The RX-7 confirmed to be in the pipeline for 2017---RX-Vision Unveil!!
 

Well its still pretty far off guys, but looks like we will be seeing another RX7!!!

Confirmed by Yamamoto himself!

heres the story:

Mazda RX-7 Confirmed For 2017 Return | Reviews | Prices | Australian specifications

DISCUSS!!

:icon_tup:

Well, its going to be five years from today, many things can change and will change, so I will not believe it until I see one at the Mazda leadership.

Lighter than an FD and a 300hp 16X? I'm in... :icon_tup:

I wonder what it'll look like.

I googled it and this one actually seems legit. humnnn interesting to see how this all pans out

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...e-in-2017.html

There was no way a car like the RX-7 would have been just forgotten by Mazda, after all the design work and accomplishments.

**Two years ago, we went to Japan and toured the Mazda facilities with a scheduled tour group while we were bringing cars back to Aus. There was a nice young Japanese lady rep who spoke good english and was showing our group around. My Dad & I kept pestering her at like every stop, asking if there was going to be a new RX-7 built any time soon. Thinking back, we were probably being really rude, but it was the last time we were going to Japan, so we wanted to know.

"Can you give us a hint then?"
"I'm sorry, no. I cannot give that information out." (She always kept smiling)
"Are they building anything? Will there be anything new with a rotary engine in it?"

Girl pauses.

"Over there-" (Points to large installation facility building off in the distance through window) "That is where all new research and design takes place."

"Are they working on an RX-7 in there? Something new with a rotary?"

Girl sort of paused. "Maybe." (smiles like she knows more) "We must continue our tour now."

That was the closest we ever got. Never heard any more about it until this 16X thing, and sort of disregarded all the internet misinformation up until today.

So far I'm not impressed with the hints about the project and the figures. Back in the day RX7 was considered to be a Japanese supercar and wasn't far off its European competitors. So if the new one is anything less than a Japanese supercar in 2017 standards I'll be disappointed. We all know where the benchmark is atm. If Mazda is planning to make a high powered GT86, BRZ etc. then they should call it RX9 or something. Just having a rotary engine and 2 seats doesn't qualify a car to be called RX-7 imo, it's much more than that.

^The FC was a GT car, the FE a sports sedan, and the FB was a raw sports car. Just because the FD was a supercar does not mean the next will have to be. I'd love for them to go back to something like the BRZ/FB and give us a sweet driving experience.

The RX7 wasn't always a Japanese supercar. Only the FD really was, and I'm STILL amazed at how many people chose it to essentially be a drag car, because it was never really THAT kind of car.

If you're looking for a Mazda GTR, I don't think that's going to happen. BUT, something that slots in between an Elise and Z06, with super handling. THAT Mazda could do. This actually sounds like that.

90% of the time when I say RX7 I mean FD3S. I should've been more specific. Eitherway I'm sure most would agree FD3S was the best RX7 and peak of RX series so why go backwards now and if you must then why insist on calling it RX7 and ruin the legend. Unless Mazda manufactures another legendary car, I will not be happy about the RX7 name being used. It'd just ruin our cars heritage. Look what the lastest MR2 did to previous MR2s. And on the contrary look what Porsche does with the 911, each one is better than the last and is up to the standards of its day.

Don't get me wrong I'm not expecting a monster like a GTR or a Z06 but let's say if the new RX7 was released today I'd like it to find a place amongst e92 m3, carrera S etc. I don't know how Mazda can compete with anything let alone with the cars I mentioned with only 300hp. Lightweight means comfort and quality sacrifices these days although they'd rephrase it as "pure" and "performance oriented", just look at FRS/BRZ/GT86.

Only real japanese supercar atm is Lexus LF-A. I know Mazda can't keep up with that or even get close being in the financial situation they are in so ok I'll cut them some slack....

Yes!:nod:

Well, they're selling Lotus Elises and Exiges with >200 hp. If the car was 2500 lbs or less with 300 hp, you'd have something. It won't be a "road kill" type of car, but it could be a great track car.

All the people who want a Z06 competitor can't afford to buy one new.

thats just what the rx7 gives us.. a sweet drivign experience :scratch:

the BRZ is what, a mediocre sports car

I think Mazda is waiting to long to make this happen.

This should have been on the table along time ago and it should be on the road TODAY. they are missing the boat and it will cost them sales.

You don't build sports cars because they're profitable, especially when they are built in Japan and sold at high price due to exchange rates. They're basically vanity projects and marketing tools that a small portion of the company will push for.

They did the right thing. You really think they were going to put an unproven sports car into development back in 2008? That's when the industry was in terrible shape and every manufacturer put fuel economy projects at high priority. Lots and lots of cool projects got killed back then, like the V10 NSX.

Absolutely the view I've held since the discontinuation of the 3rd gen in the states. To downgrade the RX-7 back to a FRS/BRZ competitor is just taking the brand down vs maintaining the cachet of the FD relative to its competition.
80 to 100 big ones IS a big chunk of change. They'd never get any real volume at that price point.
Then again, a 3 rotor turbo that's much lighter than the competition would convert a lot of people away from the 3500+ lb. pigs.

Good thing its a long way off..... gives me time to stack up a lot of money.

I think of all the people that realize the heritage of the RX-7, Mazda is among them. There are many dynamics to how the new car could be. Ultimately, no amount of speculation will show what Mazda will release. I can only hope it's good.

IMO there is a lot of "wishful" thinking here. Some wants a ZO6 eater but that will never happen out of Mazda. Mazda is more of a handling car than horse power kind of number car. I think if that is what they are planning to do (less weight, decent HP figures), it should stick to that... a Miata/MX-5 on steroids. Believe or not the FR-S/BRZ is becoming the bench mark for a lot of manufactures right now. We are going back to the late 70's, 80's here where there was a fuel crisis. There are a lot of rumors that even Nissan is going that route, it makes sense and Mazda had that figured out a long time ago with the Miata. Where I see the issue with this future RX-7 is that there are rumors of the BRZ coming out with a turbocharged model under the price range of the 370Z. FR-S/BRZ with aftermarket turbo kits is doing pretty freaking good (400whp gets you in the 11s with stock internals). Pricing the next gen RX-7 above the 370Z better have something to show for or it is going to choke IMO though.

I don't think the FD will ever get out done by Mazda. The only reason I can see that happening is if the Japanese start another sports car race with HP numbers in mind. Right now the focus is doing more with less.

I'd agree, except Nissan found a market for the GTR. I think the key is, to build something nobody else is building (like the GTR), not just a straight competitor for something else.

I sound like a broken record, but nobody builds that car that's between a Zo6 and an Elise. Mazda could.

Nissan used the Porsche 911 Turbo as its "benchmark" car and rival......

it isnt an rx7 without pop up headlights! juss putting that out their..

I just starter a 2017 RX7 Savings Account lol

Well there goes the value of our cars

i wanted to save for an nsx :(
now ill have to save for this... somehow

I'm not overly keen on how modern Mazda's look. I think it will be a flop, that is IF it even reaches production.

Reading the plans for the car, imo it should be called an RX-9.

^This, but whatever they build, needs to be affordable in comparison to the next level. For example, if they make an elise eater, it sales price must be less than the invoice price on a Lotus Elise. Another example, if what ever they build fits something in between the elise and Z06, it has to be much cheaper than the z06 in order to be attractive to new buyers.

Take for example the RX-8. The RX-8, contrary to what most people believe, is an awesome platform. The problem is that it was priced among the STI and EVO. All three had great handling characteristics, about the same final price, however the RX-8 was about 100HP down in HP, and had the worse mpg out of the three.

If the RX-8 price point was $5k - $10K lower, I cant help but wonder if it would've done better.

Mazda will never create anything like the GTR. They are too much of motoring purists. Computers to control the driving experience is sacrilegious to everything that is Mazda, and I like that about them.

With the new technology being developed, in 5 years time who knows what kind of N/A systems Mazda will have for the new RX7. Their new motors could very well hold 300-330hp N/A. Hopefully they'll come up with a bullet proof seals by then too lol.

I hope they do develop a new car, there are very few car manufacturers that produce as pure a sports car as mazda does.

Maybe from a performance numbers standpoint, but it's a very different car in character, appearance, and execution.

Mazda needs to do what Mazda does well, and does fairly uniquely. Light weight. Low center of gravity and tight packaging. Superior handling and driver involvement. Rotary power delivery (with enough, but not outrageous horsepower). In a package that's slightly more real-world livable and economical than a Lotus, les bloated golf-bag carrier than a Corvette. Trade on their heavy involvement in grassroots sportscar and road racing, the LeMans win, and forget about drag racing and car forum "road kill" horsepower wars and bragging rights.

This. Not only that though. The RX-8 left a bad taste about rotaries in its wake.

If the RX8 had had two doors, two seats, and been 300lbs lighter, it wouldn't have been competing with semi-practical "hot box" sedans, and the hp deficit and gas mileage would have mattered a lot less.

Make that 600lbs lighter and I would agree., or 300lbs and a honest 250 rwhp!

I like this idea, but I'm not really going to expect much until it is an actual FACT that it will be made. Too many of these stories have been floating around over the years; point being, nothing was ever done.

I've seen some renderings and design drawings for a "new rx7". I'm not sure how up to date they are, but the "newest" ones I have seen are very decent. The rear end of the car, fenders and tail, remind me of the 458 Italia.

I hope it does happen; I look forward to seeing the actual product, good or bad.

Sounds pretty good, lighter than an FD with decent power. And priced higher than a 370z I would expect good build quality and a nice interior. Thank god they are not turning it to some econo shitbox to compete with these new corolla successors. Not that there is really anything wrong with a cheap car like a scion but i would be sad if anything like that was to wear an rx-7 badge.

What I am mostly curious about is how a successor RX-7 will impact the value of FD's. A key trait of FD's, at least for me, is its exclusivity and prestige. Mazda was able to hit the right formula with the third gen, it was one of those things that just clicked. Which is why I have almost zero interest in FBs or FCs. And if I wanted a new, sports car, I would frankly NOT want a Japanese sports car. I would rather end up in an E92 M3 or Z06 and call it a day.

What if this new RX-7 does not live up to expectations, will it tarnish the name and subsequently devalue RX-7's across the board? Should this be the case, maybe it will be similar to the Porsche 993 vs 996.

Or what if this new RX-7 is so amazing that it shifts the focus away. What place would FD's have then? Right now, the third gen platform is still relevant and competitive, which allows it to maintain demand even in this day and age.

Always wondered why it pepole use them as drag cars as well.

I if it was a N/a 4 rotor(3.2x direct injected), Aluminum side plates. It would be in Z06 territory. Please mazda.. give it power.

That's like saying a vette is not a vette if it doesn't have pop ups... Or a miata.

Given the advances in lighting and the whole pedestrian safety issue I would be greatly surprised the new 7 came with pop ups. So IMO be prepared to be disapointed if it ever comes into fruition.

I think I know which one you are referring to and I actually think it's pretty sweet.

I agree with you about the prestige. Like you I like having the last version, sort of like the end of the line mentality.

If the new 7 sucks I doubt that it would have an impact on the FD3s. As every car generation is viewed individually. IMO the only way mazda can f this car up is by power to weight ratio and looks. If anything they have the handling part solidified.

This is probably the likely scenario where the new 7 is amazing. But honestly it doesnt take anything away from the FD. The FD is what it is: A great looking car with an an awesome sportscar feel

Do share!

5 years is a long time, lets hope they go through with it.

if they would run ceramic seals and switch back to peripheral exhaust, it would be a bulletproof n/a engine. assuming there isn't more adverse effects from wear and the aluminum end housings. they could also lighten the flywheel with the additional torque the engine makes and raise the redline to 10k.

mazda has had a proven track record of failure whenever they change anything on these engines. sometimes i wish they would spend the few extra bucks inside the engine where it counts. i'm sure they have other reasons to not run ceramics but those reasons i do not know aside from additional cost.

i doubt they will run ceramic seals, not cost effective.

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/r...smar/rx7-1.png

lets hope they get it right!!! stay with some originality , all and all im excited to see this come together hopefully have enough pennies saved by then lol

Make that with an NA 3-rotor and they've got a winner

RX-8s generally stickered from $26,000 (base) to $33,000 (later R3), which puts it a chunk below STIs and EVOs, even before taking into consideration that Mazda discounted it much more heavily. Ex: brand new models for $7K to $9K off MSRP was quite common with RX-8s, whereas STI sticker of $38K was touted as "huge discounts" of $7000-ish for only one model year.

I agree with you on the 8's platform, and would add that it's far superior to the two econobox'd chassis you mentioned.

N/A 3 rotor reminds me of Gmonsen. I'd take that. Perfect scenario would be a car at least 100-200lbs. lighter than a FD with a N/A 3-Rotor putting out 300-330 HP (9,000RPM Computer Limited) that has hidden horsepower. What I mean by that is that Mazda would purposely put a lot of restrictions on the factory vehicle to "bottleneck" the power to clear emissions and give us tuners something to look forward to when upgrading with simple bolt-ons. Oh yeah, and handling, style and all that. :0)

It should be a 3-rotor with electric PS and capacitors for low end torque. I'm not sure how they will improve the MPG or pass the newest emissions in 2015 (I think it is).

A supercharger Mazdaspeed version would fix the low end torque but hurt mpg but that's why it should be A MS edition. They can go dual/twin turbo if they do it "my" way (same as V-twin V8's). One turbo per rotor, dual intake to FMIC (like Rotary Extreme makes for OEM setup) and dual exhaust.

They have to figure out what class to put it in. Toyota has their Lexus badged Supra but I don't see the RX9 competing with Corvette either. It would be nice if they did do a flagship supercar model (4 rotor?) like the Lexus Supra and the Audi R8 which actually looses money in it's sales but does such a great promotion for the company, it pays off ten fold in the long run. The RX8 was made fun of for having 4 doors but no one makes fun of Porsche or Fisker. I think it would be in competition with the 370Z and Porsche Caymen, so expect $50-$60k (without inflation).

But who knows will will happen so far from now. I already new that they had to finish and sell Skyactive before they could go back to working on a rotary engine. Gas may be $15/gal and interest rates could be back to 15%. It could be the 2nd great depression that kills the RX-7 yet again.

Lotus does not sell the old Elise/Exige any more, an entry Evora starts in 60's entry Evora S at 80 up to 100k. The Exige Cup V6 is at 100k

I have an 86 na with a small block Chevy pushing 375. That's isn't a lot of horsepower but in a 2600 pound car it does wonders. I think the brz only makes like 200 horse. As long as the new 7 is original it will be in a class of its own.

5 years from now, cool that gives me plenty of time to unload my FDs just about the time they become classics :lol:

This new RX-7 needs a 3 rotor 350hp naturally aspirated 16X for the win 8^)

Mazda, do it right or go home... Zoom Zoom...

It's very rare that I like the newer version of a car that I love. So I'm not getting my hopes up.