Some 25 years after the first Mazda RX-7 made the Wankel engine famous, the Japanese firm reinvented the left-field powertrain for this quirky coupé.
The four-seat coupé used conventional front doors and two truncated ‘suicide’ rear doors, while its front-mounted rotary engine produced 228bhp at a heady 8200rpm. It drove the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential. Suspension was double wishbones up front and a multi-link set-up at the rear.
Meagre torque made it necessary to stir the gears and trouble the 9500rpm limiter to extract decent performance. Economy was hampered as a result but the superbike soundtrack and mechanical refinement made it worthwhile. The brakes were powerful.
The relaxed, loping chassis set-up didn’t gel with the frenetic drivetrain, though, and understeer and body roll were abundant. The tyres clung on gamely and steering speed was well judged, albeit with little feel from the rim. Rigidity was poor, partly due to the lack of B-pillars.
Kit levels, design and quality impressed, as did the cosy rear chairs. The knees-bent, arms-straight driving position was a major weakness, though.
For: Refinement, comfort, price, looks, noise
Against: Reluctant performance, economy, body roll
What happened next