Junkyard Find: 1992 Mazda 929
When we think about rear-wheel-drive Japanese luxury sedans of the early-to-middle 1990s, the Toyota Cressida, Lexus LS 400 and Infiniti Q45 come to mind immediately. Mazda was in that game as well, though, with the all-but-forgotten 929, and I've found one of those rare cars in a Colorado junkyard.
The 1988-1991 929 was known as the Luce in its homeland, with an ancestry stretching back to the middle 1960s. After the Luce was replaced by the Sentia, the 929 became Sentia-based.
The idea in Hiroshima was that Mazda would create an export luxury brand called Amati, to compete with Acura, Lexus and Infiniti. Then the Japanese Asset Price Bubble popped, and that was that; the final generation of 929 never had the chance to be an Amati.
Remember the diamond-shaped Mazda logo of 1991 and 1992? It looked a bit too Renault-ish, so it got a more rounded shape for 1993 through 1997.
The MSRP for the base 1992 Mazda 929 was $29,200, which comes to about $65,616 in 2024 dollars.
The 1992 Toyota Cressida, then in its final year in the United States, had a list price of $23,783 ($53,443 after inflation), which was quite a deal for what you got. The 1992 Lexus LS 400 cost $42,220 ($94,873 now) and the 1992 Infiniti Q45 was $42,000 ($94,379 today).
I couldn't get the hood open to shoot the engine, but it would have been a SOHC 3.0-liter rated at 158 horsepower; the 929S version got a DOHC version with 187 horses.
Supposedly, 929 buyers could get a five-speed manual, but I've never seen one. This car has the four-speed automatic.
The odometer shows well under 100,000 miles.
It appears that someone tried (and failed) to sell it as a used car, so perhaps it was still a runner at the end.
The last model year for the 929 in the United States was 1995, after which it was replaced by the front-wheel-drive Millenia.
Its richest rewards are for the soul.
Mazda hired the Gipsy Kings to provide music for this commercial.
A version of this car was sold in Japan as the ɛ̃fini MS-9.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
1992 Mazda 929 in Colorado wrecking yard.
[Images: The Author]
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Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.
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The only engine available for North America was the JE-ZE DOHC V6, there was no SOHC engine or 929S for this generation. Even 20 years ago when I owned an HC 929 many parts were just impossible to find. I don't think I have seen a 929 of either generation for at least ten years now. If I found a HD 929 in mint condition now I just might have to sell a kidney in order to buy it but it would be worth it, maybe.
Nice looking, but IIRC, there was an issue with these engines where a knock would develop. That may account for the very low milage. 🚗🚗🚗