Following an agreement signed with Bertone in April 1962, the 1965 Luce 1500 show car was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italy.

It was low and sharp, looking more like a contemporary BMW Bavaria than its smaller Mazda companion models, the Familia and the kei car Carol.

It was a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive four-door sedan, and featured a square 1490 cc 1500 SOHC engine, producing 78 PS (57 kW) at 5500 rpm and 114.6 N⋅m (84.5 lb⋅ft).

To accommodate the taller 1800 engine the bonnet on this model has a slight bump in the middle with an air inlet on the leading edge.

[4] Mazda considered assembling the Luce in South Africa and brought in 50 examples for evaluation and company use in 1967, but they instead chose to focus on the 1200 (Familia) and compact pickup trucks.

Road & Track magazine said it was solid to the point of being overly heavy, with pleasant handling but poor performance.

The 1800 four-door sedan (model SVA) was produced from October 1968 through March 1973[1] where a reported 39,401 units were made.

This model was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, then working for Bertone, as a front-wheel-drive two-door coupé with front disc brakes, which was similar to the NSU Ro 80.

[9] The conventionally-engined Luce sedan (LA2VS) would not arrive to the Japanese market until April 1973,[9] after starting production in March.

The original hardtop coupé received a longer, more aggressive front design, which was also installed on the custom sedan.

Under the hood at first was a 130 or 120 PS (96 or 88 kW) 12A engine, with the higher-powered version reserved for the five-speed GR-II and GS-II models.

This engine was Mazda's new "AP" (for "anti-pollution") version, with much-improved emissions and fuel economy, but somewhat worse cold-starting behavior.

[13] Road & Track magazine was impressed, noting the car's improved fuel economy and price compared to the RX-3.

[14] The magazine noted that the wagon's brakes suffered from the extra 136 kg (300 lb) weight compared to the coupé.

The 929/Luce was a large (for Japan) coupé, sedan, and station wagon powered by a 1769 cc Mazda VB engine.

It was also available as a four-door pillarless hardtop that looked like a huge, square coupé, and a wagon, which had more of a utilitarian role than the sedans.

Production of the Luce 1800 (LA4VS) and 2000 (LA4MS) sedans started in October 1977, ending in July (LA4VS) and September 1981 (LA4MS) for the Japanese market.

[1] Of the rotary-engined Luce sedans, the LA42S with the 12A engine was manufactured between September 1977 and April 1978, while the larger LA43S with the 13B introduced at the same time lasted until October 1981.

There was no coupé version developed of this generation, although a four-door hardtop body was available in Japan and some other markets including France.

[18] In Europe, a more efficient 2.0-liter inline-four, producing 90 PS (66 kW) with a single-barrel carb replaced the existing engines.

First presented in Japan in October 1979 was a facelifted LA4 version with large, rectangular headlights and a more orthodox and European front appearance.

In October 1980, a fuel injected 120 PS (88 kW) version of the 2-liter engine was also introduced for the Japanese market; it was only available with the hardtop bodywork and full equipment.

[21] At the time of the generational change, the diesel engine was also installed in the van (wagon) model, only available with the GL equipment level.

An LPG-powered 2.0-liter version of the Luce sedan was also built for the Japanese market until December 1995 for taxi and other fleet usage.

In some European markets the 929 was badged 2000 sedan or 2000E estate (applied to a facelifted version of the previous generation).

The Royal Classic was factory fitted with a turbocharged 13B Rotary or 2.0-liter V6 engines, electric leather seats, digital speedometer, a cool-box for canned beverages, prominent emblems, electronically adjustable suspension and power options throughout.

The Eunos Cosmo was already on sale (JC), and the HD platform spawned the Mazda Sentia (now exported as the 929), and the Efini MS-9, making 1991 the last year for a four-door rotary powered sedan prior to the RX-8.

The 929 began U.S. and Canadian sales in 1987; although predominantly available as a 3.0-liter V6, there were a rare few that made it to the North American market as a four-cylinder 2.2-liter F2 in a RWD configuration.

This generation vehicle was sold in North America in sedan bodystyle only beginning with the 1988 model year; the hardtop was not available, nor were the rotary engines.

When Mazda released the higher-spec 929S model for the 1990–1991 period, the engine was upgraded to a Double Overhead Cam type with 24 valves, slightly increasing fuel economy, performance and reliability.