Today, the HC series Luce stands up well against the opposition in it's market of AUS $7k - $12k. Where the Japanese, European & Australian luxury sedans from this price bracket find it hard to compete on a head to head basis. With only the 3lt V6 version of the (Aussie counterpart) 929 to directly compare to, it pales into insignifigance when placed in the same company as it's more powerful & luxurious Japanese spec sister.
Manufactured from 1986 through to 1991, the Luce recieved an update in 1989 to further refine it's luxury status. With the top level package employing such features as an in-built fridge & electric "rear" seats, the Luce was certainly in a class of it's own for Mazda's luxury image machine.
The two rotary optioned choices available for the Luce series are the top level "Royal classic" & the mid level "Limited" versions. Both come appointed with high levels of luxury. The "Royal classic" available with optional leather seating & trim for the 89-91 (series II) version. A fully comprehensive audio system with CD player (series II) deck out the Luce with simply stunning levels of sound for a factory installed system of its day. The digital dashboard disply is at first a little "advanced" for the faint hearted on the "Royal classic" but after a brief run with it's comprehensive list of features covering the car & engines performance, you do find it hard to go back to the "ordinary" gauges of today even.
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Mazda’s famous rotary engine has been steadily improving since their original L10 Cosmo from the 60’s. The Luce's heart is the well known 2 rotor 13B complete with a "twin scroll" single turbocharger. The 13B rotary is the same as used in the well known "series 4/5 RX-7" of 86-88 + 89-91. It's small capacity only an indication of it's physical size, not power rating. Rated at 180hp for it's 6 year life span the 13B delivers punch that only a turbocharged rotary can deliver. Smooth & turbine like in nature, the rotary engine gives the driver silent running with the minimum of fuss. The twin scroll turbo enables excellent low to mid response aswell as top end power. How does it work ? The twin scroll entry point has one chamber closed off at low to medium rev's in order to obtain a higher air speed through the smaller than normal passageway. The result is very effective in reducing turbo lag. At a pre-determined engine speed the second intake chamber of the comes “on-line” to add full boost. The result is effortless performance combined with the rotaries natural smoothness & flexibility. The triple mode automatic transmission is superbly matched to it’s luxury image. The press of a button gives a choice between “normal” & “power” mode, the latter increases responsiveness to the accelerator position aswell as holding the gear longer before the next upchange. The “hold” mode gives manual control. A great feature for demanding driving aswell as the added safety benefit of 2nd gear take offs giving greater traction during slippery conditions. |
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The Luce interior offers drivers a totally controlled concept. Mazda designers worked
hard to create a top of the line luxury automobile. The Luce's clean and contemporary
interior is designed to be totally user friendly, creating a comfortable
atmosphere for driver and passengers.
Turning on the ignition a blue analogue display appears on the black screen of the instrument panel ( Royal Classic version) letting you know the Luce is ready for action. Room enough for the tallest drivers, theres plenty of adjustment in both hieght & travel of the electric seats to creat comfort & form. Rear seat room is excellent & typical of whats expected of a car this size. The electrically controlled rear seats give passengers a sense of stlye & individuality, a feature all rear seat passengers lack from normal cars. Naturally the impressive sound system is the top of the line for it's day. The Multi function unit comes with numerous equaliser effects to sut the tastes of the most discerning audio file. The series II version (89-91) has the option of a CD player & the rear centre rest is provided with comprehensive stereo controls. 4 high quality speakers provide a complete "Surround sound" entertainment atmosphere capable of satifying all listeners. The standard stereo ( & optional CD ) whilst not matching the abilities of the E.CCS still provide quality far above the automotive audio standard. |
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| Royal Classic Top of the range luxury & driving...(series II) The appeal of the dark leather interior combine with the many features of the Royal Classic for an excellent combination. No expense spared for luxury features with the addition of electrically operated REAR seats & a mini fridge on the rear parcel shelf. |
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| Limited Mid range in the HC series, the Limited version doesn't lack any luxuries when compared to modern sedans. Power everything with a comprehinsive stereo delivering more punch than most modern systems. Cloth trim seats are (like the Royal classic) multi adjustable & very comfortable on long trips. |
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With a clean slate to start from. Mazda engineers designed an excellent chassis &
suspension platform to provide the form & function demanded of this high quality sedan.
Safety has been well catered for with the use of carefully designed crumple zones &
safety impact bumper bars front & rear. ABS is standard for the ROYAL CLASSIC version.
Suspension is fully independent & progressively sprung to give sure footed handling
& control. Dampers for the Luce are "user" adjustable with either a SPORT - SOFT - AUTO
setting. the later allows the speed of the car to determine when to change the settings
to the hard thus improving higher speed control.
Mazda updated the Luce for the 89 model with minor improvements in the trim levels & suspension settings. Exterior changes were also minor with only a keen eye being able to pick the differences. The series I thus runs from 1986 - 1988 with the series II from 1989-1991. |
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