So the FD is now 20 years old.

In 1993, its MSRP was approximately $35,000. As it turns out, that is about $60,000 of today's dollars.

So here's the question to the folks on this forum. If you had 60k today, would you buy...

1) a 21st century FD (rotary, turbocharged, a tranny that can support the power, a 21st century suspension, a current mazda interior gussied up for the 7, etc)
2) <insert your car here>

The only rules are the car you choose would be owned in place of a NEW 2 seater sports car (if thats your beater, you have to buy a beater. If you buy a new 2 seater to be a garage queen, that applies to you).

DISCUSS!!

 

buy a 4 rotor, build a go kart for it and put on some highway lights. done.

 

For me it's FD all the way. It is and will always be my dream car.

Buying a new "go fast" toy for me, would not be as satisfying. Ironically, the FD's being 20 years old and still pulling off its capability is part of the appeal. This hobby extends far beyond driving a cool car. I enjoy modifying, upgrading, and restoring my car almost as much as driving it.... almost. .

As far as the rotary goes, it's just a damn cool little engine. I think no one will argue the fact that it is an enthusiasts engine. But like the small sleek chassis it sits in, there is really nothing quite like it.

 

Keep my FD. Maybe swap my LS1 for an LS7 just because having 7 liters feels good. Maybe a second set of wheels to use at the track. Other than that I can't think of any car for $60,000 that would be worth selling my FD for.

 

Also, newer cars don't feel the same as older ones.

 

Ehh, IMO the FD is of great value and certainly hard to beat under $20,000. Without putting it on a pedestal, which most of you will anyway, it certainly has its downfalls.

For me I would pickup a Viper GTS (no surprise to anyone who knows me and I am actively in the market for a black one), one of the earlier years with forged internals for $35K, send it to RSI for their twin turbo kit that runs an additional $12K. For $47k, I have a 900whp Viper with the ease of breaking 1000+whp. Also, I find a lowered Viper with a nice set of wheels more aesthetically pleasing to the eyes than the FD.

Just my .02

 

Buy more FDs, I want one of each color.

 

Those older body style Vipers do look great!

I guess if I had to go another direction a built Lotus Exige would be pretty ripping.... I've seen a few nice examples.

 

4th gen RX-7 (assuming pure internal combustion, no hybrid clutter, weight) or used Acura NSX.

 

C6Z which is what I'm replacing the fd with now.

 

1. I have a FD no need to have 2
2. I would buy Formula Mazda and put a Single turboed rew engine in it. yea...

 

993 turbo, although clean ones are getting harder to find at that price point.

 

I had 2 dream cars growing up... and FD & a Viper (shocking - they look so similar if you like one you have to love the other even though they are obviously different in every way).

I think i'd go the Viper route too - Rich knows this as I was about to pull the trigger on a 96 GTS (Blue/White) - which is the true iconic color combo for that car.

Either that or something exotic like a used Aston Martin Vantage (those can be had for almost 60k now ).

Some eye candy for the thread:

 

Ariel Atom

 

Hard to say, as an "up to date" FD would be nothing like an FD. If I was 20 years older & had $40k back in 1993, yes, I would have.

 

I'd need minimum $80k for a used 997 GT3 before we can have this conversation.

 

X2,

Or a NSX.

 

A lot of new cars fail to excite me. A modified Ferrari 360 Modena with a manual transmission is more my style...

 

Gordon - you are correct. The thread is about "if the FD came out today (with all the 21st century bells & whistles) for 60k today, would you buy it or would you opt for something else (used ferrari, etc)?

 

The only way I would choose a 21st century FD is if it was indeed competetive with its rivals. Meaning that it would have to be at least 500 Flywheel HP, pass smog, ect... Otherwise no way.

 

I misread. Yes, I'd definitely consider it. Depends on what "21st Century Bells and Whistles" means. I'd like it to be a very pure care the way the FD is/was, brought up to modern performance standards (legally and reliably). I don't give a hang about iDrive or whatever, or mirrors that re-aim themselves when I back up, or, ahem, 4 doors.

I say that because, for $60k, I don't see anyone building that car except for maybe a C6Z (Which is actually still more $$), which I don't really want. What I want is the lovechild of a C6Z and an Exige, with rotary power for $60k. I'd buy that.

 

Like the FD, styling would have to be captivating and timeless. Funny, I was heading with a friend to a local car show last Saturday in separate cars. When we arrived, he said "hey, I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but people are constantly slowing down or speeding up on the road to check out your car." Pretty incredible for a ride that's more than 20 years old.

I'm also not as tied to a HP number as I am to a lightweight well-balanced setup that's tossable with lots of feel and feedback through the steering rack. I continue to be amazed by most rotary-owners obsession with HP numbers. It needs to be adequate but not "xyz or else the car's crap" IMO. I doubt if you see tons of posts on the Exige forums about their cars being underpowered. Mazda just needs to get their next generation rotary HP story straight well in advance of marketing the vehicle and error on the side of being conservative.

Undercommit and overdeliver

 

I stated that it would have to be competitive with no less than 500 flywheel HP (roughly 430 RWHP). But I must say that I find your statement rather puzzling, since IIRC you have a single turbo right? and If you are pushing 15 psi you are very likely at or near 400 RWHP and pretty much in the ball park of what I stated.

So I'm curious at what you would consider adequate?

 

I already have a 400 hp R1 FD with many-many mods. But parts are getting scarcer.
I would get a Porsche Cayman R.

 

If Mazda came out with a sportscar like a rotary Exige, I'd consider that a real successor to the FD and I would ****** it up in a heartbeat even if it only had 350rwhp. I'd probably leave it stock and call it a day. I hate threads like these. Nothing like that will ever happen. When Lotus finally kills their super lightweight cars, you know it's the end of days.