- Refined and powerful supercharged V6 engine
- Firm but supple ride
- High standard of fit and finish
- Steering lacks feel
- Limited rear seat room
Overview
Released in June 1996, the Mazda Eunos 800 was a large, luxury sedan. Manufactured in Hiroshima, the front-wheel drive Eunos 800 was available with either a 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine (the ‘V6’ variant) or a supercharged 2.3-litre Miller cycle V6 engine (the ‘M’ variant). A four-speed automatic transmission was standard across the range.
For the Miller cycle engine, the bottom 20 percent of the normal compression stroke was non-compression because of the late valve closure. Furthermore, the power stroke was assisted by a Lysholm compressor which forced air into the engine’s cylinders, resulting in a compression ratio of 8:1 and an expansion ratio of 10:1. The M variant was also fitted with yaw-sensitive four-wheel steering.
The Eunos 800 was 4820 mm long, 1770 mm wide, 1395 mm tall and had a 2750 mm long wheelbase. Furthermore, the Eunos 800 had double wishbone, multi-link suspension front and rear.
The Eunos 800 was initially available for sale in Australia under Mazda’s Eunos brand, but was subsequently incorporated into Mazda’s range. The Eunos 800 was effectively replaced by the TA Millenia .
| Variant | Years | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 1996-99 | 2.5-litre petrol V6 | 4sp auto | 125 kW at 6000 rpm | 215 Nm at 4800 rpm |
| M | 1996-00 | 2.3-litre supercharged petrol V6 | 4sp auto | 149 kW at 5500 rpm | 282 Nm at 4000 rpm |
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the Eunos 800 V6 included a driver’s airbag and ABS. The Eunos 800 M was further equipped with a front passenger airbag and traction control.
Features
Standard features for the Eunos 800 V6 included a four speaker sound system with a CD player and six-disc CD changer, climate control air conditioning, power adjustable front seats, leather seats, cruise control, front fog lights, remote central locking, power mirrors, power windows and telescopic steering wheel adjustment. The V6 variants were initially fitted with steel wheels, though 15-inch alloy wheels were standard from August 1996.
The Eunos 800 M was further equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels, a five speaker Bose sound system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and power sunroof.
1998 Eunos 800 M SP
In March 1998, thirty limited-run Eunos 800 M SP editions were released. These SP editions were fitted with 17-inch Antera alloy wheels with Pirelli P600 235/45 ZR17 tyres and Eibach springs for a 25 mm lower ride height. The exhaust was also modified with a stainless steel rear muffler and a larger diameter stainless steel pipe in the rear section. Visually, the SP editions could be identified by their body-coloured or black grilles and each vehicle had stainless steel kick plates on the lower sections of the door which featured a unique identifying badge.
March 1999: Eunos 800 facelift
In March 1999, the Eunos 800 was updated and the V6 variants were discontinued. Visually, these updated models could be identified by their more aggressive alloy wheels, new grille with thin vertical chrome bars and larger Mazda badge and the ‘M’ badge that was previously fitted to the boot was omitted. Inside, there was a new folding rear armrest for boot access, polished scuff plates for the door sills, wood patterning for the door-mounted power window controls and chrome highlights at the base of the gearshift lever, door handles and switchgear.
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