Mazda first ?

[Jay_Reddy@domain.elided]

Hi all,
>From discussions I have seen on the digest the 164 was apparently
designed/engineered in the early to mid eighties and started manufacture in
86-87;  I know when I was in Italy in 88 I saw a few there.  During some of
this period Mazda was making solid rear axle cars (GLC and 626, don't know
about the RX7) and then transitioned to front drive across about half their
range.  I am not disputing that perhaps Mazda was first to market with the
pieces in question, I certainly have no information to the contrary.  Just
wondering if perhaps this was a case of parallel development.  
Something that comes to mind in this vein is the new GTV headlights that
appeared at about the same time on the Integra, but were shown several years
previous on the 164 Proteo. 
  
JR

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