What is the rarest, most collectable 3rd-gen?
05-09-21, 12:04 AM
#76
They made less FDs for the european marked (1152) than the entire Spirit-R run. Les than 211 of those had the updated interior and airbags.
Also, some of the other special editions are made in super low numbers some years(Bathurst R Type R or something like that).
but obviously the Sp-R is the great white unicorn for most.
Also, some of the other special editions are made in super low numbers some years(Bathurst R Type R or something like that).
but obviously the Sp-R is the great white unicorn for most.
05-09-21, 07:14 PM
#77
www.AusRotary.com
I think this desirability is more based on perception than reality. 1500 is a quite a lot in the overall context of things - there are well over 100 of the Spirit Rs in Australia alone. But take the Type RS in Version VI - there were actually only 693 of these made making them rarer than the Spirit R. They were mechanically identical to a Spirit R, but for two little details: (1) cross-drilled vs blank rotors; (2) braided brake lines vs conventional; (3) Type A Spirit R was 10kg lighter due to the Recaros. The 17" rims are different in style but both are still lightweight forged rims that weigh the same. In some respects the Type RS wheels match the car better. The titanium paint had shitty colour matching from the factory, which has led to some people nicknaming them "two tone" RX-7s. Some would also argue that the black interior on the RS is more comfortable and looks better than the Spirit R red interior. I know people desire the Recaros, but many people with them find the factory seats more comfortable and they are certainly more durable and easier to get in and out of. I also know people who prefer understated plain brake calipers than the red look at me items that now grace every car down to soccer mum SUVs. The rest of the Spirit R stuff (badges, red sticking, silver dials) is bolt on, factory run out special stuff, not really any different to add some racing stripes and a special sticker.
Looking at it another way, the best performance spec RX-7 are arguably the Type R variants as they had the best power-to-weight ratio from the factory, short 5th gear, better balanced 16" wheels with square tyre setup on all 4 wheels and the 4.1 final drive which is probably better as a grand tourer type car.
Objectively, Spirit R are great but are not worth the extra value now ascribed to them - they were even priced identically to a Type RS by Mazda on release. But this demonstrates the cachet of being the "last" of an iconic model. I think they are truly valued on that basis and not because of any rarity or actual performance superiority.
Looking at it another way, the best performance spec RX-7 are arguably the Type R variants as they had the best power-to-weight ratio from the factory, short 5th gear, better balanced 16" wheels with square tyre setup on all 4 wheels and the 4.1 final drive which is probably better as a grand tourer type car.
Objectively, Spirit R are great but are not worth the extra value now ascribed to them - they were even priced identically to a Type RS by Mazda on release. But this demonstrates the cachet of being the "last" of an iconic model. I think they are truly valued on that basis and not because of any rarity or actual performance superiority.
Last edited by KYPREO; 05-09-21 at 07:19 PM.
05-13-21, 12:40 AM
#78
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