Mazda RX-5

Infobox Automobile
name=Mazda RX-5
manufacturer=Mazda
class=GT car
production=1975–1980
predecessor=Mazda Cosmo
body_style=Coupe
layout=FR layout
engine=13B
related=Mazda Cosmo
Mazda RX-4The Mazda RX-5 was an automobile model which was produced from 1975 through 1980. It was a small luxury sporty coupe intended to compete with the Ford Thunderbird and similar vehicles. It was called Rx-5 in Australia, and Mazda Cosmo in the Japanese and American market.

It shared much of its mechanicals with the Mazda RX-4, with the addition of rear 5 link coil suspension and rear disc brakes. JDM models were available with the 12A engine but all overseas models used the 13B engine, which had by that time been debugged from the problem of failed combustion chamber seals, but still had a high frequency of gasket failures between the aluminum and iron sections of the engine housing, due to differential thermal expansion of the dissimilar metals.

It was extremely popular in Japan, due to its American style and high performance and luxury, but sold only in limited numbers in rest of the world. The RX-5 was retired in the American Mazda lineup to make room for the new 1979 Mazda RX-7.

A related RX-6 model was offered in some markets with the same bodyshell and premise.