An icon to some, to many more it’s an utter unknown. The Mazda 323 GTX is an homologation car, built in limited quantities in order for Mazda to compete in Group A rallying.
It’s not a romantic story, but the car that was offered to the public could make car fans swoon thanks to its all-wheel drive setup and turbocharged 1.6L engine which made 132 hp, and could put the little hatch into 60 mph territory in about 8 seconds – not bad for a car from the 1980s.
Due to its rarity and turbocharged engine, the GTX became an underground icon amongst tuners.
Perhaps Mazda will some day repeat this wild package, delivering a more traction-friendly version of its popular Mazdaspeed3 in honor of the rally special 323 GTX. There’s always hope!
