Efini MS-8 History

Launched in March 1992, the MS-8 was ɛ̃fini's sole original design — not a rebadge of an existing Mazda. Built on Mazda's GE platform (shared with the 626) but developed specifically for the luxury channel, it adopted a four-door hardtop body with frameless side windows and a large panoramic glass roof to create an airy, open cabin.

The interior reflected deliberate luxury thinking: the center console was removed between the front seats to allow rear-seat access, the automatic gearshift was integrated into the instrument panel rather than the floor, and the headrest shapes were sculpted to preserve rear occupant sightlines. Power came from front-wheel-drive DOHC V6 engines — a 2.0-litre unit for entry trims and a 2.5-litre KL-ZE producing 200 PS at 6,500 rpm for the flagship grade.

The MS-8 survived the entire run of the ɛ̃fini brand, remaining on sale until 1997 when the dealer network was absorbed into Mazda Japan. Because it had no equivalent Mazda-badged sibling, it was simply discontinued rather than rebadged, making it the rarest and most historically distinct product of the ɛ̃fini experiment.