When it was first introduced in 1978, the Mazda FD RX-7 was charmingly primed for success, but the years that followed were characteristically unforgiving for automakers and its star didn’t shine as expected. Nonetheless, the RX-7 has gallantry soldiered on, 40 years later.
The first RX-7s used a two-rotor engine with minimized capabilities producing 100 horsepower. In 1985 an upgraded version that introduced the wedge-shaped design came to be, with an option of a turbocharged variant. It is this version too that came with the convertible, making it more sporty and youthful.
The Mazda RX-7 was a big hit, particularly in the United States. It was able to hit and exceed the expected sales and the car also gained popularity in the racing circuit.
Among races, it ranked well was the 24 hours of Dyton and by the end of the 1980s, it was declared the “the most dominant car in IMSA history with 100 wins.” This superstar status continued elevating well into the 1990s as the supercar registered impressive performance, a prominent appearance, and a deliberately limited edition to make it exclusive.
The RX-7 has been resilient with subsequent upgrades retaining important features that Americans had fallen in love with. There is also some interesting news indicating that the FD RX-7 is geared for an
overwhelming makeover and may come out as a totally different name.
Whatever happens to the FD RX-7 next, one thing stands out; It goes in the books of history as one of the cars that greatly enticed the American people and performed somewhat beyond their expectations.
Image Source: Pixabay
