RE: Mazda RX-7: PH Heroes

RE: Mazda RX-7: PH Heroes

Friday 25th July 2014

Mazda RX-7: PH Heroes

Having blogged about our love of 90s Jap performance cars we celebrate one of the greatest



Let's wind the clock back to the early 90s - a time when Japan was, indisputably, the world's sports car powerhouse. Honda NSX, Mazda MX-5, Nissan 300ZX, Mitsubishi 3000GT, Toyota Supra... a stellar cast-list that proved the performance car pendulum had definitively swung in the direction of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Restyled bumper for facelifted later cars
Restyled bumper for facelifted later cars
But I'm going to push the boat out now, and declare that one Japanese sports car beat them all. More than that, it was a car that hardly even bothered the UK market the whole time it was sold here. The greatest Jap sports car of the early 90s has to be Mazda's third-generation RX-7.

Not a lot of people know this, but the RX-7 - at least in first-generation form - was the world's best-selling sports car for years. Indeed, the MX-5 has still to catch up with the total production output of the RX-7 over all three generations.

Letting the light in
But unlike the populist Gen 1 and rather flabby Gen 2 RX-7s, the Gen 3 FD3S would be an unabashed supercar: a pure, raw, focused machine. Mazda's RX-7 programme manager, Takaharu Kobayakawa, deliberately eschewed all the driving aids that were creeping into (and often spoiling) other Banzai machinery of the time, like four-wheel steer, automatic spoilers and traction control.

Twin-turbo rotary is like nothing else
Twin-turbo rotary is like nothing else
Light weight was the goal, and the use of aluminium and thermoplastics gave the FD3 a gravity-defying weight of just 1,230kg. Low-mass (6kg) five-spoke alloys reduced unsprung weight, while the double-wishbone suspension was also made from lightweight cast aluminium. Giving the chassis extra strength was the Power-Plant Frame (PPF), an idea which had debuted on the MX-5: essentially a cross-brace to connect the powertrain with the rear-mounted Torsen limited-slip diff.

The rotor shape in the grille hinted at what lay under the bonnet: a twin-rotor, twin-turbo Wankel. Mazda's 13B-REW engine had two Hitachi HT12 turbos bolted to it, operating in sequence (as pioneered in Mazda's mental Cosmo 20B triple-rotor). The first turbo kicked in at low revs (below 2,000rpm), while the second turbo spooled up as the revs went higher, all the way up to a screaming 8,000rpm red line. The whole journey through the rev band was turbine-smooth, but the sound could be brutally raw - especially with an after-market exhaust fitted.

Interior is traditional in look, plasticky in execution
Interior is traditional in look, plasticky in execution
Each cylinder displaced 654cc (making the total capacity the taxable equivalent of 2,616cc). In Europe, max power was 240hp at 6,500rpm, with peak torque of 216lb ft at 5,000rpm, so it was good enough for 156mph and 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds. In Japan the story was even rosier: depending on version, it had between 255hp and 280hp, plus up to 232lb ft of torque, and the quickest ones did 0-60mph in just 4.9 seconds. A five-speed manual gearbox was the only transmission offered in the UK, but a four-speed automatic transmission Touring option was available in Japan for those who really didn't understand what the RX-7 was all about.

Perfect balance
That said, the FD was never about pure power: balance was always The Thing. Having the engine sited behind the front axle means the Rex has perfect 50/50 weight distribution. As a result, the handling poise is that of a bare-boned, raw sports car. Rack-and-pinion steering with speed-sensitive variable power assistance sounds very modern, but the feel is definitely old-school: full of feel, pointy and quick. Helped by the car's low weight, the handling at the limit is certainly lively, but it's also progressive and pretty forgiving if you know what you're doing. Get it right, and the handling choreography is better than anything from Strictly Come Dancing. If you don't get it right, at least the big vented discs and four-piston callipers have enough hauling power to bring you to a rapid halt.

De-winged early car with 'our' late photo star
De-winged early car with 'our' late photo star
The clincher of all-time greatness for the RX-7, though, has to be its sensational shape. In 1991, Japan was in the thrall of Italian design houses, and there was certainly something Italianate about the FD's lithe, graceful shape - especially the subtly Zagatoesque double-bubble roof (referred to at Mazda as the 'Aero-Wave'). But the car's styling actually originated at Mazda's office in California. Pop-up headlights - still very much in vogue in 1991 - permitted a smooth, compact frontal area. Inside was a superbly intimate cabin with supportive bucket seats and a driver-focused dashboard.

Furiously modded
Does the Gen 3 shape still look good today? Of course it does, at least in standard form. Sadly the curse of The Fast & The Furious has well and truly been wreaked upon the RX-7. Good luck trying to find an example that's not been Veilsided to oblivion. Quite apart from ghastly bodykits, most RX-7s are non-original mechanically, too, with many now having a single turbo to boost power.

The trouble with the RX-7 - at least in the UK - was that it was marketed as a luxury car, with a price tag to match: at £32,535 it was pegged to the Jaguar XJ-S. Buyers avoided it in droves, even after Mazda slashed its price. In the UK the RX-7 was quietly dropped in 1995 after just 124 official sales. But it did continue in Japan - from where almost all the examples in the UK today have come as grey imports. In 1995 there was a restyle for the front, rear and cabin, then a further facelift in 1999, before the RX-7 made its final rotation in 2002.

Adjustable rear wing on later models
Adjustable rear wing on later models
Find an original UK car, or an unmolested example from Japan (ideally a Type R), and you'll have a cast-iron investment. A look in the classifieds reveals that just £6-7K will get you a decent example - the very definition of an absolute steal.

Marvel or meltdown?
So is the FD RX-7 a dream come true? Inevitably, there's a dark side, and it's the engine. First, there's the fuel consumption - get better than the mid-teens and you'll be doing well - and oil consumption (the rotary engine is, by design, an oil-burner). The RX-7 devours tyres, too, as well as brake pads and discs.

But most of all, there's the ever-nagging doubt that any journey you make might very well end in a smorgasbord of melted metal. For sure, if you neglect maintenance at all, the 13B engine is prone to bite back, and longevity is far less than most up-and-downy-pistoned engines. The Rex's engine bay is a pretty hot place, meaning ancillaries take a pounding, too. If the worst comes to the worst, though, Berkshire-based RX-7 specialist, RoTechniks (supplier of the car in the photos), can do you a rebuild for around £2,500, or supply a brand new engine for approaching £7,000.

So is the RX-7 FD the best sports car ever made by Mazda? No question. Could it also be the best Japanese sports car ever? It's certainly got my vote.


Most beautiful Japanese sports car ever? Discuss
Most beautiful Japanese sports car ever? Discuss
Dan on driving the RX-7
There's a lightweight clatter to the door and a creak to the hard black plastics inside that will be familiar to anyone who knows 90s Japanese cars but even with that the RX-7 feels so much more exotic than its contemporaries.

It's compact and the bonnet scuttle is very low thanks to the compact rotary engine, the sweeps and curves of the wings framing an excellent view of the road ahead and the seating position and environment that of a classic sporting coupe. With that big glass rear hatch and the teardrop shape the cabin feels like the bubble cockpit of a fighter jet and though it's compact it doesn't feel claustrophobic at all. Everywhere you look there are beautiful sweeps and curves, the bodywork feeling very tightly wrapped around the wheels and running gear and suggestive of light weight and engineering focus.

The big transmission tunnel and scattering of dials on the dash are very traditional sports car and there's a surprisingly old-school heft to the gearshift which, like most Japanese cars of the era, is short of shift and positive of gate and a delight to flick around.

In deference to the engine being fresh from a rebuild and still running in we were keeping revs low and speeds reasonable but from a growly low-end rumble the engine picks up from around 2,000rpm as the first turbo spools up and from there loosens up to a smooth and linear power delivery with just a hint of the rotary shriek to come higher up the rev range. The '8' on the rev counter is a temptation but to be avoided on this run! The lack of inertia in the engine means you have to be quick with your downshifts and/or assertive with your rev-matching to keep it on the boil and though it's not monstrously quick it's clear there's a huge power band there to be enjoyed and exploited.

And fundamentally it feels brilliantly communicative and balanced, pivoting around your hips and with lots of subtle nibbles of feedback through the surprisingly large steering wheel. The low centre of gravity, lack of weight and fact that what's there is centred between the axles just makes it feel wonderfully intuitive. Charismatic to drive, exotic, beautiful to look at and packed with mechanical intrigue it's a hero that lives up to the hype.


MAZDA RX-7 (MY2001 JDM)
Engine:
1,308cc two-rotor rotary, twin-turbo
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 265hp@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 217lb ft@5,000rpm
0-62mph: 5.3 sec
Top speed: 157mph
On sale: 1991-2002 (Japanese market, UK sales 1991-1995)
Price new: £32,535 (UK market price)
Price now: c. £7,000-£15,000









   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Photos: Tom Begley

Car illustrated supplied by and for sale with RoTechniks (0118 988 8555) - our thanks to them for letting us borrow it!

Author
Discussion

unsprung

Original Poster:

5,467 posts

123 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all

Never owned one; always entertained by 'em. Our world has grown poorer in the absence of rotary-powered sports cars. (sigh)

itz_baseline

820 posts

220 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Great looking car and probably depreciation free motoring. Would love one...if they didnt die and need an engine rebuild every 5 minutes.

SteveSteveson

3,209 posts

162 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
A stunning car, and I can't help but think I would be tempted if I had a lotto win. For a normal mortal with real world worries, I could manage the engine or the fuel costs, but I don't think I could ever do both. Mores the pitty as it is a car I deeply want.

"Indeed, the MX-5 has still to catch up with the total production output of the RX-7 over all three generations."

Um, 811,634 RX-7s were produced, the 900,000th MX5 was made in 2011, and given that in 2011 the MX5 was 22 years old and the RX7 stopped production in 2002 after 24 years that means they made more per year on average.

kambites

67,460 posts

220 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Fabulous looking car on the rare occasion you see one which hasn't been butchered.

Lovely chassis too, although I never really got on with the engine. I've often wondered how viable it would be to fit the higher powered RX8 engine to one.

Edited by kambites on Friday 25th July 11:49

cerb4.5lee

30,170 posts

179 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
I have always admired these and I would have loved to own one.

Pommygranite

14,229 posts

215 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Such a desirable car.


TNH

559 posts

146 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
The shape has aged very very well.

Would love one.

VWAUDI

293 posts

156 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Nice car, I would never put my cash into one of these though I don't think I could stand the interior.

The Article said:
The rotor shape in the grille hinted at what lay under the bonnet
What? I don't see any rotor shape or rotor like shape in the grille at all.

zeppelin101

724 posts

191 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
VWAUDI said:
What? I don't see any rotor shape or rotor like shape in the grille at all.
It's a subtle bonnet bulge that is rotor-shaped at the back of the bonnet.

Guvernator

13,103 posts

164 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Sorry I am going to peg this as an almost hero. Beautiful to look at, handles fantastically, lightweight and it loves to rev, however the rotary engine while very clever, fails on quite a few levels. It DRINKS fuel and oil and more worryingly a rebuild is a case of when not if.

Yes this is a fact, some owners have ran them for quite a while without issues but this is more luck than judgement to be honest.

For this reason I think it just misses out on hero status but then I think the same thing about TVR Tuscan's. Sorry but I just don't think a car with a higher than average propensity to explode it's engine is worthy of that status. Shame as if it wasn't for that flaw, I'd probably have one on my drive right now.

4/5, close but no cigar.

LOW4LYFE

159 posts

120 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Cool car, I've always wanted one. But starting at 7k and probably more for a good one, plus reliability worries, it just screams money pit. Shame.

BarbaricAvatar

1,416 posts

147 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Wonderful car, but too many have been ruined by tuners.

The '91 to '95 shape is the prettiest of them all, though i'd keep the rear wing.

dukebox9reg

1,570 posts

147 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Guvernator said:
Sorry I am going to peg this as an almost hero. Beautiful to look at, handles fantastically, lightweight and it loves to rev, however the rotary engine while very clever, fails on quite a few levels. It DRINKS fuel and oil and more worryingly a rebuild is a case of when not if.

Yes this is a fact, some owners have ran them for quite a while without issues but this is more luck than judgement to be honest.

For this reason I think it just misses out on hero status but then I think the same thing about TVR Tuscan's. Sorry but I just don't think a car with a higher than average propensity to explode it's engine is worthy of that status. Shame as if it wasn't for that flaw, I'd probably have one on my drive right now.

4/5, close but no cigar.
Celebs tend to get hero status when they burn out and die at an early age at their peak. Harder to rebuild though.

dublet

283 posts

210 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Article said:
Each cylinder displaced 654cc
You mean each rotor. wink

Turbobanana

6,159 posts

200 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Agree about the looks. Rotaries cannot really be compared to reciprocating piston engines though.

Always wanted one of these - closest I got was an '84 RX-7 which (despite a driver's door you couldn't open; a boot lid you couldn't close; 13 mpg and the noisiest Janspeed exhaust I've ever heard) I absolutely loved and regret selling.

a311

5,789 posts

176 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Funny this article should pop up, I saw one this week. Can't remember the last time before that I'd seen one.

FD3Si

857 posts

143 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Besotted owner checking in biggrin

Wonderful things, good article - small correction though - a 'Type R' is very much a bog standard spec - most were, in fact, pretty similar in spec. The ones to look out for that hold more value are the RZ's, with their carbon Recaros, fancy interior trimmings, and different brakes/final drives, the RS (and RSR) with some of these, and, on the '99 spec' models, the Spirit Rs, which still command a hefty premium.

Pedantry aside they a re very much a marmite car, and a lot of it is to do with the much maligned engine. Buttery smooth, but not always much of a sensation of speed. They are one of those deceptively fast things.
Completely agree about ruining them with body addenda, but I'll happily admit to being a bit of an FD purist when it comes to the shape. Wanted one for about 13 years, bought one, 6 years later still have it, and no plans to get rid.

Many owners will deny the engines, and yeah, a well built one will last, but not like a piston. When those owners are swearing blind that they are super reliable, ask them how long they've had the car, and if more than a couple of years, ask them if it's their first engine.
Then again, same could be said for many thing s- I understand TVRs aren't exactly great at extracting maximum life from a motor...

That grey one is utterly lovely.

HorneyMX5

5,306 posts

149 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Owning a Rotary is very much on my automotive bucket list.

Guvernator

13,103 posts

164 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
dukebox9reg said:
Celebs tend to get hero status when they burn out and die at an early age at their peak. Harder to rebuild though.
Lol yes but then if we take that analogy further, I'm sure friends or family aren't too happy about the early departure, despite what status is inferred upon the departed and I suspect in the same way, hero status is scant relief for the RX-7 owner who has had to foot a large engine bill. smile

Mave

8,208 posts

214 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
kambites said:
Fabulous looking car on the rare occasion you see one which hasn't been butchered.

Lovely chassis too, although I never really got on with the engine. I've often wondered how viable it would be to fit the higher powered RX8 engine to one.
An Rx8 is lower powered, with much less mid range oomf :-(


Edited by Mave on Friday 25th July 16:08