The Mazda RX-7: A Car That We Desperately Want to Come Back

BOLD RIDE

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Posted by Nicole Wakelin 

                               

 

Mazda might be bringing back a fabled name in sports car history, the Mazda RX-7. The original was produced from 1978 to 2002. It had a 1,146 cc twin-rotor Wankel rotary engine and a front midship, rear wheel drive layout. Its low center of gravity made it a sporty and very fun two-door coupe with the added bonus of improved fuel efficiency.

The RX-7 took the place of the outgoing RX-3. Mazda sold both the RX-3 and RX-7 in Japan under the name of Savanna. The RX-7 achieved success across the globe with special limited editions being released in different countries, all designed to appeal to a rabid fan base that loved their little coupes.

Mazda marketed the RX-7 as a “front mid-engine” car with the engine placed just slightly behind the front axle. It was a two-seat coupe with what they called “occasional” rear seats in Japan, Australia, and the US. These seats started out as a dealer-installed option in the North American market.

 

The RX-7 gained fame both for its performance in the real world and for its status as a pop culture favorite. Car and Driver named the RX-7 to its “Ten Best” list no less than five times. The car was just that good. It also appeared in The Fast and the Furious series, Inital D, Need for Speed, Wangan Midnight, and Gran Turismo.

Over the course of its 24-year production run, there were three generations of the RX-7. A total of 811,634 RX-7s were produced before that run ended in 2002. There is the possibility of the RX-7 making a come back, hinted at with the recently unveiled RX Vision Concept. But there will have to be serious engineering advancements made in order to make it a reality.