The Eunos Cosmo was Mazda's big, plush rotary grand tourer, sold in Japan under its upmarket Eunos brand in the early 1990s. It is best known for the 20B, the only three-rotor engine Mazda ever put in a road car. It was never sold new in the UK, so every one here has come over from Japan, and it is now old enough for the classic tax rate.
- Built
- 1990 to 1996
- Shipping from Japan
- From £3,575, shipping only
- Typical journey
- About 5 to 8 weeks
- Tax
- 5% VAT, no duty, on almost every car
Two rotors or three
Every Cosmo is a two-door coupe with an automatic gearbox, and every one is right-hand drive, as it was built for the Japanese market. The big choice is the engine. Both versions are rotaries with sequential twin turbos, and both are smooth and quick, but they are quite different cars to own.
| Feature | 13B twin-rotor | 20B three-rotor |
|---|---|---|
| In brief | The more common Cosmo, still quick and refined | The one collectors chase, smoother and stronger |
| Parts | Shares its basic design with the RX-7 13B | Many engine parts are specific to the 20B and hard to find |
| UK test | MOT | MOT |
| Tax today | 5% VAT, no duty | 5% VAT, no duty |
The 20B is the reason most people look at a Cosmo, and it carries a price premium for it. It is also thirsty, even by rotary standards, so expect fuel bills to match its grand tourer size.
Living with a rotary
Instead of pistons, triangular rotors spin inside their housings, sealed at their tips by apex seals. A rotary burns a small amount of oil by design to keep those seals lubricated, so checking the oil level is part of the routine. It does not like short journeys, being switched off cold or running hot.
Heat is the thing to watch on a Cosmo. A heavy car with twin turbos packed into a full engine bay puts a lot of load on the cooling system and on the rubber hoses and vacuum lines around the turbos. Worn apex seals show up as low compression, poor starting when hot and a lack of power. Coolant loss or white smoke can point to tired internal seals.
The compression test
The most useful check on any rotary is a compression test with a tester made for rotary engines, which reads each face of each rotor. On a 20B that means three rotors to check, not two. Ask the seller or an inspector for a recent result before you commit, and treat a car without one with caution. A rebuild by a good specialist, with paperwork, is often a plus.
Electronics and parts
The Cosmo was packed with technology for its day, including a touchscreen system in the dash that ran the climate control and audio on many cars. Thirty years on, screens, switches and control units can fail, and some replacement parts are no longer made. Check that everything works before you buy, not after.
Parts are the real question with a Cosmo. Service items and some 13B parts are shared with other Mazda rotaries, but body panels, trim, glass and many 20B engine parts are specific to the car. Owners often source them from Japan, so it is worth finding a specialist and a used parts supplier before you need one.
What to check before you buy
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 8 done
Our guide to Japanese auction grades explains how to read the sheet, and the Japanese import checklist covers the general checks. If you are buying unseen, read our guide to buying a car abroad safely too.
The test
GOV.UK exempts cars over 10 years old from vehicle approval, so no Cosmo needs an IVA test. Each one takes an MOT instead, after a rear fog light is fitted if it does not have one, and the speedometer does not have to be converted to mph. None is yet old enough for the 40-year MOT exemption.
Import tax
A car over 30 years old normally pays 5% VAT and no duty, worked out on the price plus the shipping. That takes in almost every Cosmo. Production ended around 1996, and any car built after October 1996 is still under 30. That would pay 10% duty and 20% VAT, with the VAT charged on top of the duty, so check the build date with us if you are looking at a late car.
The 5% rate is for cars in their original state. HMRC can refuse it on a car that has been heavily modified, such as an engine swap or a reshaped body. Repairs and restoration are fine. Our guide to the historic vehicle 5% VAT rules explains where the line sits.
If you are moving to the UK, have lived abroad for at least 12 months and have owned the car for at least 6, Transfer of Residence can bring it in with no VAT or duty. The import tax calculator runs your own numbers, and our cost of importing from Japan guide works through a full example.
Shipping a Cosmo
From Japan, RoRo is the usual route and costs less than a container. The car has to run and drive, and it should be empty, with no spare parts or belongings inside. Given how hard some Cosmo parts are to find, many buyers send a box of spares with the car, and that means a container. A container is also the answer if the car does not run.
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from Japan starts from £3,575, shipping only. Door to door, the journey is usually about 5 to 8 weeks. Sending us the Japanese export certificate before the car ships lets us check its details early.
UK changes
Because the Cosmo is right-hand drive, the list is short. It needs a rear fog light in the right position if one is not fitted. Japanese cars are no longer checked for headlight compliance, which keeps the work down.
We do the changes and the MOT on our own site in Castle Donington, and our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register the car within 10 working days. For the wider route, see our guide to importing a car from Japan. Weighing it up against a sports car? Our RX-7 FD guide and RX-7 FC guide cover Mazda's other rotaries.
Insurance
A rotary coupe more than 30 years old can often go on a classic policy, sometimes with a mileage limit. Tell the insurer about every modification and keep the receipts. Our guide to insuring a Japanese import explains what they ask for.
Questions people ask
Does an imported Eunos Cosmo need an IVA test?
No. Every Cosmo is well over 10 years old, so it is exempt from vehicle approval and takes an MOT instead, after a rear fog light is fitted if it does not have one.
How much tax will I pay on a Eunos Cosmo?
Normally 5% VAT and no duty, as almost every Cosmo is over 30 years old. Any car built after October 1996 would pay 10% duty and 20% VAT. The 5% rate is for cars in their original state.
Should I buy the 13B or the 20B?
The 20B three-rotor is the rarer and more sought-after car, but it costs more to buy, uses more fuel and many of its engine parts are hard to find. The 13B is the easier car to own.
Are Eunos Cosmo parts hard to find?
Some are. Service items are shared with other Mazda rotaries, but body panels, trim, electronics and many 20B engine parts are specific to the car and often come from Japan.
How long does it take to ship a Cosmo from Japan?
Usually about 5 to 8 weeks door to door, plus the time for UK customs, the rear fog light, the MOT and registration.
Found a Cosmo you like? Send us the listing or auction lot on the quote form and we will price the shipping, customs, MOT and registration.
