Dorifutography

Long before the "Zoom-Zoom" ethos and the striking Kodo design language captured the automotive world, Mazda’s foundational small car was the Familia. Spanning nearly four decades across nine generations, the Familia laid the groundwork for what would eventually morph into the internationally acclaimed Mazda 3 in the 21st century. This is the complete story of Mazda's definitive compact car line: from experimental concepts and screaming rotary engines to rally-bred monsters and sleek, upscale hatchbacks. The Birth of a Lineage: Pre-Production and the First Generation The Prelude: The Mazda 700 Concept Car (1961) Before the Familia could run, a visionary blueprint paved the way at the 1961 Tokyo Motor Show. Mazda debuted the Mazda 700 Concept , a tiny, forward-thinking prototype designed to gauge public interest in a practical four-door family vehicle. Powered by a minuscule, rear-mounted 700cc engine, it proved that Mazda had the engineering foresight to transition from t...