The Mazda Chantez (chassis code KMAA) is a two-door

kei car Kei car is the smallest category of Japanese expressway-legal motor vehicles. The term ''kei'' is a shortening of , (kanji: ), which translates to English as "light vehicle" (). With restricted dimensions and engine specifications, owners ...

that was introduced by

Mazda is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima (town), Fuchū, Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima, Japan. The company was founded on January 30, 1920, as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd. ...

in July 1972. The Chantez had a longer wheelbase at than most of its competitors and featured the powerful

two-stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes of the piston, one up and one down, in one revolution of the crankshaft in contrast to a four-stroke engine which re ...

"AA" engine also seen in the

Porter Porter may refer to: Companies * Porter Airlines, Canadian airline based in Toronto * Porter Chemical Company, a defunct U.S. toy manufacturer of chemistry sets * Porter Motor Company, defunct U.S. car manufacturer * H.K. Porter, Inc., a locom ...

. With , top speed was and the sprint was dispatched in a sprightly 20.6 seconds. In more recent testing (early 2000s) of a 1972 GF II, 0–100 km/h came up in 35.8 seconds. The engine was installed longitudinally in the front of the vehicle powering the rear wheels, and the spare tire was installed next to the engine on the right side. The name is second-person plural present indicative of , which in

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

means 'to sing'. 3A type rotary engine 01

Originally, the Chantez had been planned to use a single-rotor

Wankel engine The Wankel engine (, ) is a type of internal combustion engine using an eccentric (mechanism), eccentric Pistonless rotary engine, rotary design to convert pressure into rotating motion. The concept was proven by German engineer Felix Wankel, f ...

, a slimmed down derivative of the

R100 His Majesty's Airship R100 was a privately designed and built British rigid airship made as part of a two-ship competition to develop a commercial airship service for use on British Empire routes as part of the Imperial Airship Scheme. The o ...

's 10A engine, and test cars were seen in 1970. Mazda's financial situation and lobbying from other ''Kei'' manufacturers, who considered this engine type an unfair advantage, to disallow rotary engines in this class meant that Mazda chose not to bring this version to market. As a result of not being able to build the car they had originally planned, Mazda lost interest in the Kei class and sales halted without a replacement in 1976, on the eve of new ''Kei'' car regulations. Mazda did not market another ''Kei'' passenger car until 1989 with a reintroduction of the Carol, which was a rebadged

Suzuki Alto The is a kei car produced by Suzuki since 1979. The model, currently in its ninth generation, was first introduced in 1979 and has been built in many countries worldwide. The Alto originated as a commercial vehicle derivative of the Fronte, ...

, and to this day still choose not to make their own engines for the ''Kei'' class. Equipment levels ranged from the lowest spec L (less chrome, body colored bumpers and B-pillars), via the LX, GL, GF, and GL II to the top-of-the-line GF II, which featured a sports interior, radial tires, and available two-tone paint. In late 1974, anticipating a changing law at the turn of the year, the trunk lid and front bumper were modified to fit larger-size license plates.

Chantez EV Concept

The Mazda Chantez EV was a concept car designed by

as part of the A.I.S.T. government funded scheme; it was unveiled at the 1972

Tokyo Motor Show The , called (TMS) until 2023, is a biennial auto show held in October–November at the Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), it is a recog ...

. The Chantez EV featured a unique grille-less appearance which helped with aerodynamic efficiency, also to aid with efficiency is Mazda's first car with

regenerative braking Regenerative braking is an energy recovery mechanism that slows down a moving vehicle or object by converting its kinetic energy or potential energy into a form that can be either used immediately or stored until needed. Typically, regenerativ ...

. The Chantez EV was fitted with a single electric motor, rear-mounted driving the rear axle, powered by a battery pack rated to deliver a total output of up to . It has a claimed top speed of . The battery replaced the rear seat and provided a stated range of about .

References

{{Mazda early Chantez Kei cars Rear-wheel-drive vehicles 1970s cars