Mazda Lantis Coupe Type R
Mazda hid a smooth, high-revving two-liter V6 inside a practical five-door body whose rear handles and sloping roof tried hard to look like a coupe.
1993 Japan Mazda Lantis Type R profile cover · Toyotacoronaexsaloon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
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More than a set of wheels.
Mazda introduced the Lantis in September 1993 with two bodies and two engines. The Type R sat at the sporty end of the coupe-shaped model: its compact KF-ZE V6 made 170 PS and drove the front wheels through a five-speed manual. Mazda called the body a four-door hardtop coupe, while Japanese catalog databases count the rear hatch and list five doors; both descriptions point to the same CBAEP fastback.
Look a little closer.
The KF-ZE V6 is only 1,995 cc—smaller in total than many modern four-cylinder engines—yet Mazda rated it at 170 PS.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
Why Mazda called five doors a coupe
Mazda's own history describes a four-door hardtop coupe because Japanese naming counted the four passenger doors while treating the rear hatch separately. Catalog records count the hatch as a fifth door. The low roof, frameless-looking glass treatment and concealed rear handles sold the coupe idea without giving up rear-seat access.
Source: Mazda Global History · 1990–1999 ↗Small V6, big revs
A 78.0 mm bore and short 69.6 mm stroke let the pistons travel less distance per revolution. Together with 24 valves, that geometry helped the naturally aspirated engine reach its 170 PS peak at 7,000 rpm. It is a very different solution from using a turbo for low-speed shove.
Source: GAZOO catalog · Lantis Coupe Type R ↗Where these facts come from
- Mazda Global History · 1990–1999
- GAZOO catalog · 1993 Mazda Lantis Coupe Type R
- Goo-net catalog · Mazda Lantis Type R
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 2, 2026.