Mention Mazda GLC to the average auto enthusiast and it’s likely they’ll think of the rear-wheel-drive GLC of the late 1970s. Mention GLC to the average Joe on the street and you are likely to get a blank stare. However, both iterations of the “Great Little Car” were massively important to Mazda. In the 1970s, the first generation certainly helped rescue Mazda from its then rotary-heavy image, but it wasn’t really a car that could continue into the 1980s. What was needed was a modern car in the Volkswagen Rabbit vein. The second-generation GLC was that car.
The rear-drive GLC (or 323 / Familia in other markets), introduced in 1977, was far from a clean sheet design. While Europe was leading the way with front-wheel-drive, “two-box” cars, Japanese manufacturers other than Honda were being much more conservative. Thus were the GLC’s important mechanical bits carried over from the earlier 808/818/Grand Familia/Mizer. It followed the contemporary general concept of a small, OHC four cylinder engine, old-school steering box and live rear axle, but its rear suspension was updated from leaf springs to a four-link setup very similar to the Rx-7. It also returned excellent fuel economy. Actually, you might think of it as a well-built Chevette. The blue GLC pictured above is the only one I’ve seen in years.
Paul had covered the GLC once before, but I think this mostly forgotten but important car deserves a second look. Mazda moved into the 1980s with second-generation GLC hatches and sedans. The wagon version stayed with the first-generation RWD body. What Mazda cooked up with the new GLC was a front-wheel-drive car whose MacPherson front struts were now accompanied by rack-and-pinion steering. Finally, the GLC had steering feel to match Mazda’s trademark sporty handling. (Something that would be appreciated by anyone who has driven a first generation Rx-7 , an otherwise fine car saddled with a rather industrial steering box.)
The new GLC’s independent rear suspension with struts was the class norm. Ford provided input for the design. It’s hard to imagine they didn’t borrow an idea or two from the Fiesta that had been introduced a few years earlier. Also, Ford marketed their own version of the car as the Laser/Meteor in other markets; often, it outsold the GLC donor.
The GLC/323/Familia was not Mazda’s first front-drive car; however, it was the first such Mazda produced in significant volume. The Luce R130 of 1969-1972 was their first front-driver, but its compact, rotary engine sat longitudinally. It was the transverse- engine 323 that set the mold for most of the volume Mazdas that followed.
This generation of GLC was a fantastic success, and for a time outsold even the Corolla in its home market. The sedans were never as popular as the hatchbacks, due to their hefty price premium over the far more common five-doors. The North American engine was a 1.5L four with a two-barrel carburetor that put out all of 68 hp; that figure sounds pathetic today, but was then pretty much average for the class. These days GLCs are a rare sight, as many of them were likely scrapped when a minor issue or rust arose. I consider them victims of pleasant but unremarkable styling, and of being overshadowed by the more well-known Civic and Corolla.
Our example today is a GLC in Sport trim, which I’m going to guess consists of alloy wheels and upgraded seat fabric. There certainly wasn’t any extra performance on board, at least in North America. The car’s front plate indicates long-term ownership, since these models were phased out here in the late 80s.
It looked pretty solid with no apparent rust but a bit of faded paint. Pretty good for a relatively inexpensive-when-new subcompact. Hopefully it can survive many more years.
One last shot of the GLC, parked next to its spiritual descendant, the current Mazda2.
We got all the derivitives but we had the Laser sport with twin carbs in the first KA series and these cars are still a common sight in NZ with some incredible mileages being clocked up cheap to buy cheap to run easy to fix except for the injected Familia many of the 323 cars around here,I live near a tertiary college which may explain why
These were pretty common in the midwestern US. Most of them were red. I like your final shot – I think I like the old one better. It would be fun to drive one of these from an era when small tossable cars were lightweight and very connected to the road and the driver.
I had a 2nd gen (85) GLC hatch, many fond memories. Despite its puny power stats it felt peppy and tossable. Basic and a little crude by today’s standards, but eminently practical, inexpensive and reliable.
I followed it with a 3rd gen GLC, more refined but less reliable and somehow less fun.
Where are the basic hatchbacks today? No, I don’t want to buy a %$&# crossover or mini-SUV just to be able to carry my bike in the back.
I never realized just how much the front end of the Canadian-spec Hyundai Pony looks like the GLC.
My SIL still drives a blue four door w/ the alloy wheels every day. It has faded paint and the interior has some serious dry rot, but these won’t stop it.
These were good little cars, in my opinion better than the other Japanese competition. Ford did have a big hand in their development and supplied some of the parts. Deep down you’ll find miscellaneous parts with the Ford oval and/or Ford style part numbers on them. I never understood why they didn’t have more crossover with the Escort until the next generation of both.
Good little cars? They were GREAT little cars!
The big problem with the newer compact Mazda is that eventually, some hugely expensive thing like the auto transmission or an impossible to find in the aftermarket computer will break and render it undriveable – or worse just unable to pass emissions testing. The expense of the repair will exceed the owners keep/sell tolerance and then it’s off to the dealer for another ride and the same cycle happens anew. I don’t know how much the 6 speed Aisin costs to rebuild and install, but I’ll betcha it’ll be damned close to whatever the resale value of my Five Hundred is when it goes! We won’t see many curbside classics from the 2000s or beyond in ten years, they’ll have all been scrapped because the cost of fixing them will be 1/2 the cost of buying a low mileage three year old one.
And this is something new?
If this is a problem, it has nothing to do with Mazda. I had a 3, there was nothing in it that I saw as particularly odd or difficult to get, no strange engineering or components, if that is what you are referring to. And it was actually very reliable. I bet its engine would have gone forever if I’d kept it.
If you want a problem with Mazda, I’ll be happy to give you one.
Rust.
That green 2 is actually mine. I bought it because it was the most simple new car around. Like an updated 90s car really. Reasonable size (15″ as opposed 18″ on others in its class) rims, lots of room in the engine bay, etc. Still electical issues are a potential nightmare even on a basic car. At least mine is a 5spd manual.
That’s a sharp looking car, David. Zoom zoom.
Drove a 1st gen rwd in Guam. Liked it quite a bit but not as lively as the 70 VW I bought soon after. I would love to have that car today and can’t think of anything quite like it. I saw a number of them that were hopped up with SBC and the like but now don’t see them at all.
I spent my childhood in one of these (exactly as pictured, actually), it was a good car…my mother absolutely adored it. It was reliable of course, and decent in the backwoods of Ontario due to its narrow tires, although it was so light that you dare not get snow underneath for fear it ride up and end up on top of a snowbank without any traction. It also survived a wheel falling off once, an injury caused by an inattentive mechanic. Luckily that incident occurred at low speed.
In the summer of 1978, Louisville Mazda dealers were hanging fuzzy dice from the rear view mirror of the first-gen GLC and selling them as Greased Lightning Coupes.
Is it me or does that Luce 130 look like a 2nd gen Corvair with a grille?
I cant recall the last time I saw an early GLC/323 in the wild, good catch.
Precisely what I was going to say, but you beat me to it
Cribvair styling
Funny, some deeply dormant neuronal connection fired on that “Sport” badge, and said NSU Prinz. After filing my guess I went looking and found proof. Or so I thought. Check out this crop, from an NSU Sport Prinz at Wikipedia. (Darling little car, don’t you think?)
Remarkably close. Separated at birth? NSU and Mazda are the two makes that put Wankel engines into serious production. Which had nothing to do with this GLC. Somehow the same Kool-Aid got into both companies’ water coolers. Weird.
Strangely, photos of the GLC Sport on the web have a different badge. Did Canadian versions have their own? Weird. This means something. 😉
Your picture is an earlier version. The badge was script at an angle…later changed to the one in the article
Hawaii and Guam got the five door hatches (1981-85); the U.S. Mainland did not. Two friends bought these in the day – very reliable. In Guam and Hawaii back then you HAD to get aftermarket rustproofing (Ziebart or Quaker State) otherwise you’d have drip rails, hatchback/trunk lips, window moulding and door edges rotting in a matter or 2-3 years.
A friend of mine had a Familia XG Turbo version of this, with the B5 turbo engine. His had the boost turned up, and given the factory output of about 85kW, and that they weighted less than a 1000kg it actually went quite well. That said the 175 tyres did make things a little hairy at times……
$6295.00 Bought one of the BASE GLC manual with the 300$ cassette player FM/AM no Presets radio…new in Mauy 1981. Red , Tan, White were base colors. No Carpet.
of course No AC ETC…
I had it for 6 years, replaced it with a used Grand Am…had test Driven a Le Car before deciding on GLC.
Roommate had a Maroon sport or LX with Power Windows in the Hatchback model.
The GLC you are depicting is one of the later models. Introduced in 1981 the original had more and tighter louvers in the grille. The tailights were different and the sport badge was in script and at an angle. The original sport interior was very nice for the time with a tweed seat fabric and the rear seat backs flowed into the side panels and into the front doors…very upscale when compared to its contemporaries. The steering wheel was a thick 4 spoke wheel directly out of the RX 7. Alas the engine was the same no matter what version you purchased…a 1,5 liter 68 hp mill. They stickered for $6995
I seriously considered buying one when these were new in 1981…Instead I found a brand new 1980 Scirocco….I think I made the right choice!
In actually the Mazda 323/GLC had significantly grown in size in what is now known as Maxda 3. So it went from being a Mini-Compact to a large Compact almost Mid-Sized much like its competitors with the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Volkswagen Jetta had gone through over the years as well.
Just posted a shot of a couple of later model 323s to the Cohort Pool. Ok, one is actually a Ford Laser (sold in North America as a Mercury?) but basically the same thing.
After sis gave me the 1978 Plymouth Arrow, she bought a 1981 GLC. White, blue vinyl interior and A/C. That was it. Throw in a 4 speed and a newly-bought stereo (now with wired remote control!) and it ran for years. Sure, it had all of 68 HP, but the thing liked to play, and I loved driving it. Another one of those “I can see for miles out of the windows” cars. Simple, rugged and even a little fun. We still talk about it…right after we talk about her 1989 CRX Si that replaced it!
Had an 85 GLC “LX” Same color as CC car, “Tornado Silver”, though the pic, taken in the forest, has a green tint reflected from the trees. Same interior as the CC, same upholstry, wheel and dash. 5spd manual. No power steering or A/C.
Utterly bullet proof car. Only gremlin in first 10 years were the parking brake levers in the rear drums, which rusted and froze around the 6 or 7 year mark. The 12th year was the rough one: failing CV joint, dash lights went out. After living outdoors for the first 10 of it’s 12 years, in Michigan snow, ice and road salt, tinworm was starting to get to it, so opted for a new ride, rather than repairs.
Would have bought another Mazda in a heartbeat, but they didn’t make hatchbacks anymore. Traded in on a new Civic hatch.
The 5 door hatch version was initially sold in the US. The notchback sedan was added midyear 81, and the 5 door hatch was soon dropped.
Hey! those photos were shot in Lethbridge! Ironically there was another GLC of this vintage you missed in the city.. Mine! And it’s red. Actually this one has a few mods done, Mikuni race carbs (for that vintage), RX-7 Seats, the classic Enkei 3 spoke rims, A/C delete, and it’s been lowered! I’ve got the 5 speed manual, Fun little car in the summer months when it’s out, It stays off the roads in our great Canadian winters though. It’s still going strong but’s it’s getting ridiculously tough to find parts for them now.. Great article, glad I came across this!
hey man how did you lower your car´. i have a 85 glc sedan and i know i can buy lowering springs for the ka/kb ford lazer but im curious. what did u do.
Had a 1984 GLC. The “Sport” model included wider body molding, larger tires, and a tachometer.
This is my favorite side by side photo of the 1981 Mazda GLC/323 3 Door Hatchback next to the 1980 Mazda GLC/Familia 3 Door Hatchback. BTW, I thought that the current Mazda3 was the “spiritual” successor to the Mazda GLC? In terms of closer in size, it is true that the Mazda2 can be considered the GLC’s future successor indirectly but cars of any size categories have grown all over the years as well for example, yesterday’s minicompact is considered today’s subcompact, subcompact is considered today’s compact or yesterday’s compact is considered today’s full size so on and so forth.
I still have my ’81 GLC Custom-L (2nd highest of the 4 trim levels) hatchback, bought new in December 1980. It shows over 605K miles. I’ve done almost all maintenance and repairs myself. The engine and transmission are still in good shape, but the body is plagued by various symptoms of a third of a century of exposure to the elements. It usually scores upper-40s mpg on both long and short trips.
I bought a used 1984 GLC back in the early 90’s. I didn’t even put 20 miles on the POS before it quit running. Clogged EGR Valve for starters. It had a carburetor. At the time I was in the public library trying to find service manuals for it. In a magazine I found an ad for the 1984 GLC. The ad was boasting about how the GLC carb could ‘think’. I thought, well there’s your problem. 573 vacuum hoses trying to do what fuel injection can…did not end well for me. A month or two into it sitting, my mom backed of the front fender with her Bronco. Good riddance. ”Thinking carburetor…”
I had an 81 GLC sport though med school, and still the car that I miss the most. Was great in the snow, even with street tires. At 1950 pounds, I could push start it with one hand in the A-pillar as I ran across the parking lot. I put a 200w Pioneer cassette deck in it with two 6×9 speakers in the rear deck. Drove across the US many times with it, and usually achieved 45mpg. The clarity of purpose, the simplicity was beautiful. Where are cars like this today?
Does anybody know of a 1981 GLC for sale? I bought one brand new out of college. They may be extinct! I haven’t seen one in many years!
Bill D.