1985 MAZDA RX-7 FB
ENGINE 1146cc/2 Rotor POWER 113bhp@6000rpm TORQUE 114lb ft@4000rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 118mph 0-60MPH 9.9sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 24-33mpg TRANSMISSION RWD five-speed manual ENGINE OIL Castrol Classic XL20w50 5.1 litres GEARBOX OIL Castrol Classic EP90 1.7 litres
At any one time, it’s unlikely that more than a handful of first-generation RX-7s will be for sale in the UK, which makes the example being offered by ACA something very special. Fondly remembered by enthusiasts as a clean-cut 2+2 coupé with quirky Wankel power, these Mazdas didn’t attract the mainstream appeal of their 1990s sports car stablemate, the MX-5. Therefore it’s unusual to see an example such as this one having been in receipt of recent, generous expenditure.
In December last year, Hayward Rotary rebuilt the rotary engine at a cost of £4400, in addition to fitting a new clutch. The car’s bodywork was also restored by Specialist Paintwork around the same time, with an invoice for £6500 included in the car’s bulging history folder, which contains a stamped service book up to 1991 and 64k miles. It doesn’t end there – in May 2020, this RX-7 was treated to a Brand Racing Beat stainless exhaust system and suspension overhaul to the tune of £3200, while Nanking Sportnex tyres were fitted in April.
Inside and out, the car is nearly impossible to fault – the only things we could criticise were some light cracking to the rear polyurethane spoiler and that the base edge of the rear bumper (driver’s side corner) sits slightly proud of the bodywork. Minor stuff indeed. The paint is faultless, with a lovely lustre
and even finish and it’s immaculate inside. There are no cracks or UV damage to the dashboard and all the fabrics are free from wear.
Thankfully, it’s a car that drives as good as it looks. The RX-7, quite in contrast to the TVR, majors on the lightness of its controls. The steering requires minimal inputs, offering not only quick but laser-precise changes in direction, while gear selection requires almost no effort whatsoever, each ratio being engaged by just a finger guiding the lever through the gate. The ride is as impressive as the handling; there’s little in the way of vibrations, even through the controls, while this RX-7 feels impressively stable at speed.
A criticism in period was that the Mazda lacked the performance suggested by its sleek body, and this is something we also found during our time with this example – exacerbated by hopping from the TVR’s driver’s
seat into the RX-7’s. Regardless of revs or the increasingly frantic buzz from the Wankel engine, acceleration remains flat and constant. Revs build slower than you might expect, so to make quick progress you must sink the throttle pedal into the floor and keep it there until you’re unnervingly close to the 7000rpm redline. Mercifully, this example is unphased by such treatment, and any shortcomings in outright straight-line performance are easily forgiven considering just how well this lithe Mazda strings together the bends on sinuous British backroads.
This car’s very strong estimate reflects its current condition. If this car sells, then it will be for a UK auction record. Crucially, the documented mileage of 67,900 is not so low as to dissuade its next owner from actually using it – and there appears to be nothing to prevent you from hopping in this RX-7 and enjoying it immediately.