If the Toyota FT-86 and Nissan Silvia are returning, why not make it triple? In a great end-of-year present, the grapevine has brought us news that the Mazda RX-7 will return in 2011 or 2012 (sources differ). Power will remain rotary-based, coming from the next-gen Renesis 16X shown in the Taiki concept at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.
The best part is, Edmunds Inside Line reports that “sources close to Mazda now suggest that the company will take a simpler approach and create a car whose character evokes the original RX-7 (sold in the U.S. from 1979-1985).” Though the 16X is capable of 350 horsepower, the new RX-7 will have 200 to 250 and ring up at around $25,000. If these rumors prove true, a retro car Renaissance from Japan is the perfect news with which to end the year. Happy 2010!
Mazda engineer 1: “And then we hit 350hp and the rotors flew of their bearings, shredded through the hood, and kept right on going!”
Mazda engineer 2: “Cool! Let’s throw the motor in a lighter car and see what happens!”
Love to see the return of simple, affordable, fun Japanese sports cars. To decide between this and the FT will be quite difficult – I WILL own one.
sweet, now all they need to do is make a retro RX2 or RX3 based car with a 500HP 13B or 20B peripheral Turbo, to take down the Challengers and Camaros overhere 😉
beautiful car, had mine for twenty years now, best car I’ve ever owned.
(79 GT Sav)
Lets hope if they do bring it back again, they do it justice.
A renewed Silvia and RX7, I can see being produced.. the FT-86 is a pipe dream. Toyota is having too much fun making boring, lame, ugly hybrids and minivans to pay attention to what the sports car enthusiasts want. 🙁
Hopefully the RX-7 team will take some lessons from the MX-5 team who have managed to keep Miata true to the original for 20+ years.
If only Nissan did this with the new Z. For me the 350z and 370z’s are just too big. I want a light nimble sports car again.