Mazda Design Chief Working On New RX-7

Lincoln Stax · **Posted:** Tue Oct 20, 2009 4:28 pm

The problem is that just because he's working on it, it doesn't mean Mazda will buld it. Hopefully it will get the green light. If you want people to start spending money on cars again, you've got to give them cars they want to spend it on.

story

dan · **Posted:** Tue Oct 20, 2009 6:03 pm

Yea, I read about this today too, and it's got me a lil excited =D

I hope this is the beginning of a Japanese sports car revival!

shane_lxi · **Posted:** Tue Oct 20, 2009 7:27 pm

I think, and I know I'm going to get some flack for this, that Hyundai kind of already started an affordable rwd japanese sports car revolution when they introduced the genesis coupe. I think we are going to start seeing alot more affordable, fun sports cars coming out of japan in the next few years.

jt191 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:08 pm

shane_lxi wrote:

Hyundai kind of already started an affordable rwd japanese sports car revolution

Quote:

Maeda says the new RX-7 will move further upmarket than its predecessors

No worry that a new RX-7 will follow the affordable sports car revolution, the designer states it's not going to be affordable.

The only remaining question is if Mazda will follow their Tentacle Manga styling with this car, like they have with the rest of their redesigns, or if this car will not follow that trend and look good.

ben · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:17 pm

The Nagare school of design has produced some real headscratchers, but there's at least one beauty:

KresSlyda180 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:43 pm

Quote:

Maeda says the new RX-7 will move further upmarket than its predecessors

No worry that a new RX-7 will follow the affordable sports car revolution, the designer states it's not going to be affordable.

quote]

Mazda just doesn't get it then..... the expensive close to $30, 000+ price tag of the FD is what killed the RX7 in the 1st place..... along with the 300zx, Supra, MR2, Stealth and 3000GT. Japanese coupes that lost the affordability coupled with the fun of the original RX7 and 240Z. :roll:

Lincoln Stax · **Posted:** Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:24 am

I'm worried about the next RX-7 going upmarket, too. It sounds like they're thinking of repositioning it as a competitor to the 911. There's nothing really wrong with that except that it's not what the RX-7 was originally supposed to be: an inexpensive sports car for the regular guy on a regular budget. Mere mortals can't afford a 911. But maybe Mazda thinks they've got the inexpensive sports car thing covered with the Miata.

shane_lxi · **Posted:** Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:48 pm

miatas are bad-a for sure, but no rx7. Mazda already has a crazy selection of overpriced coupes, I think if they built another fair-priced rotary mazda fans would be all over it. If it has a 911 price tag, I guarantee you it's going to flop.

Stationwagonguy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:37 pm

ben wrote:

The Nagare school of design has produced some real headscratchers, but there's at least one beauty:

I have to admit, having seen it in person at NAIAS a few years back, it's absolutely awe-inspiring. I never thought I'd even like anything with lines like that, but I saw that car and was simply blown way the hell away. Amazing car, and no photo could ever do it justice.

Lincoln Stax · **Posted:** Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:02 am

My idea for the next RX-7: build a coupe off the MX-5 platform and put in a Renesis rotary and a 6-speed manual. Simple, inexpensive to develop to keep costs down, and it gets back to the idea of the RX-7 as an inexpensive and fun sports car.

TacoDelRio · **Posted:** Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:19 pm

Lincoln Stax wrote:

My idea for the next RX-7: build a coupe off the MX-5 platform and put in a Renesis rotary and a 6-speed manual. Simple, inexpensive to develop to keep costs down, and it gets back to the idea of the RX-7 as an inexpensive and fun sports car.

The Eunos RX5!

So I reckon they wanna go GT-R/LF-A with the new RX-7? Dammit.

-BACK IN THE DAY (BITD)-
Silvia = cheap, lightweight, fun car.
Z = cheap, lightweight, fun car.
RX = cheap, lightweight, fun car.
Sprinter & Trueno = cheap, lightweight, fun car.

-NOW-
Silvia = dead

Z = expensive, heavy, sports tourer
RX-8 = Expensive, WTF 4 doors?
Sprinter & Trueno = dead

-WANT-
CHEAP, SIMPLE
That's too hard of a formula to follow nowadays.

:cry:

Lincoln Stax · **Posted:** Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:05 pm

All is not lost on the cheap, lightweight fun car front. The new FT-86 should be all of that.

zukiru · **Posted:** Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:03 pm

but I keep reading that the ft-86 isn't coming here...

japan only? :td:

ANDROID · **Posted:** Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:44 pm

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/mazda-rx7/ke344.html

There is a shift in business strategy with baby boomers dying off, and generation X'ers not working to their full salaried potential. The few that can actually afford to buy these cars will, limiting production numbers, but still qualifying some models for local racing based on series. $$ in racing and sponsorship is also competitive. The big money Japanese sports brands are competing for that limited Yen at this point.

Toyotamike · **Posted:** Thu Dec 03, 2009 3:19 am

Lincoln Stax wrote:

All is not lost on the cheap, lightweight fun car front. The new FT-86 should be all of that.

Sorry I'm still a bit pissy about it having a boxer motor if it comes over as a Toyota.

KresSlyda180 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:23 pm

Lincoln Stax wrote:

All is not lost on the cheap, lightweight fun car front. The new FT-86 should be all of that.

Yeah, don't hold your breath on that one :roll:

Lincoln Stax · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:59 pm

There is hope that Mazda has been listening to us.

Mazda RX-8 to die as RX-7 resurfaces for 2012?

Quote:

Mazda could instead return to the ethos of the first RX-7 from 1979, fielding a lightweight two-seater powered by a new version of the Wankel producing somewhere between 200 and 250 horsepower. If true, we can expect the next RX-7 to cost somewhere around $25,000 and be positioned against cars like the Hyundai Genesis Coupe and the upcoming RWD Toyota/Subaru.

It's all just rumors, but it's the right kind of rumors.

jt191 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 29, 2010 10:02 pm

I met a nice Mazda rep. Seemed like he wanted to talk cars to kill time before his shift at the show ended.

He said they were working on a new Wankel engine, and a rear wheel drive sports car. But there is a group in the company who vow that there will never be another car called an RX-7.
He agreed that the RX-8 lacks the following that the RX-7 still has. And also said that the local salesmen and dealership owners hate the auto shows, because people stand ten deep to look at the RX-8, while the dealers have dozens of unsold two year old models sitting on their lots that they are unable to even get anyone to look at.

Mazda Design Chief Working On New RX-7

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