Beasts Of The East: 10 Asian Cars Which Deserve A Restomod

November 29, 2017

Mazda RX-7

Years produced: 1978-2002

Now, I want to preclude this by saying that I fully understand that making a restomod RX-7 would be a colossal pain. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. The RX-7, particularly early models, is a car that I’ve had a soft spot for for a long time now. Partly, it’s because of the ambition that went into it. It’s driven by a Wankel Rotary Engine, part of Mazda’s attempt to make such an idea practical. Sadly, it wasn’t, but it’s still a fascinating historical curio. The small engines which powered the RX-7, as minute as 1.2 liters, were ferocious. That’s the reasoning behind a Wankel: small displacement, big performance. These could hit 60 in anywhere from 4.5 to 8.9 seconds, depending on the model.

Aside from the strangeness of the engine choice, they also looked wonderful. I challenge anyone who cares about sports cars to look at an early-model RX7 and not feel something. The problem is the maintenance. Wankel engines are rare, and that means so are parts. You can get them, but be prepared to pay a fortune. The work required to repair one is specialised too. Even if you’ve been working on engines since you were tall enough to reach, they’re built very differently. If you’re not a sentimental person (read: not me), you’d be well-advised to do a Mazda and remove the Wankel. Just put a V6 or a V8 in there (being mindful of weight distribution,) and take that gorgeous car to new heights.

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