Friday 17th June 2011

Mazda 787B Le Mans Reunion - Video

Johnny Herbert's rotary-powered demo lap in sound and vision

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It would have been worth making the trek to Le Mans this year just to see Mazda's spectacular 787B racer return to the track - and if you don't believe me check out this fantastic footage of Johnny Herbert's demo run.

The fully restored car looks gorgeously detailed, but it's the noise that really gets to you. Even via YouTube the shreak of that amazing race-winning 700hp rotary sends shivers down your spine as it echoes off the grandstands in the pit straight.

I was there to watch the 787B win Le Mans back in 1991, and it's still the sound I associate most clearly with the event. (In fact I nearly got fed up with it in the early hours of the morning as the noise ripped through the canvas of our tent half a mile from the circuit - but I probably shouldn't confess to that...)

Anyway, if you missed the car's return to Le Sarthe this year, you should be able to get a much closer look at it at the Goodwood FoS - the organisers tell us it's going to be in the Cathedral Paddock, and it will be running up the hill so you'll get a taster of that classic Le Mans sound at least.

[vetteheadracer]

Watched it going up through the Dunlop Chicane on Saturday and it sounded and looked beautiful.

Love the fact it has a steering wheel for steering the car and absolutely nothing else, no button at all.

Edited by vetteheadracer on Friday 17th June 10:08

[NotNormal]

What a sight, what a noise. Saw it on Thursday, Friday at the drivers parade and also its run on Saturday. The pops and bangs bouncing off the buildings on the drivers parade was truly epic

Here's some of my pics as we were in the Mazda display area when they were applying all the on board camera's.

Edited by NotNormal on Friday 17th June 10:11

[Parsnip]

Saw it at Dunlop and at the driver's parade - the video does it no justice at all - stunning looks and the most fantastic sound ever made - by comparison the current crop of cars seemed a bit pale
.

Edited by Parsnip on Friday 17th June 10:13

[pistonchris]

Just read a article about it in this months retro rides.

[johnpeat]

That's an epic noise - I mean it's not a BRM V16 but it's still an epic noise!!

[SirRalph]

Saw this on the Saturday between the Esses and Tertre Rouge. Not sure how much abuse Johnny was giving it but it was impressive. Special machine!

Edited by SirRalph on Friday 17th June 10:24

[neil_bolton]

What a car. You can feel that it's alive and relishing that opportunity to be driving around that circuit again.

Fantastic noise.

[johnpeat]

I notice the spin-off limited MX5 is still doing well too



http://howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/mazda_mx-5_le_man...

I can't work-out how cars have popped in and out of existence in that list, but 20 are currently down as taxed or SORNed - out of 24 made (alledgedly some were repainted by Mazda when they didn't sell!?)

Seems that paintjob just keeps on giving...

[Aizle]

I was at Porsche for this display run. Was bloody loud, shame he wasn't giving it 100% through there, but understandable.

I can't help but think the only cars that sound all that great now are the Corvettes and the Aston LMP1 V12.

Thanks to Mazda for restoring and letting us all hear this again.

[cookie1600]

Any chance of turning the sound into a ringtone?

[urquattro]

Aizle said:

I was at Porsche for this display run. Was bloody loud, shame he wasn't giving it 100% through there, but understandable.

I can't help but think the only cars that sound all that great now are the Corvettes and the Aston LMP1 V12.

Thanks to Mazda for restoring and letting us all hear this again.

Agreed, particularly a return as this car is almost a holy icon as the only Japanese Le Mans winner,
as soon as this video played I remembered the sound, it must still be in my head from 1991.
A car with clutch and gearstick produces such enthusiasm not generally applauded to tiptronic diesel racers I think.

[marcosgt]

Shame I couldn't be there (or the Fos ), but I agree the video doesn't do it justice (good though the video is), such a spine-tingling, ear-splitting noise.

You get an inkling when it goes up the pit straight, but that's only an inkling

I wonder if i could squeeze a 4 rotor engine into my RX8

M.

[Old Gregg]

Absolutely brilliant. What a noise!

[Veeayt]

It's not a car noise, it's pure automotive hysteria
Sounds stupid on idle though, like any proper racecar.

[soad]

Oh yeah - perfect friday morning treat...the noise, the noise!!!

[fatboy69]

Awesome sound - shouldnt all race cars make this noise?

Magnificent. Pure oral automotive pornography.

[pthelazyjourno]

I bought a model of this car when it was racing. My ham fisted efforts to paint it and put it together didn't do it justice - the one in the shop looked stupidly authentic. I was about 10 or 11 at the time.

It's still my favourite racing car. That or one of the TWR Jags. Loved the Silk Cut cars.

[Camberwell]

Not wishing to be a*al but The map was a bit out! karting and MB were the wrong way around, and i wish we saw more of the car than the driver .... but what a car - we need more of that @ LM

[Simbu]

God that car sounds good

[Marf]

fatboy69 said:

Magnificent. Pure aural automotive pornography.

EFA but +1

Love how it goes from a deep dirty brapbrapbrap big port rotary idle to a singing howling high pitched wail in the high revs.