Before Subaru’s WRX and Mitsubishi’s Lancer EVO became household names in the U.S., Mazda tried its own hand at an all-wheel-drive compact performance car. That experiment was the 1988 Mazda 323 GTX, a turbocharged hatchback that sold in small numbers and largely faded from memory. A particularly well-sorted example is now up for auction on Bring a Trailer, with bidding set to close on August 26.
Mazda sold just over 1,200 of these cars in the United States, and many were reportedly driven hard and neglected. That makes surviving examples genuinely rare today. This particular car carries lot number 55, meaning it was one of the earliest vehicles to cross the virtual auction block at the site, which like Car and Driver is part of Hearst Autos.
A Little Hatchback With Rally Roots
The GTX was often described at the time as an everyman’s Audi Ur-Quattro, but it was a far more modest machine. Under the hood sits a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that made 132 horsepower from the factory. That engine shares much of its architecture with the early Mazda Miata, though the GTX was never as celebrated as that roadster.
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The current owner, described as a GTX enthusiast, has done considerable work to refresh the car. That includes a rebuilt cylinder head, new gaskets, belts, hoses, and a custom exhaust. The body has also received attention, with work ranging from paint correction to new hatch struts. Upgraded coilovers have replaced the original suspension components.
With 129,000 miles on the odometer, this isn’t a trailer queen. It’s a driver, and the seller has clearly focused on making it a reliable one.
More Than a Standard 323
While the GTX looks subtle at a glance, it differed from the standard 323 in meaningful ways. The track is wider, and the body uses stronger side sills to handle gravel-road abuse. The all-wheel-drive system is not as sophisticated as what came later in Japanese performance cars, but a single pushbutton splits power 50:50 between the front and rear axles.
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That setup gives the little hatchback a character all its own. It’s like an early VW GTI crossed with a Suzuki Samurai — small, nimble, and eager to play. The five-speed manual transmission is there to keep the turbo spinning, though the car’s size means you don’t need to chase peak power to have fun. The lightness does most of the work.
For anyone who missed the era of small, turbocharged all-wheel-drive hatches, this GTX represents a chance to own a piece of that history. The auction format means the final price will depend on how many collectors remember what the letters G, T, and X used to stand for.
It’s a car that rewards patience and mechanical sympathy, and this example appears to have found both in its current caretaker. The refreshed mechanicals and sorted body make it a credible entry point into a niche that never quite got the attention it deserved.
