The 767 was introduced in 1988 as a replacement for the Mazda 757, itself a continuation of Mazdaspeed's long rotary racing lineage. The most significant technical change was the move to a larger, newer four-rotor 13J Wankel rotary engine, which produced nearly 600 hp. The unconventional rotary powerplant was central to Mazda's identity in endurance racing throughout the 1980s, and the 767 continued that tradition on a more capable chassis.
Two 767s were entered at the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 17th and 19th overall — positions that fell behind even the older 757, which managed 15th. In the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship that same year, Mazda finished fourth in the constructors championship. Despite these modest results, Mazdaspeed persisted with the programme and upgraded the car for 1989, creating the 767B.
For 1989, Mazdaspeed upgraded the 767 into the 767B with aerodynamic improvements. The revised car was initially tested at the 24 Hours of Daytona under IMSA regulations, where it performed creditably and finished fifth overall — an encouraging result that validated the direction of development.
Later in 1989, Mazda entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans with two 767Bs alongside a retained older 767. The 767Bs showed a clear step forward over their predecessor, finishing seventh and ninth overall. The older lone 767 completed the entry in 12th place. While still far from victory contention, the results demonstrated that the updated platform could run reliably to the finish in the gruelling 24-hour format. In the JSPC that year, however, the results were less encouraging, with Mazda finishing only fifth in the championship.
For 1990, Mazdaspeed debuted the newer 787 as the primary frontline challenger, and a single 767B was entered alongside two of the newer cars. The 767B proved to be the only one of the three Mazda entries to reach the finish, completing the race 20th overall. The two 787s both suffered retirements, while the elderly 767B's reliability — a hallmark of the rotary-engined Mazdas — allowed it to see the flag where the newer cars could not.
The 767B occupies a transitional place in Mazda's endurance racing history, bridging the era of the 757 and the championship-winning 787B. Its fifth-place finish at Daytona in 1989 and consistent finishes at Le Mans demonstrated the basic soundness of the rotary-engined GTP concept. While the car never challenged for overall victory, it kept Mazdaspeed's programme operational and provided the technical and operational experience that eventually fed into the landmark 787B campaign. The rotary racing lineage that the 767B represented remains one of the most distinctive and celebrated in motorsport history.