Curious: who would buy a new RX7?

[imag]

If Mazda manages to get a new RX7 out with the 16X (google it), under 2700 lbs., with 280+ hp, who else here would want one?

I'm just curious how die-hard the die-hard Z fans are ; )

I'd probably wait until the second year to make sure they have a chance to correct mistakes in the motor, but if they could get the look right, I think I'd have to trade in the Z for one (*600* lbs lighter with a larger rotary would be pretty sweet). It means dropping some of those torques, but it could be fun...

[CrownR426]

If I were to get a RX7, it would not be this model.
I would probably wait 2 years...
I don't like mazda but the RX7 is an impressive car.

[Forrest]

I wouldnt consider it if they was still trying to sell the rotary design. No power and no gas milage? holy crap sign me up onto that fail boat!

i dont care if its light weight, not every thing is "the track" for me.

[SiXK]

I will go ahead and not order one now. I like the nissans.

[Lug]

Originally Posted by Forrest

I wouldnt consider it if they was still trying to sell the rotary design. No power and no gas milage? holy crap sign me up onto that fail boat!

i dont care if its light weight, not every thing is "the track" for me.

um..power to weight ratio and power per cubic inch is incredible for rotary engines....they just make very small engines. The current version is only 1.3 liters. The new 1.6 liter engine is going to make almost 300 HP and it's going aluminum to further reduce weight. If they can keep the vehicle weight down to 2700 lbs, this is going to be a serious car. As far as reliability, I drove an RX7 for almost 10 years and only put about $200 worth of maintenance into it.

[Forrest]

Originally Posted by Lug

um..power to weight ratio and power per cubic inch is incredible for rotary engines....they just make very small engines. The current version is only 1.3 liters. The new 1.6 liter engine is going to make almost 300 HP and it's going aluminum to further reduce weight. If they can keep the vehicle weight down to 2700 lbs, this is going to be a serious car. As far as reliability, I drove an RX7 for almost 10 years and only put about $200 worth of maintenance into it.

from kellybluebook
Rotary, 1.3 Liter
232 @ 8500 RPM
159 @ 5500 RPM
16 mpg City / 22 mpg Hwy
Curb Weight 3064 lbs.

The only thing impressive with those facts i listed is the 1.3L can achieve that power, but actualy owning it, i think thats a different story.

Not impressed with this current rotary design.

Maybe new one is better? but i am going to dout it.

All i can see is a 1.6L engine getting 14/20 MPG and still not being faster than any other car. Then again what do i know im a novice to this stuff.

[Lug]

Originally Posted by Forrest

from kellybluebook
Rotary, 1.3 Liter
232 @ 8500 RPM
159 @ 5500 RPM
16 mpg City / 22 mpg Hwy
Curb Weight 3064 lbs.

The only thing impressive with those facts i listed is the 1.3L can achieve that power, but actualy owning it, i think thats a different story.

Not impressed with this current rotary design.

Maybe new one is better? but i am going to dout it.

All i can see is a 1.6L engine getting 14/20 MPG and still not being faster than any other car. Then again what do i know im a novice to this stuff.

That's a smaller engine in a bigger car introduced in 2003. We are talking about the RX7 that significantly boosts power AND significantly reduces weight. Whether they can actually make those numbers is a different story. We heard all kinds of rumors of the 370Z being under 3000 lbs before it's launch. The RX7 does get to chop out the back seats so it should be a good bit lighter in any case.

[imag]

Originally Posted by Lug

That's a smaller engine in a bigger car introduced in 2003. We are talking about the RX7 that significantly boosts power AND significantly reduces weight. Whether they can actually make those numbers is a different story. We heard all kinds of rumors of the 370Z being under 3000 lbs before it's launch. The RX7 does get to chop out the back seats so it should be a good bit lighter in any case.

The RX7 would have the benefit of being based on a Miata platform, which only weighs ~2400 lbs. in current form (and is supposedly getting even lighter).

Unfortunately for the Z, it's based on a sedan platform.

I personally worry that Mazda won't get the styling right on the RX, which is one of the reasons I'm going for the Z now. I think I'll be very very happy with the Z for at least three years. Then - we'll see... it's all about the

[FairmanZ]

Originally Posted by Forrest

from kellybluebook
Rotary, 1.3 Liter
232 @ 8500 RPM
159 @ 5500 RPM
16 mpg City / 22 mpg Hwy
Curb Weight 3064 lbs.

What you have quoted is the RX-8's specs, not the last RX-7. No disrespect to RX-8 owners, but Mazda always said the RX-8 is NOT a direct RX-7 successor.

The last RX-7 was a pure sports car. The '98-'02 models, which were never sold in the US, were rated at 280 hp and Curb weight was about 2750 lbs in the sportier trims.

(But dynos in Japan had it closer to 300 hp. Recall in the '90s there was a gentlemen's agreement in Japan not to exceed 280 hp, even the GT-R was rated 280 hp.)

I owned a '93 RX-7, bought new back in the day. But I wouldn't buy the future 16x version unless the hp is more than 300 and the weight truly is kept at about a flat 2700. Otherwise, it's not any faster than the former RX-7 it replaces (and again I'm not talking about the RX-8).

Then of course there's looks. I'm not a fan of the current Mazda styling trends. In fact, I still prefer the looks of most of the '90s era cars over the styling of their current counterparts.

Looks wise:

Z32 > Z33 (But it's a close toss up between the Z32 & Z34)
RX7 > RX8
Original Miata > current one
R34 GT-R > R35 GT-R (Sorry, the new car's performance is a beast, but its looks are not for me.)
MR2 > MRS
Supra > ? well, you get the idea

[initialgemini]

Originally Posted by Lug

um..power to weight ratio and power per cubic inch is incredible for rotary engines....they just make very small engines. The current version is only 1.3 liters. The new 1.6 liter engine is going to make almost 300 HP and it's going aluminum to further reduce weight. If they can keep the vehicle weight down to 2700 lbs, this is going to be a serious car. As far as reliability, I drove an RX7 for almost 10 years and only put about $200 worth of maintenance into it.

$200.00, you've got to be kidding me? How often did you drive it? less than 36K over a span of 10 years?

[chubbs]

Nah, not me.

[chrisw169]

I would stick with the 370

[Lug]

Originally Posted by initialgemini

$200.00, you've got to be kidding me? How often did you drive it? less than 36K over a span of 10 years?

$200 not including repetative maint such as oil changes, etc. 110,000 miles, 1 carb rebuild kit and one alternator. Clutch was barely hanging on when I sold it.

[CantZme]

I wouldnt buy one, like the posts before mention under powered for its price range not to mention those things are so unreliable. I dont care too much about the weight factor seriously. If i really need to shave weight ill join weight watchers(jk) or carbon fiber my ride either way itll benefit us both. But its the unreliability thing that gets me.

[import111]

If the acceleration was better than the 370Z stock for stock, I might have to trade up.