Some cars from the ’80s and ’90s are now approaching classic status and, in this new series, we look at some of these cars — those that may appeal to our younger readers

With the introduction of the Series 6 RX-7, Mazda re-invented their iconic sports coupe

From its first incarnation in 1978, the Mazda RX-7 has always been a bit of a trendsetter, a giant-killer and generally something for boys to stare at with googly eyes whilst oohing and aahing in near erotic fashion. Although these well-priced sports coupes proved very popular through the late ’70s and ’80s, it wasn’t until the introduction of the third evolution of the RX-7, the Series 6 or FD3S, that Mazda really set the world alight.

Instant praise came flooding in. No-one could fault the powerful twin-turbocharged, perfectly balanced and beautifully formed sports car, quickly dubbed the ‘Batmobile.’ Even Playboy magazine named the Series 6 as its car of the year in 1993.

Despite a few mechanical problems surfacing the FD3S was produced, and sold very well, for a grand total of 11 years — a testament to just how ahead of its time the car was in terms of styling, handling and performance. Even now, 16 years after the car first hit tarmac, many still consider the RX-7 to be a great vehicle.

Prettier than Thou

In the late ’80s, Mazda designers began to put pen to paper in the hope of creating their greatest car yet, the third generation Mazda RX-7. Using their long-standing design ethos — “like water flowing over rocks” — Mazda began to create a look that would soon wow the world, a look now widely regarded as the sexiest Japanese body ever built. These days, those smooth, flowing lines are often accentuated with huge after market body kits, but this is a faux pas for purists and, as the it reaches the magic 20-year mark, we should start to see fewer and fewer body kits on these cars as people try to retain the original look and feel of the Batmobile.

Like the Nissan Skyline GT-R featured last month, the RX-7 also fell victim to Japan’s 206kW ‘Gentleman’s Agreement’ power cap of the ’90s. But, again as Nissan did with the GT-R, Mazda chose to build a higher power motor then work backwards, strangling and restricting the rotary until it just scraped in under the limit. This gave birth to the 13BREW, a twin turbocharged 1300cc twin rotary engine, capable of vast power with minor modifications.

Two small Hitachi turbochargers run in a sequential arrangement, with the first spooling up at 1800rpm to provide low down torque, and the second joining it at 4000rpm to provide full power. Although the Hitachi system was a great idea, and provided a smooth and linear power band, it was also fraught with problems due to its complexity.

It is because of this that buying a Series 6 RX-7 with the original twin turbo system still intact is quite difficult, let alone a gamble. Later Series 7 and 8 FD3S cars featured a revised set-up, curing the problem. The 13BREW motor is also, unfortunately, not immune to the common wear and tear problems of any other rotary motor, and generally needs a rebuild at around the 100,000 kilometre mark.

Buying Guide

Like any other sports car, it pays to look into a potential RX-7’s history and ask as many questions as possible. Who has owned it? Has it been crashed? How has it been looked after?

In terms of the engine, as mentioned above, these motors tend to last around 100,000km before they grow tired and smoky, so it pays to buy a vehicle that has just had a rebuild done, and the owner has the receipts from a reputable workshop to prove it. Alternatively, RX-7s with reasonable kilometres and still on their original engine can often be found for a good price, making for a potential great buy, providing the piece of mind knowing you had the 13B refreshed yourself.

Lastly, make sure any modifications (there are likely to be some) have been carried out properly, as the rotary world is rife with backyard mechanics, all too willing to make a buck off an unsuspecting buyer.

As for the rest of the car, Mazda really built a winner here, and there isn’t all that much that tends to go wrong if it has been looked after. Keep an eye out for the special edition RX-7s that Mazda released over the 11 years of production, most notably the Bathurst R and Spirit R, which are highly sought-after and collectable machines.

Parts Supply

Second-hand RX-7 parts are plentiful here in New Zealand due to the large number of Japanese used imports brought in over the last decade. Trade Me and rotary clubs are usually a good start, but be careful when it comes to engine parts, as many have been caught out buying from un-trusted sources. Most Mazda second-hand parts dealers will also be wrecking a few FD3S models at any one time.

New parts are also available through Mazda, although a good deal of those are ex-Japan, and command quite a high price.

Mazda RX-7 (FD3S) – Specifications

Built: 1992-2002, 68,589 built
Engine: 1300cc twin turbocharged, twin rotary engine 206kW (276bhp)
Bodies: Two and four-seater coupe
Performance: Electronically limited top speed 200-215kph (124-134mph), 0-100kph under 5.5 seconds
NZ Prices: Prices vary wildly between $10,000 and $30,000 due to the decade-long production run, and differing state of the vehicles.

Clubs

Considering the car’s sterling performance and scope for modification, RX-7 and rotary-based clubs are popular here in New Zealand. Unfortunately, the rotary scene does tend to attract the less desirable side of the car hobby, so many local clubs and websites can have a large ‘idiot’ element. Our pick, see — www.rotordynamic.co.nz or www.rotahavik.co.nz.

Words: Peter Kelly

This article is from Classic Car issue 222. Click here to check it out.

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