Gallery: Classic Mazda museum opens in Germany

The Mazda Classic – Automobil Museum Frey does exactly what it claims, showcasing a collection of 45 vehicles old and new from the Hiroshima manufacturer.

Models currently on display include a 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport, a 1969 Mazda Luce R130 and several generations of RX-7. You’d expect these, but it’s the scattering of genuine rarities like a rotary Parkway bus or a rotary pick-up truck that will give the curious plenty to pick over.

Other highlights include a 1960 Mazda R360, the company’s first mass-produced passenger car, a 1962 Mazda K360 three-wheeled light truck, a 1966 Mazda Familia 1000 coupé, a 1976 Mazda 616 and the Mazda AZ-1, the gull-wing, mid-engined Kei-car from 1992.

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Housed in a refurbished tram shed dating from 1897, the cars on display represent but a small proportion of the personal collection of Walter Frey and his sons Markus and Joachim.

“Uniquely impressive, the first Mazda museum outside Japan represents a dream come true for the Frey family to share with the public its one-of-a-kind collection of vintage Mazdas from around the world,” commented Mazda Motor Corporation Executive Vice President Akira Marumoto.

“Everyone at Mazda headquarters is very proud that the Freys are a part of our organisation and have created something so extraordinary.”

The proprietors plan to rotate the selection to keep things fresh, with additional gems from the Frey’s collection of 120-plus vehicles destined for the exhibit. If you’re travelling anywhere near Augsburg in southern Germany, pencil a couple of hours downtime into your schedule.

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