Mazda GLC Parts

The Mazda GLC, short for "Great Little Car," was a variant of the Mazda Familia specifically built for the North American market. Originally introduced in 1977 as a rear-wheel-drive subcompact, it represented Mazda's compact segment ambitions and offered both hatchback and station wagon models with different engine choices. For its earliest iteration, the Mazda GLC used engines ranging from a 985 cc PC to a 1,415 cc UC, although there was an export-market-only 1-liter engine available. Despite being hamstrung by its rear-wheel-drive layout, which limited interior space, this generation still sold around 890,000 units worldwide, from Japan to North America, due to the appeal of that very layout. Moving into 1980 with a transition to front-wheel drive for better interior packaging, the Mazda GLC eventually dropped the station wagon and van variants that still used the older rear-drive design in favor of a newer version with many modifications made for the sake of efficiency. In North America, the U.S.-spec 1979 model also saw its engine upgrade from a 1,272 cc unit producing 63 hp to one displacing slightly more at 1,415 cc and putting down 65 hp. The Sport model was also introduced at this time and featured a five-speed manual gearbox instead of the usual four-speed or three-speed automatic. This version of the GLC stayed on sale until it was replaced by the front-wheel-drive Mazda 323 in mid-1986.