Nissan Silvia Dies, But Mazda RX-7 Lives!

mazdarx7concept_thumbOh noes! Our friends a The Motor Report, um, report that the upcoming revival of the Nissan Silvia is dead in the water. Anyone care to venture a guess as to why? Ding ding ding! That’s right, the correct answer is: the economy. The global meltdown has now claimed so many victims recently we’ve lost count. The lightweight RWD coupe would have been a worthy surely reignited a rivalry against Toyobaru‘s similar effort which, as far as we know, is delayed but still clinging to life. We don’t know if this car would have been a worthy successor to Silvias past, but now we’ll never have the chance. Nissan is also canceling the Infiniti four-door GT-R, shattering all our hopes for a PGC10 redux.

But here’s the good news. TMR also says that an Inside Line source spilled the beans on a new-generation RX-7 already “well along in development.” Hurrah! The new rotary that powers it will be an 800cc x 2 configuration and is predicted to crank out at least 270hp naturally aspirated, while the car itself will weigh only 2640 pounds. Rotorheads who need a larger car can rest assured that the RX-8 will be succeeded by a a design larger than the RX-7, called the RX-9. That’s two Mazdas in the pipeline!

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9 Responses to Nissan Silvia Dies, But Mazda RX-7 Lives!

  1. Kimico says:

    That is great news! I hope the RX9 will be a favorite among Rotary lovers.

  2. TSiSS350 says:

    270HP, 2600LBS, Rear wheel drive and no turbo! Sign me up!

  3. Hopefully the new RX9 will be a bit nicer looking than the RX8. I never could quite get there with the style of the RX8, I wanted to like it. However like the 350z it was always “OK”. Lets hope the 370z and RX9 will be more reflective of previous good looking cars like S30 Z and Series 6 RX7.

  4. Oyaji Gaijin says:

    One would think that, given the economy and the price of fuel, that the auto industry would rediscover the past, not just by wrapping new cars in sheet metal inspired by 60’s muscle cars, but by taking a look at the things that worked in the past. Long before we had big, bloated, EFI four cylinder FWD cars that get 24 MPG (downhill) and cost $30,000+, we had light weight rear wheel drive carburated cars that got 40 MPG and cost $7,000. Wouldn’t a back-to-basics strategy be appropriate here?

    A light weight, rear wheel drive car seems to be more than appropriate for such conditions.

    Perhaps an American consumer public mentality that refuses to trim back luxury expenses like a monthly cable television bill, while filing for bankruptcy, also refuses to give up their heated leather seats, fur lined sun visors, and the six inch diameter cup holder for their morning cup (bucket) of Starbuck’s, simply refuses to give up luxury auto travel in the face of economic collapse.

  5. Sr-FairladyZ says:

    An RX7 AND RX9? Sounds pretty far fetched at this point in time, but I will surely have my fingers and toes crossed.

  6. Bob says:

    This makes me quite sad. 🙁

    I guess it’s cool for the next gen rotaries, but the new Mazda stuff is just so… eh looking these days, I can’t get too excited.

  7. Jimbo says:

    New lightweight RX-7 and RX-9!??! That would certainly stimulate the economy. I would love to see something on the MX-5 platform, but with a hardtop coupe design like the first gen RX-7. I agree with VintageJDM, please go back to the the original RX-7s for design inspiration. Pop-up headlights should be mandatory.

    Ugh! I hope it is not just a tease.

  8. j_c says:

    reply to Bob:

    I actually do like the “flow” design theme they have going with the concept cars. If they can incorporate elements of the Furai into the new RXs, that’d be too cool.

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