Mazda 787B

The Mazda 787 and its derivative 787B were Group C sports prototype racing cars that Mazda developed for the World Sportscar Championship, the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1990 and 1991. Designed to combine the FISA Group C rules with the IMSA GTP rules, they were the last Wankel rotary-powered racing cars to compete in the World and Japanese championships, using Mazda's R26B engine. The 787 was an evolution of the 767 designed by Nigel Stroud, and the number was chosen instead of 777 to indicate a two-step improvement. In 1991 a 787B driven by Johnny Herbert, Volker Weidler and Bertrand Gachot won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the first victory by a Japanese manufacturer and the only one by a car without a reciprocating engine. Two 787s were built in 1990 and three 787Bs in 1991.