Mazda RX-7 Type RS (FD3S)
Discussion
A long time ago, before Gran Turismo was a gleam in Yamauchi's eye, before Initial D sanctified RWD, before I was out of shorts let alone behind the wheel, I read in Autocar & Motor about the latest in the nineties wave of science-fiction Japanese sports cars. No computer-controlled 4wd here, but it did feature obsessive weight reduction and two turbochargers that worked in sequence. How did they get the turbo valves to open and close at the right time? My 12-year-old brain struggled to work it all out. The brand new and very curvy Mazda RX-7 FD was beautiful, focused and super-cool.
Eleven years later in rural Japan, I got a passenger ride in one. While it wasn't as dramatic as a flame-spitting Skyline, it felt smooth, planted and very, very right. Moreover, the styling was incredible close-up - all subtly defined bulging forms melding purposefully one into another, with the classic double-bubble roof. That it felt cramped inside compared to my own Silvia only made it seem more special. Later I visited Mazda HQ in Hiroshima, saw the green-and-orange 787B, and felt how the quest to productionise the rotary engine is intimately tied up with the resurrection of this elegant, beautifully sited city.
Then a fellow Nissan-owner spoke with the enthusiasm of a convert, about just how special his new FD made him feel, how comparing numbers with S-bodies tells you nothing of what it feels like to drive. I looked, noted the fuel consumption and reliability challenges, admired from afar and continued with my economical four-pot turbo Nissan.
More recently, a combination of modestly rising pay and falling annual mileage allowed me to think I might be able to run a rotary. When I close my eyes and imagine my dream car, it is a curvaceous coupe, with a short, powerful engine nestled behind the front wheels, driving the rears. A Corvette was LHD and too expensive, a Cerbera even more scary to own, while a test drive in a GT86 proved that I couldn't go cold turkey on torque. The RX-7 FD was looking like the one.
A little research suggested that I should look for a fairly standard later-model car owned by a knowledgeable enthusiast, with good compression results. I just missed out on a rather nice blue '99-spec fresh import at £7,750, then saw a black '96 up for £4,750. Rebuilt five years ago and with nice high, even compression results, this car had been with the same guy for years, serviced twice a year at a rotary specialist. The seller took me for a drive (I couldn't sort insurance to test drive a modified car, albeit just catback and panel filter). He apologised for not being able to really push it in the wet, then promptly ran us up to over the ton on a sweeping A-road, car feeling totally planted. Everything seemed to check out, so we agreed on £4,500 and I paid over the cash on the spot - lucky really, since we'd barely finished counting the fifties when his phone rang with another buyer offering to take it.
Now I’m finally behind the wheel of my very own FD, and it is every bit as special as I’d been told. The 13B motor knows neither vibration nor harshness, only how to pull and pull with such ready willingness that the 7k beep comes as a rude surprise. The whole car moves instantly and linearly with the steering, with no delay - the sense of absolute control is similar to holding a toy car under the palm of your hand. The brakes, larger ones on my Type RS, reassure instantly. The smooth power and seemingly-invincible chassis make 100mph feel like the natural cruising gait (this may yet turn out to be a problem). While it makes speed natural, it never feels boring - you are intimately connected to the car.
I've already ruled out body kits, coilovers, or messing with the sequential turbo operation that blew my mind twenty years ago. Future plans are basically reliability mods so that I can take her on trackdays without fearing blowing the engine - I can't wait to see how this chassis feels at Cadwell Park.
So yes, I have a new love. And ultimately, I think that’s what PH-ness is all about :-)
"Aero wave" double-bubble roofline
Lure of the open road
50/50 weight distribution
Shades of the TVR Tuscan in this bonnet
Even the wing mirrors are elegantly sculpted. Everything on this car has been thought about and designed by someone who cared.
Dished Nardi wheel succeeds in giving me knee clearance. However, although the speedometer is clearly visible in this shot, it isn't from my driving position (!) A phone app helps here.
Oh, and I've also taken the chance to pick up this, which I really like
1996 Mazda RX-7 Type RS (FD3S)
Power: 265hp
Torque: 217 lb ft
Weight: 1270kg
Changes from OEM spec:
Racing Beat cat-back exhaust
Panel filter
99-spec rear spoiler
Nardi steering wheel
Eleven years later in rural Japan, I got a passenger ride in one. While it wasn't as dramatic as a flame-spitting Skyline, it felt smooth, planted and very, very right. Moreover, the styling was incredible close-up - all subtly defined bulging forms melding purposefully one into another, with the classic double-bubble roof. That it felt cramped inside compared to my own Silvia only made it seem more special. Later I visited Mazda HQ in Hiroshima, saw the green-and-orange 787B, and felt how the quest to productionise the rotary engine is intimately tied up with the resurrection of this elegant, beautifully sited city.
Then a fellow Nissan-owner spoke with the enthusiasm of a convert, about just how special his new FD made him feel, how comparing numbers with S-bodies tells you nothing of what it feels like to drive. I looked, noted the fuel consumption and reliability challenges, admired from afar and continued with my economical four-pot turbo Nissan.
More recently, a combination of modestly rising pay and falling annual mileage allowed me to think I might be able to run a rotary. When I close my eyes and imagine my dream car, it is a curvaceous coupe, with a short, powerful engine nestled behind the front wheels, driving the rears. A Corvette was LHD and too expensive, a Cerbera even more scary to own, while a test drive in a GT86 proved that I couldn't go cold turkey on torque. The RX-7 FD was looking like the one.
A little research suggested that I should look for a fairly standard later-model car owned by a knowledgeable enthusiast, with good compression results. I just missed out on a rather nice blue '99-spec fresh import at £7,750, then saw a black '96 up for £4,750. Rebuilt five years ago and with nice high, even compression results, this car had been with the same guy for years, serviced twice a year at a rotary specialist. The seller took me for a drive (I couldn't sort insurance to test drive a modified car, albeit just catback and panel filter). He apologised for not being able to really push it in the wet, then promptly ran us up to over the ton on a sweeping A-road, car feeling totally planted. Everything seemed to check out, so we agreed on £4,500 and I paid over the cash on the spot - lucky really, since we'd barely finished counting the fifties when his phone rang with another buyer offering to take it.
Now I’m finally behind the wheel of my very own FD, and it is every bit as special as I’d been told. The 13B motor knows neither vibration nor harshness, only how to pull and pull with such ready willingness that the 7k beep comes as a rude surprise. The whole car moves instantly and linearly with the steering, with no delay - the sense of absolute control is similar to holding a toy car under the palm of your hand. The brakes, larger ones on my Type RS, reassure instantly. The smooth power and seemingly-invincible chassis make 100mph feel like the natural cruising gait (this may yet turn out to be a problem). While it makes speed natural, it never feels boring - you are intimately connected to the car.
I've already ruled out body kits, coilovers, or messing with the sequential turbo operation that blew my mind twenty years ago. Future plans are basically reliability mods so that I can take her on trackdays without fearing blowing the engine - I can't wait to see how this chassis feels at Cadwell Park.
So yes, I have a new love. And ultimately, I think that’s what PH-ness is all about :-)
"Aero wave" double-bubble roofline
Lure of the open road
50/50 weight distribution
Shades of the TVR Tuscan in this bonnet
Even the wing mirrors are elegantly sculpted. Everything on this car has been thought about and designed by someone who cared.
Dished Nardi wheel succeeds in giving me knee clearance. However, although the speedometer is clearly visible in this shot, it isn't from my driving position (!) A phone app helps here.
Oh, and I've also taken the chance to pick up this, which I really like
1996 Mazda RX-7 Type RS (FD3S)
Power: 265hp
Torque: 217 lb ft
Weight: 1270kg
Changes from OEM spec:
Racing Beat cat-back exhaust
Panel filter
99-spec rear spoiler
Nardi steering wheel
Edited by samoht on Thursday 30th June 23:05
Definitely no bodykits - IMO that would be like taking felt tips to the Mona Lisa. Only thing is, some of the ugly aftermarket bonnets you see on RX-7s have the benefit of drawing cooling air through the engine bay, and the rotary runs pretty hot. So that may have to be considered.
I've just worked out my first tankful... 19.6mpg (!) So yeah, not a car for the long commute.
I'm 6'1. I have enough headroom actually, with a couple of inches spare, but my hips are fairly wide and feel uncomfortably 'wedged' by the stock seats. The other problem is that when I let out the clutch, my left knee was hitting the back of the steering wheel rim. I've pretty well ameliorated this with the new steering wheel, which is dished (giving more length behind it) and smaller diameter. I'm still on the look-out for some wider seats.
It's hard to make generalisations since even two people of the same height may be differently proportioned, you'd have to try it out.
I've just worked out my first tankful... 19.6mpg (!) So yeah, not a car for the long commute.
I'm 6'1. I have enough headroom actually, with a couple of inches spare, but my hips are fairly wide and feel uncomfortably 'wedged' by the stock seats. The other problem is that when I let out the clutch, my left knee was hitting the back of the steering wheel rim. I've pretty well ameliorated this with the new steering wheel, which is dished (giving more length behind it) and smaller diameter. I'm still on the look-out for some wider seats.
It's hard to make generalisations since even two people of the same height may be differently proportioned, you'd have to try it out.
Codswallop said:
Beautiful car OP. The RS wheels and wing really complete the look of the car imo.
What "reliability" mods have you got in mind?
My understanding is that the Achilles heel of the FD is heat. The rotary engine creates more heat (due to being less efficient) than a normal piston motor, and having twin turbos and a complex manifold under the bonnet also traps heat there. A couple of weeks ago it was wet out, I made one quick overtake in 3rd gear and there was so much steam coming from the bonnet that oncoming motorists were flashing their lights, worried that I was on fire!What "reliability" mods have you got in mind?
The problem is that if the engine bay temps build up, the intake air coming into the engine is too hot, then you get detonation and it's game over (unlike a piston engine, you don't get three lives - the apex seals can't take any knock at all).
Road driving should be fine, but to take her out on track and push hard, I possibly need some combination of a larger radiator, larger/differently mounted intercooler, vented bonnet, and an Apexi ECU that can watch and alert if the intake temps get too high. Basically better heat exchange and an alert so that I can back off before I kill my engine.
RobCrezz said:
Do many people use water/meth injection systems to stop knock on these?
Yeah, it seems to be really widespread. I gather it's v effective while it's working, but obviously if nozzle fails or water runs out, it's another way to potentially kill your engine.philwhite said:
My old car! Glad to see it's gone to such a good home. Seeing the photos has totally made me regret selling it - thanks for that!
The car's a credit to your discerning ownership, I'll be doing my best to keep it as nice as it is now. Incidentally it was also chosen for the recent 'readers' cars' PH story 
Beefmeister said:
Oh, and glad you like the t-shirt - I did the line graphics for PH and I spent an incredibly long time on the RX-7 one for obvious reasons!
Your car looks great, those front bumpers seem to be really rare - and one of the few alterations that doesn't ruin a great shape, presumably because it was made by Mazda.I did think that the T-shirt did a remarkably good job of capturing the FD's wonderful and very three-dimensional shape into a flat line drawing - now I know why !
rotarymazda said:
I've had my 2000 RS for 6 years and kept it standard, the kids fit in the back for the school run. No reliability issues apart from a window switch replaced. Lovely car, always feels special to drive.
Wow, I envy your kids - keep up the good work with the PH parenting !! Special is exactly the word for the RX-7.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff