Page 164 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

seconds, run through a quarter mile in 13.5 seconds and top out at 158 mph.
The FD RX-7 employed a system of sequential turbos. The smaller provided 10 psi of boost from 1,800 rpm, while the larger turbo kicked in at 4,000 rpm and powered the engine up to its 8,000 rpm redline. The twin-turbo system had previously been employed in Porsche’s flagship, the 959, which was certainly august company.
However, all the new technology came at a price which practically doomed the new RX-7 from the start. The 1991 FC RX-7 had retailed for $19,335 for the base model, rising to $26,555 for the turbo coupe. But the new turbo coupe started at $32,500 – which equates to $55,130 in today’s money and there was no FD convertible.
ABOVE: Complex twin-turbo 13B engine produced 255 horsepower and could reach 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
TOP: The FD’s interior was a big step forward in comfort and design over previous generations.
The FD RX-7 was only sold in America for three years, though production continued in Japan until 2002. Of the total 68,589 FD RX-7’s built, only 13,897 were sold in the United States. Sales totaled 9,976 in 1993, 3,403 in 1994 and just 500 in 1995.
Three trim levels were sold in North America. The base car featured ABS, air conditioning, central locking power windows and a driver’s air bag. The Touring package added leather, a power moonroof, cruise control and a Bose Acoustic Wave sound system which took up much of the trunk space. The R1 package was the uncompromising sports model, and featured special tuning, stiffer suspension, Z-rated tires, dual oil coolers, rear spoiler and front air dam.
Changes were few. The 1994 RX-7 gained a passenger-side airbag and the moonroof was now steel. Base and Touring suspensions were softened and the R1 package became the R2, also with slightly softer suspension. For 1995, the Touring package became the Popular Equipment package and lost the Bose stereo.
162Wayne CariniAffordable Classics
The first generation Mazda RX-7 represented a breath of fresh air in 1979 when most sports cars traced their origins back to the 1960s or earlier. But the MGB, Triumph Spitfire, Alfa Romeo and even the Datsun 240Z were middle-aged. They had porked up with “bash bumpers” and were permanently short of breath.
The RX-7 was a bold enterprise, combining the silky smooth 12A rotary engine with a sleek Porsche-like coupe body with pop- up headlights. Its nominally 1146 cc engine delivered just 100 horsepower, but a 7,000 rpm redline imbued plenty of flexibility. Since the car weighed only 2,350 pounds, 0-60 mph came up in nine seconds and top speed was 115 mph.
Rotary engines should start easily and idle around 2,000 rpm, slowing down to about 800 rpm as they warm up. Do not drive them hard when cold, as steel and aluminum expand at different rates with wear occurring more severely when cold. It’s normal to see some white smoke on start up, but it should disperse in a couple of minutes. Oil pressure ought to be between 30 and 60 psi at first and a warm engine will idle around 15 psi. Do not start it and then switch it off right away, or the engine will flood.
While the interior was fairly austere, the gauges were well- placed, the clutch light, and the gearshift fairly smooth. If the engine lacked torque at first, it revved so willingly that a buzzer was installed to remind drivers to shift. Early cars featured a four-speed gearbox but a five-speed was optional and soon standardized. An automatic transmission option was available although seldom seen. Air-conditioning was available and effective and a sunroof was optional. Both steel and glass ones can be found, but do reduce headroom.
The rotary engine lived on in the Mazda catalog, but the elegant 1990s design somehow morphed into the clumsy RX-8 coupe. Launched in 2003, it featured tiny clamshell rear doors for small people to access the diminutive rear seat. It lingered until 2012 and surprisingly sold 192,094 units over 10 years, with 73,397 coming to America.
THE DRIVE
First Generation