-liter engine came with a more flush grille. Early models had two slightly different frontal treatments. It was released in 1978, although the model's introduction to most markets was delayed until 1979. The Montrose was offered as an alternative to the Ford Cortina, which was popular at the time. It was known on export markets as the 626, with the exception of the United Kingdom, where the vehicle was called the Mazda Montrose, the name being changed to honor the local Mazda dealership in Montrose. ![]() The second-generation rear-wheel drive Capella was available between October 19, in both sedan and coupé forms. Lasting just one year, the 618 nameplate was not used again in the United States and the only federalized version of the Capella for 1973 was the RX-2. The American Capella was updated and renamed the next year: the 1972 Mazda 618 had a larger 1.8-liter (1796 cc) VB engine which was only used in the US and not related to the similarly-sized "VC" used in the rest of the world. It featured the 1.6-liter (1586 cc) engine, which was later used in the 808. The Mazda 616 was a major component of Mazda's United States expansion in 1971, having been preceded by its rotary brother, the RX-2, the previous year. South African production of the Capella Rotary continued into 1979, since Sigma had taken the decision not to build the second-generation Capella there but to focus on the Colt Galant instead. At the end of that year, the Capella RS was introduced-this lowered version with Rostyle wheels was limited to 20 cars per month. The facelift version arrived two years late there, in mid-1976. The rotary claimed 97 kW (132 PS 130 hp) SAE in South Africa. In South Africa, where the Capella was assembled first by Illings and then by Sigma, it was available with the 1600 or 1800 reciprocal engines as well as the rotary. The 616 was also built but was much less popular. It was the first and only rotary-engined car ever to be assembled in the country and was made as both a sedan, with manual or automatic transmission and a manual-only coupé. The RX-2 was assembled under contract in New Zealand from 1972 for Mazda New Zealand by Motor Industries International in Otahuhu, South Auckland. This was the only generation that had the rotary engine offered. ![]() In Japan, the installation of a rotary engine gave Japanese buyers a financial advantage when it came time to pay the annual road tax in that they bought a car that was more powerful than a traditional inline engine, but without having the penalty for having an engine in the higher 1.5-liter tax bracket. The facelift rotary version received the CB12S chassis code rather than S122A. This model received an optional 1.8-liter (1769 cc) engine for some markets and in Japan it was sold with the "AP" suffix, for "Anti-Pollution". This facelift included a restyled front end (lengthened by 110 mm) and a redesigned dashboard. The Capella received a fairly thorough facelift in February 1974. In addition to the 1.6, a Capella 1500 was added in October 1970. There was also a Mazda 618 briefly sold in the United States.Īn optional Mazda Wankel engine was offered and known as the Capella Rotary in Japan or the Mazda RX-2 for export. This generation was sold in export markets as the Mazda 616 in sedan and, for some markets, coupé configurations. The taillight design was changed repeatedly over the production run. From 1972 all models received the double headlamps. The first models all had rectangular headlights, while the rotary-engined models received round twin headlamps beginning in October 1971. Output is 92 or 100 PS (68 or 74 kW), respectively and 144 N⋅m (106 lb⋅ft) of torque for the larger displacement version. It was powered by four-cylinder SOHC valve engines displacing either 1.5 or 1.6 liters. The first Capella was introduced in May 1970 and lasted until 1978, and was introduced as an intermediate alternative to the smaller Mazda Familia and the larger Mazda Luce. Longitudinal front-engine, rear-wheel drive First-facelift Mazda 616 sedan (Europe), 1973–1974
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