Mazda's rotary engined sports car that captured the hearts and adulation of rotorheads everywhere. In 1978, the first Mazda RX-7 rolls off the line, and it incorporates a "radical" idea: a peak-performing sports car that's also affordable.
The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car produced by the Japanese automaker Mazda from 1978 to 2002. The original RX-7 featured a 1146cc twin-rotor Wankel rotary engine and a sporty front-midship, rear-wheel drive layout. The RX-7 was a direct replacement for the RX-3 (both were sold in Japan as the Savanna) and subsequently replaced all other Mazda rotary cars with the exception of the Cosmo.
The original RX-7 was a sports coupé. The compact and light-weight Wankel engine or rotary engine is situated slightly behind the front axle, a configuration marketed by Mazda as "front mid-engine". It was offered in America as a two-seat coupé, with optional "occasional" rear-seats in Japan, Australia, and other parts of the world. The "occasional" rear-seats were initially marketed as a dealer installed option for the North American markets.
The RX-7 made Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list five times. In total, 811,634 RX-7s were produced. — Wikipedia
Generations
- RX-7 First Generation (FB) -- 1979-1985
- RX-7 Second Generation (FC) -- 1986-1992
- RX-7 Third Generation (FD) -- 1992-1998 (1999-2002 Japan only)