There are lots of things to be said on the subject of Mazda’s mid-‘90s mania. The continuing Wankel obsession; the quixotic quest for a multi-marque JDM empire; the dodgy (yet life-saving) Ford alliance; the extremely confusing range. A number of these traits are reflected in the Lantis. As if trying to illustrate this, someone out here bought two almost identical ones, pared them side by side and left them to rot on a Tokyo parking lot. How could I resist?
These Mazdas never made it to North American shores, but they sure found a welcome home in Europe. I do recall seeing many over there back in the day. The JDM, on the other hand, did not bite: only 43,000 out of the 230,000 Lantises made stayed in Japan in about four years, making this a pretty blatant domestic flop for Mazda. JDM sales were halted in 1997, even as exports continued until late 1998. This is not the usual scenario, but it does explain why these are very rarely seen in Japan nowadays.
When this model was launched in 1993, Mazda were in turmoil. They were in the middle of their ill-timed Autozam/M2/ɛ̃fini/Eunos/Amati clustermarque-cum-ego-trip, and some of this ebullient mood spilled over in their hitherto fairly well-ordered car model lines. Broadly speaking, Mazda’s pre-1990 mid-range was represented by the Familia (a.k.a 323 or Protégé, depending on the market) and the Capella, exported as the 626.
But the multiplication of brands in the ‘90s was coupled with a sprouting of new intermediary platforms; cars were being sold under the Autozam and/or M2/Eunos/Mazda/ɛ̃fini badge with different names, more regional names were being invented for foreign markets as well (though the foreign submarque Amati was mercifully stillborn), dogs and cats living together – mass hysteria.
The Lantis’s role was to be a sort-of-but-not-quite-bigger/sportier Familia. This was reflected by the name bestowed upon it on certain markets: these were sold in the EU as the 323F (as opposed to the three-door-only 323C, on a different platform, or the 323S, on yet another platform). Other markets, such as South America and South Africa, called these Astina, or Allegro or Artis. The Lantis existed in two forms: a somewhat flavourless 4-door saloon, or a sportier-looking hatchback. The hatchback was marketed as a “4-door coupé” in Japan. I’m doing my best to bite my tongue; even Wikipedia points out that it was really a 5-door hatchback.
The export versions of this car had their own intricacies and engine options, but as far as the JDM was concerned, the Lantis was supposed to steer clear of the Familia by only offering two powertrain options: the standard engine was a 135hp 1.8 litre 4-cyl., but the higher-trim cars were provided with an all-alloy DOHC 2-litre V6. In normal guise, the V6 churned out a respectable 160hp, but the Type R variant provided an extra 10hp.
I’m not 100% sure that both of these cars are Type Rs, but I reckon the one on the right (i.e. the one pictured above) probably is. It has all the hallmarks of those rare birds, including the rear spoiler and five-spoke alloys. It could be that someone sourced the other car, which has some pretty fatal crash damage, as a parts donor to aid in resurrecting the genuine Type R sitting next to it.
A glance at the rear end or the interior would have provided more clues, alas neither car was very cooperative on that score. Here’s a factory photo of the dash – all very ‘90s Japanese, bland as can be.
On the other hand, the exterior is quite distinctive, with that rounded wedge shape, those tiny headlamps and that hardtop-like greenhouse. Still, a Type R version should provide plenty of entertainment, if this restoration project (notwithstanding my perhaps wildly optimistic or, likelier, completely off-piste musings) ever gets to fruition.
As usual, terrific looking Mazda products that couldn’t find buyers. It must be very frustrating for them. Mazda must really wonder why such stodgy and duller Japanese brands sell better than they do.
Possibly my favourite car of all time, though I didn’t quite get to own one. They may not both be Type ‘R’s, but they are both V6 models as the 4-pot cars got 4-stud hubs.
I think the designer had come from Porsche, where he had been responsible for their prototype 4-door model, many years before the Panamera made it to production.
Most of the cars sold in Europe had 1300 or 1500 motors, and the 4-door Lantis was very very rare as it was grey-import only.
The 4 door was a different model than the 2dr as understand it.
Canada actually got the two door in small volumes under the 323 Neo name but not the four door. See attached.
Great find and colour on these. I saw one of these in the Dominican Republic back in 2016 so they made it there but who knows if that was imported later.
Looks very similar to the Ford Aspire
By IFCAR – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3097101
That looks like the model we got in Australia as the Ford Laser Lynx. It was so unpopular you’d wonder why they bothered. As distinct from these Mazda Astina twins, which from what I saw on the road seemed more popular than the regular Mazda 323.
I was keen on buying an Astina at the time, but was put off by the V6s apparent lack of torque when teamed with the auto. I’d have bought this colour too.
Yup, in Japan that 3-door was the Mazda Familia Neo and Ford Laser Lynx with bug eyes instead – lasted all of 2 years and 4 months under both brands, a mega flop there.
But yes both completely different models to the sedan and liftback Lantis/323F/Astina/many other names.
In Australia we received the 4 and 5 door versions with the 2 litre V6 and 4 cylinder.
We also got the Eunos 30x coupe ala Mazda Mx3 (rather ugly of you ask me, as per the photo) with a 1.8 litre V6. Why it is that the 1980s and 1990s produced many coupes that were worse looking that the 4/5 door versions? It seems that way to me, and at least with the Japanese brands.
The 4 and 5 doors looked a cut above the Nissan and Toyota offerings. From what reports I remember they were sweet to drive but many commented on the pointlessness of have a small complex V6 producing only 140 HP when a decent 2 litre 4 cylinder of the time could be used to produce the same output.
I wasn’t aware of the existence of the 170 hp JDM version of the V6 untill I heard about someone who blew their engine and installed a used JDM import engine. They said this engine made a very noticeable improvement in performance.
There was some rather tipsy thinking falling out of the Japanese bubble makers at the time, including the claim that the roundy Mazda 121’s rear was based upon a girl’s bottom – with a hinge, and knickers made from tailights? – but they were clearly well-on the sake with the claim that that lumpy Eunos coupe came from the ’60 Alfa SZ.
Yeah, and the Nissan Cube was from the Bugatti Atlantique, fellas. Cheers!
Nice find! I can remember these were pretty popular in Tokyo back in the day.- I guess less so in other areas. I heard the little V6 was a gem.
Wow, haven’t seen one of these in a while. We got the Astina-badged 5-door, but as far as I know the 4-door only appeared here as a used import. Great styling for the time – I always felt it looked newer than the succeeding ’98-’03 generation. I can see reference to it in the current 3 hatchback too.
BTW, that’s not a ‘somewhat flavourless four door saloon’, but a genuine Japanese pillared hardtop. 🙂 A friend had one in the same red as the publicity photo. More like a four door two-plus-two, really.
In Colombia it was the Allegro Hatchback with a 1.6 L four. I bought one brand new and sold it 5 yrs later on perfect condition after driving it around the country and even racing it at the autódromo of Tocancipa winning 2 races and two 2nd places and a 4th. the races were the first year of the street car 2000 championship Great, great car. As someone else said Porsche had to do with the design.
Yes all flavours are in NZ including some of the 170hp JDM hotrods Ive been passenger in one it seemed quick, but they are rare now 90s cars are a rapidly vanishing breed, its easier to buy another shiny recent import than fix the one you have that is broken
I know tastes may vary but the four-door definitely wasn’t flavourless. It was very sleek and curvaceous and really pops in person. The five-door was a handsome stylistic evolution of the previous 323F/Lantis/Astina so it felt a little more familiar when it came out here, whereas the four-door was like no other car Mazda had ever offered in Australia.
Buyers seemed to prefer the hatch.
+1
The trio Familia/Astina and Lantis were most beautiful cars of Mazda, unfortunately they came too much ahead of its time, that never seen before tall tail of the Familia 323C scared many people, but 10 years after peolple fell in love for the Citroën C4 VTS. The Lantis sedan / Astina also had the right body design and well ballanced lines that Taurus, Scorpio and Mondeo needed to be desirable. Unfortunately again the Astina and Eunos 600 were too early for its time and quite expensive for what they offered. About the Lantis Coupé the only issue in my opinion is the 80ish head lamps, it should have the same nose of the Familia. Anyway the right time for those cars was 1998-2003.
Always liked these, as the 323F, and the earlier pop up light 323F. Which is more than can be said for many Mazda saloons.
I may be dating myself, but aside from the slightly generic frontal styling, these still look modern to me, especially in profile. Really beautiful little cars!
They would fit pretty well with Mazda’s current design language too. Hard to think of these as being almost 30 years old.
I’ve always thought these were neat-looking.
We here in Poland actually still have a lot of the V6’s LANTIS ones left, in fact means my dad own two, the darker one is mine
These are mostly now four-door coops for hens, who tend not to count the pillars or lack thereof, and it’s a sad lot given their once-high As(tina)piriations. They’re very pretty cars still, even on blocks and be-fowled in the backyard. They had a name here for being sweet drivers, too, albeit not for lugging, what with peak torque not till 5000rpm. A pity they’re nearly-all now gone from view. Not that the V6 ever had great scads of buyers, and that not for lack of want, but cash – the price bordered on the absurd here, and then crossed it.
As for the lack of flavour in the swoopy-coupy sedan, well, let’s just snoot that it may not have garlic and cream, but not every dish needs it, you know.