The 3rd gen Rx-7 is my favorite car. I love enjoy driving it like nothing else. Since 1995 (or 2002 depending on where you live) no car manufacturer has built a car that is a suitable replacement in my bigoted opinion. I have driven newer, faster cars, but none of them feel so pure in the ball park of 300hp. There is one problem; its old.

I am starting this thread to see what cars you would replace your FD with in the event you could no longer own it.
Here are the rules:

1. It has to be under $65k (the median household income in the US)
2. It has to be a small light weight package. Back seats are allowed, but they better be small (think 911 or JDM FD).
3. It has to be reasonable to maintain. Nothing like an ultra rare exotics that require an engine out timing chain replacement every 30k miles.
4. It has to be made in the last 15 years.
5. You have to have driven the car or at least rode in it and describe the experience.

 

My list:

• Rx-8
  • I owned an R3 before the 7 and I do miss it. Stock for stock, the Rx-8 was so much better. I still have not driven a car than handled better. The engine although underpowered was fun to flog. The interior on it was a very nice place to be. The ride was comfortable, even on bad roads. Ultimately sold it because the 7 was my dream car and I hated the Recaro's in it. Could easily see myself picking up a touring model. Most underrated car on this list.
• ND2 Miata
  • I am breaking rule five on this one, because I have only driven the ND1. My buddy let me borrow his for a week. This car is awesome, best shifter I have ever felt. The interior feels more spacious than the FD. The engine is very playful for a four cylinder and the flywheel is perfect for heel toe action. Handling is good, but not as sharp as the Rx-8. Biggest let down is the engine. It starts to fall on its face on the top end, but I hear they fixed it with the ND2 which is why it is on my list. I would have a hard time keeping the FD if they threw a renesis in an ND.
• C8 Corvette
  • This car is not in the spirit of the FD so I have a hard time calling it a direct replacement. Feels more like the original NSX brought to 2020. These are stupid fast. A whole lot of fun if you have room to play. I spent the day driving it in the mountains of NC. The handling on it feels disconnected in comparison to the Mazdas. It's not bad, just does not feel analogue enough. I do not like the dual clutch. It is the only DCT I have driven. For me it did not bring the same joy as a good manual. The engine on it is a monster. It revs wicked fast for what it is. Does not feel like some kind of truck V8 at all. The biggest gripe I have with it, is that it is too fast for public streets. The thing I love about the Mazdas on this list is how you can beat on them without becoming public enemy number 1.
• C7 Corvette
  • Been a while since I have driven one, but feels like an FD brought to this century. The engine on it is a beast, again not a truck motor at all. This was the first car I rode in where I felt like it encapsulated the feeling of a liter bike. Interior is very nice and ride is very nice. Only have driven the auto, which is good, but I would have to get a manual.

 

Ariel atom used ? Just sold mine after 27 years and definitely want to find something newer with similar driving dynamics..I think now it's going to be difficult within your guidelines.Any thoughts out there?

 

Those are cool, but have never done it for me. I enjoy detailing paint. Would rather just own a motorcycle at that point. I wanted to include a Lotus or an Alfa 4C on the list, but have never driven one.

Why did you sell yours?

 

I'm not looking to replace my FD. Rather getting another car that's newer and easier to maintain when I don't feel like driving the FD. I always keep coming back to the C6 Z06.

505hp LS7
Dry sump
Factory widebody
Big brakes
Aluminum frame
Carbon floor pans
Magnesium engine cradle
Can fit huge tires

 

ND2 Miata. It feels just like the FD. on paper its kind of meh, but Mazda just nailed all of the intangible stuff.

1. ~under 35k
2. 2300lbs, lightest thing you can buy almost
3. most reliable car ever
4. its new, 2021 is the best sales year since 2008. even then its hard to find
5. i drove an ND1, ND2, is same but more engine

Edit there are a bunch of FD guys that have jumped ship to the ND, the ND is just a great car

 

If I didn't have an FD and had to go modern I would have my sights on one of these.

Alfa 4C
Aston Martin V8 Vantage (previous generation)

 

A91 Supra, TT RS, RS3 is my list

 

I ended up coming back to the FD for me. I have driven a lot of sports cars-- GTR, Z06(C7 & 8), ND1 and 2 Miata, Porsche 997 911 S, etc. Maybe the FD brings me back to my childhood when I owned one, but I still love it.

I love the purity of the FD. No electronics, traction control, etc. I liked the Z06, but not a domestic fan, especially interior. For me, a second best option would be the old-ish 2000's Porsche 911 of some form. Still feels like a true sports car without a lot of electronic involvement. My friend has a 2019 Turbo S which was a rocket ship, but WAY outside the $65k budget.

I have not driven an Ariel Atom, but would love the opportunity to. I think it would be extremely fun. There is also another company that is building a fun sports car around $28k new. The name escapes me right now, but it looked like a great bang for buck.

 

Some friends of mine and I were talking about the lack of good Japanese sports cars. If one of the major Japanese car makers would crank out a good looking, rear wheel drive, turbo 4 cylinder for a reasonable every man price they would sell the hell out of it.

I'd love to see something more like the 1st/2nd gen RX-7, 240sx, Mitsubishi Eclipse sort of deal - an every man car with a non-turbo and turbo version priced to sell.

All that said, I'm loving my 2005 RX-8 Touring daily driver. Fuel economy sucks but the car is an absolute hoot to drive and you don't need to drive at dangerous/hooligan speeds to have fun in it. The fact I got it for $800 and put another $2-3k into it (rebuilt the engine, tires, brakes, cooling, etc.) and have a killer daily driver is awesome. No car payment on this one

Dale

 

Thats an impressive buy for the money.


What do you guys think about the new Supra and upcoming Nissan Z? I have yet to drive the Supra but have seen pretty great things about them.

 

I know zero about thew new Supra except the outside is really trying too hard - too many wings and scoops. I think they overcooked the design some.

Love how the new C8 Vette looks and on paper it sounds really dope but haven't driven one. Also I don't know if I want to join the Corvette Club and get my Jorts and New Balance shoes going just yet .

Dale

 

There really isn't much on the market today that compares to the FD. And if you add the additional caveat of "must be available with a manual transmission" (I would), and the list gets even shorter. The only cars available today that meet that criteria and have some of the FD's charm would be the ND2 MX-5/Miata and the Toyota/Subaru BRZ/FR-S twins.

 

haha. I hate how cookie cutter the corvette has always been. I also just cant get over the center console with the buttons running vertically the length of the console. It looks like the interior designer forgot about the buttons and needed somewhere to put everything last minute.

 

The styling of the Supra is too cartoon-ish looking for my tastes, and you still can't get one with a manual last I heard. The new Nissan Z looks like it could be promising, if they manage to put it on a diet - it's a Nissan, so it will probably end up being a ridiculously overweight bruiser like the last Z and GTR.

 

The Porsche Cayman (and to a lesser extent, the Lotus cars) is the first thing that comes to my mind. The previous owner of my FD upgraded to a Cayman and he took me around the local racetrack.

The Audi TT has also caught my attention recently. It's not as sharp to drive as a Porsche or BMW, but it's relatively light compared to some other cars (3,300 lbs for the RS, and about 3,220 for the base) – the older models had manual transmissions and they were a little lighter.

I've been looking at the V6 Chevrolet Camaro as well, but it's kind of heavy and the Mustang is even heavier.

To me, the simplest answer is to get the Mazda MX-5. They're kind of expensive around here (very little depreciation), but they might be cheaper in other places. Reliable, cheap parts, and you can drive the heck out of it (or modify it).

The BMW E46 330Ci Coupe (ZHP) has been at the top of my searches, but they're just about nonexistent at reasonable prices.

The new Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ sound promising, but they don't seem like a big enough leap from the current models. The Nissan 400Z is on the way but I think the 370Z would be a waste of money (and there are persistent rumors that Nissan might bring back the Silvia/240SX level).

 

I like the mid-2000's gen. Z4's. Before I bought my FD, I was looking for Z4 Coupes and Z4 M's.

Even the non-M models are great cars and they seem to have slipped under the radar. You can get a 3 liter straight-6 with a stick shift for not a lot.

I drove a 2.5 with an automatic. It was slow, but it was low and it handled well for the street driving I did. People notice it too; it has that look like the FD that even non-car people like.

 

Miata is always the answer

Drive the ND2. It’s a bit slower than a stock FD but it revs as high and feels quick with the top down. It’s about as fast as an old FC turbo.

 

There aren't many cars in the FD's class of affordable purist sports cars any more, in my opinion.

If you're willing to stretch the definition a bit (e.g., "fun cars"), my neighbor complimented my car and mentioned that her dream car is the Chrysler Crossfire. I'd include something like the Saturn Sky Redline (preferred) or the Pontiac Solstice GXP on my list of potential fun cars.

 

You can get a brand new ND2 Miata with a warranty and 0.9 percent financing for the price of a somewhat clean FD. Of course the Miata will depreciate, but it also won’t need new turbos or coolant seals and the interior won’t break anytime soon.

 

What about the Fiat version of the ND?

 

Fiat version has a 1.4 turbo, different powerband. You also have to deal with the shrinking dealer network. However they seem to have depreciated a lot.

 

The Fiata is dead. The Miata was always the better car. 😉

 

If I never managed to obtain my ride at such a young age, and I was looking for something within reason, I think the new C8 is hard to beat. Especially once the new variants start to come out and people start to trade up. Normal C8’s with Z51 packages are going to be a deal!

Otherwise, I managed to find an R3 to replace my tired NC Miata PRHT. Gotta say, I’m loving the decision. She’s refined, free revs to redline way better than the Miata ever could, and her chassis is 1 of the stiffest even by modern day vehicles. She handles like a dream completely stock (R3 trim that is…).
I've forgotten how much restriction the whole cat system hinders a rotary. Once I did the small modification of getting a bhr midpipe together with some headers from Racing Beat (thankfully the previous owner got the cat back system from them), she revs so much easier now compared to when I first got her. That’s all the mods it took to make her a very fun daily driver. 👍🏻

 

If the prices ever drop, I'd get a Dodge Viper (VX) in a heartbeat.

The RHD S15 Nissan Silvias that get imported here are cheaper, though.