This Mazda RX-7 deserves an enthusiast as a new owner, but it could also just become someone who mainly sees the car as an interesting investment object. The one does not have to exclude the other, however.
The Mazda RX-7 is special for several reasons. First of all, the appearance: even though the first generation has already passed 40 years, it still looks special. Certainly a FB, like this one, is still quite a fresh appearance despite its age. In the interior it betrays its age a bit more. That certainly applies to this example, in which the color scheme is quite dated. Anyway, we won’t complain, this example is also 38 years old. There is little to criticize about the lines of the body, which was particularly flashy in its time. The pop-up headlights and the particularly large rear window were especially popular at the time.
However, a Mazda with the letter combination ‘RX’ always houses something that is even more special under the body: a Wankel engine. This gave the RX-7 a very decent power on a relatively small engine size and low engine weight. In this RX-7 is a 1.1 that generates 115 hp, enough to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds and continue to 210 km/h. This made the RX-7 really a very smooth car in its time. In 1983, the year in which the example shown came off the line, Mazda also screwed a turbo onto that block for the home market, with which the power even reached 165 hp.
Mazda RX-7
While it was an impressive piece of engineering, it certainly had its drawbacks. The Wankel engine proved not very durable unless strictly maintained and the fuel consumption was also quite high compared to more conventional combustion engines. It didn’t stop Mazda from continuing into the second half of the 90s (then already with the third generation RX-7) and even continuing it this century with the RX-8.
Back to the Mazda RX-7 we have before us here. This example was delivered in North America and brought to the Netherlands in 1987. Since then, it has gone through at least three owners, one of whom owned the car from 2001 to 2020. The fact that the RX-7 has remained with one owner for so long speaks in his favor. That also applies to the mileage of just under a ton. Because of the color we are not entirely sure that the door trim in the interior is original, but otherwise the Japanese seems to be there as it should be.
And now the question arises: how much will it cost? Well, just under $13,000. That is a considerable amount, although it is a special thing. It’s good to know that the RX-7 is likely to appreciate in value soon. That is at least the conviction of Hagerty, that this generation sees the RX-7 as one of the ten best cars to purchase as an investment object.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl