Production July 1972–April 1976 Body style 2-door sedan Engine 359 cc two-stroke I2 | Class Kei car Layout FR | |
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Assembly Hiroshima Assembly, Hiroshima, Japan | ||
The Mazda Chantez (chassis code KMAA) is a two-door kei car that was introduced by Mazda in July 1972. The Chantez had a longer wheelbase at 2,200 mm (86.6 in) than most of its competitors and featured the powerful two-stroke "AA" engine also seen in the Porter. With 35 PS (26 kW; 35 bhp), top speed was 115 km/h (71 mph) and the 400 m (0.2 mi) sprint was dispatched in a sprightly 20.6 seconds. In more recent testing of a 1972 GF II, 0–100 km/h came up in 35.8 seconds. The engine was installed longitudinally powering the rear wheels, and the spare tire was installed next to the engine on the right side.
The name "chantez" is second-person plural present indicative of chanter, which in French means "to sing".
Originally, the Chantez had been planned to use a single-rotor Wankel engine, but the other Kei manufacturers considered this unfair and blocked Mazda's plans. 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, 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 trunklid and front bumper were modified to fit larger-size license plates.