Description
The Mazda Eunos Cosmo was Mazda’s most ambitious, luxurious and technologically advanced car of the early 1990s — a grand-touring coupé created to sit at the absolute top of the company’s product range. Built from 1990 to 1996 and sold exclusively through Mazda’s short-lived luxury “Eunos” network in Japan, the Cosmo represented the peak of Mazda’s rotary-engine programme and remains one of the most sophisticated Japanese GT cars ever produced. It combined bold, flowing styling, lavish equipment, exceptional refinement and the most advanced version of Mazda’s rotary engine ever fitted to a road car.
At the heart of the Eunos Cosmo was a choice of Mazda’s 13B-RE twin-rotor or the flagship 20B-REW triple-rotor engine. The 20B was the world’s first production three-rotor rotary engine and remains unique in automotive history. With sequential twin turbochargers and an output of around 280 horsepower — the maximum allowed under Japan’s gentlemen’s agreement of the period — the 20B delivered extraordinary smoothness and turbine-like acceleration. Its effortless surge of torque made the car feel far more powerful than its official output suggested. The 13B-RE version offered around 230 horsepower and the same refined, silky character at lower cost. Both engines were inherently smooth and vibration-free. All Cosmo models used a four-speed automatic transmission, tuned for quiet, seamless progress in line with the car’s luxury-GT mission.
The chassis was engineered for refined high-speed touring rather than sharp sportiness. Mazda used independent suspension all round, with careful tuning to create a supple, composed ride. The Cosmo was a large and heavy coupé, but excellent weight distribution and meticulous suspension calibration gave it stable, predictable road manners. Steering was light and precise, and the car excelled at long-distance cruising on motorways, where the rotary engine’s quietness and smoothness created an unusually serene experience. Mazda also fitted advanced traction and stability systems that were ahead of their time.
Styling was one of the Eunos Cosmo’s strongest distinctions. Mazda gave the car a sleek, graceful shape characterised by smooth surfaces, flowing curves and a long, elegant roofline. The design had a futuristic simplicity — free from sharp lines or aggressive embellishments — that emphasised refinement and technical sophistication. The pop-up headlamps, curved glass and wide stance gave the car a distinctive presence. The Cosmo looked expensive and modern, and today it remains one of the most elegant rotary designs Mazda ever produced.
Inside, the Eunos Cosmo offered one of the most advanced and luxurious Japanese interiors of its era. The cabin was wide, deeply comfortable and trimmed with high-grade materials. Seats were soft, supportive and electrically adjustable, and the driving position was relaxed and refined. Most famously, the Cosmo was the first production car in the world to feature a factory-fitted touchscreen interface — Mazda’s “Car Communication System.” Depending on specification, this system integrated satellite navigation, climate control, audio functions, trip information, system diagnostics and even a built-in television tuner. The dashboard flowed around the driver in a cockpit-like shape, and the level of equipment was astonishing for the early 1990s. Sound insulation was extensive, giving the cabin a hushed, luxury-GT ambience.
On the road, the Eunos Cosmo delivered a uniquely smooth, quiet and effortless driving experience. With the 20B engine, acceleration was strong and continuous, lacking the vibration and gear-change interruptions typical of piston-engined rivals. The turbocharging system provided a broad spread of torque, making the car relaxed and confident at any speed. The suspension gave a supple, almost float-like ride without losing its composure, and the Cosmo felt most at home on long motorway journeys where its refinement and engineering quality created a sense of unhurried luxury.
The Eunos Cosmo was Mazda’s boldest attempt at creating a true luxury grand-tourer — a rotary-powered equivalent to the Lexus SC, Nissan Leopard and even European coupés such as the Mercedes SEC and BMW 8-Series. Its advanced engineering and high production cost meant it was expensive to build and was always intended as a limited-volume showcase rather than a mass-market model.
Today the Eunos Cosmo is rare and highly prized among enthusiasts, especially in its 20B triple-rotor form. Its combination of technical innovation, luxury, and the unique smoothness of Mazda’s most advanced rotary engine gives it an enduring appeal unmatched by any other car of its era. As a statement of engineering ambition and a pinnacle of rotary development, the Eunos Cosmo stands as one of Mazda’s most fascinating and sophisticated creations.