Mazda RX-7 Spirit R: Spotted

Another low-mileage JDM hero, a slightly more palatable price this time

The Japanese sports car love-in will cease soon, promise. It's simply that opportunities to feature the Mazda RX-7 Spirit R, and indeed the Honda NSX-R, don't come around too often. While they're available it's only right to talk about them, isn't it?

Fast car, just two exhausts? Heavens above!

Like the NSX-R, the Spirit R is the ultimate as RX-7s go. Again a more driver-focused version solely for Japan, the Spirit R was a run-out special in 2002 as the 7 made way for the RX-8. The R is distinguished from a regular FD-3S by those fantastic Recaro seats (saving 10kg), the 17-inch BBS wheels, new Bilstein dampers and bigger brakes. Not as extensive as the Type R modifications but significant enough. Even the original press release is pared back to the basics; no excess or frippery, simply what the car is and what it costs. Just 1,500 were made.

It would appear the rise in classic values is finally starting to influence Japanese cars too. An NSX-R found in the classifieds four years ago (common as muck, these Hondas...) was £45K; today a similar example is more than twice that. Though this RX-7 is some way from that, to see one at £22,995 is still a surprise. Having said that, the mileage is incredibly low (just 13,000), the condition pristine and the whole car standard bar an updated navigation system. Furthermore, when there are UK cars at £15K (when did that happen?!) the extra money for the Spirit R doesn't seem that unreasonable.

This is a good view...

But it doesn't seem appropriate to compare Japanese-sourced cars with UK ones, so what else could tempt you from an RX-7 Spirit R? An R32 Skyline GT-R perhaps? Different in approach to the the Mazda but similarly legendary in the eyes of many, low mileage versions of the Nissan are now above £20K as well. For a more modern alternative there's the Impreza WRX STI Spec C Type RA-R (the spec is even longer than the name; it sounds pretty special).

The advantage the RX-7 will always have over those cars however, and indeed many originally available in the UK, is the way it looks. Even though it was first launched in 1991, this shape of RX-7 remains fantastically pretty. The Japanese manufacturers aren't renowned for cohesive design but heck is it good when they do pull it off.

As always with such sparsely used cars, it almost seems wrong to drive this RX-7 extensively. But then it's not hugely expensive as limited edition icons go and you suspect the drive would be more than worth it. There are certainly others available if the Spirit R is too nice!

MAZDA RX-7 SPIRIT R
Engine: 1,308cc two-rotor rotary, twin-turbo
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 280hp@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 217lb ft@5,000rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 2002
Recorded mileage: 13,000
Price new: £32,535 (UK market price)
Yours for: £22,995