1984 Mazda RX-7

The Mazda RX-7 stands out as the poster child for Felix Wankel’s unconventional rotary engine. With no pistons, and rotary motion directly being generated by internal combustion, the Wankel offered unmatched smoothness, and surprisingly potent power generation for low displacements. However, this ground-breaking engine was known to be low on torque, and struggled to meet emissions regulations, hence why we don’t see Wankel-engined vehicles anymore. Mazda championed the Wankel for the longest period, with many RX sports cars, the most renowned being the RX-7 and RX-8. This 1984 Mazda RX-7 is thus a fine piece of automotive history, and bears a healthy 135,000 miles on the clock. Check it out!

Exterior and Interior

Wearing an eye-catching red paintwork, this 1984 Mazda RX-7 is a late first-generation car. The first generation RX-7’s design was the work of Matsaburo Maeda, and his 1976 design has aged very well. It’s a pert little car, at just 168.7 inches long and 65.9 inches wide. A two-door body with a glass liftback, it’s reminiscent of cars such as the Pontiac Trans Am and Chevrolet Camaro of the time in some ways. Pop-up headlamps, twin exhaust tips, black protective molding and a set of period alloys cap off the design. The interior is in dark gray, with a sporty three-spoke steering wheel and seating accommodations for two, with a luggage area directly behind, and covered by the glass liftback. There’s also a ventilation system and a modern Pioneer head unit with CD and USB functionality to bring your tunes into the 21st century. A digital quartz clock in a circular binnacle caps off the interior accoutrements.

Engine

This 1984 Mazda RX-7 is powered by a tiny twin rotor Wankel engine that displaces just 1.2L, but is able to output 100hp to the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic gearbox. Because of the smoothness of the Wankel engine, drivers could inadvertently rev the engine beyond the redline, since there was no rev limiter on account of this being a carbureted engine. Therefore, Mazda fitted a warning buzzer that sounds near the 7,000rpm redline. This must be heeded if the engine is to be kept healthy and happy. Handling was also notable, as the RX-7 came with 4-link suspension, and a 50-50 weight distribution.