WhtRocket

The title says it all. Considering the design is about 9 years old now, it seems to be holding up well with time. For me the style was a big factor in buying this car. So who did the body?

ShotCaller

My guess would be some japanese guy

SaulV

mazdaspeed00

iTrader: (6)

i believe it was a team of enginers at the mazda irvine headquarters in southern california. i dont think it was just 1 person.

mightyslash

A genius.

dclin

iTrader: (4)

The rough basic shape was penned by Wu-Haung Chin, a Taiwanese graduate of the Art Center of Design/Pasadena (a Jaguar enthusiast and E-Type owner, can you tell?) at Mazda USA's design center. The final shape had ideas taken from other Mazda design centers that lost out on the design bid. So - surprise, Mazda USA was primarily responsible for the 3rd gen shape.

Info taken from 'The Mazda RX7: Mazda's Legendary Sports Car' - Jack Yamaguchi

ttb

a true work of art.

R Xplicit

true, so true.....AND from what i read once, the design, in a general perspective for the style and lines, was completed in 1988, before the design for the VIPER was released.....just in case anyone was wondering....

WhtRocket

Hey, thanks for a good answer. I was thinking the styling was not typical of the Japanesse design houses. IMHO the FD looks extrordinary in a world filled with uninspired if not ugly cars. As it becomes more difficlut to keep the FD one of the fastest cars money can buy, it seems the looks are still really holding up. Even last year people were asking me if this was a new car.

After spendign a week in Germany driving a Peugeot 307 (http://www.peugeot.co.uk/showroom/st...tyle&bodytype=), I came home and realized how damn nice it really looks.

Of course the whole time I was driving back to Frankfurt on A5 with the 307 floored at 195kph (windows up, fan off) I was wishing I had the FD and could easily bury 250kph.

ttb

i would say i bought the FD 60% looks 40% performance.

oneflytrini

iTrader: (1)

the FD IMHO is the most beutiful car ever produced..........not to aggessive........not to laid back........just enough for me...........i guess thats why i bout it


if god could have one car......i bet it would be an FD

RX-8

iTrader: (6)

Amen brother

dclin

iTrader: (4)

In the book, it's said the FD received some sort of design award in Japan, with critics saying it was great blend of 'East meets West'. Somebody on the design team was quoted as saying it was more like 'East meets East on the West Coast of America', hehe.

BTW, the book shows the different styling ideas they were working with and considering, both exterior and interior. I highly recommend getting your mitts on a copy.

I know I'm going to get flamed for this - but after I finished highschool I wandered about Asia for a couple years. In late '91/early '92, was in a Japanese bookstore and saw the first official photos of the FD. I thought it was the most ugliest thing I'd ever seen (loved and absolutely set on getting an FC when I got back Stateside).

Two years ago this summer, I came to my senses and became the owner of one the prettiest cars in history, IMHO.

Aristo

iTrader: (8)

From what I have heard also, for whatever it's worth, is that the wind tunnel testing for the FD was done at the aeronautics laboratories at Caltech in Pasadena.

MazdaMike

well actually the vm01 was released in i think it was october of 88'. the prototype which later became the viper rt/10 so R Xplicit im not saying mazda took the idea im just saying they did see it while the rx7 was being modeled if it was in 88 as u say

Fd3BOOST

iTrader: (7)

Yea lots of you newbies apparently missed out on the Yamaguchi/Dinkle book.
Buy it here for about $40
www.speednation.com
$40 well spent you'll be looking for a reason to take a crap.

Fd3BOOST

iTrader: (7)

$34.95 to be exact and here is the exact link. Sorry Im not well thought out. http://www.speednation.com/rx7index.htm

Fd3BOOST

iTrader: (7)

Damn triple post whoring tonight... Just looked closer .Sorry guys they are temporarily out of stock. Look around anyway the other books are good too. I've got the performance handbook.(Good for newbies)
I've also heard good things about the other,
Anyway they sell models and other cool stuff.
Now I don't feel so bad about the triple post.

dclin

iTrader: (4)

Ahhhh, then you have the pic of Gordon Monsen and Petah Farrel during 'happier' days. (exactly who was truly 'happier' at that moment was not realized until later hehe) Classic.

rynberg

That may be true, but I don't think the FD looks like the RT/10, I think it looks like the GTS which came out in 96.

Anyways, we all know the biggest styling rip-off concerning the FD was the C5. Everytime I see one, I'm astounded by how much GM copied.

3rdGen7

What do you mean by 9 years ago ???????

My car is a 1992 R1 and I have seen 1990´s as well

WhtRocket

Ok I sit corrected. My comment then hold even more true of an design that is older yet.

When people tell me it looks like a corvette, the only response is,"Yes the Vette does look like it."

I do think the 4RE 355, 360 and Manarello look awsome too. Add a bunch of other to the list. IN the sub $30k catagory, I'd say not much on the list. IMHO certainly not the Supra. May others in this price range look good but not exotic or hot.

WhiteRXseven

FD3S truely timeless design.
One of the best looking cars ever made
with a purpose...

A testimony of the FD3S design:

I park my car at work @ Amoco.
My car need body work and paint job
really bad.. Nevertheless.
EVERYBODy from old grand moms to 8yo kids
and everyone inbetween, blk, white asian, mixed
or what ever.. ALWAYS either ask " waht kind of car is
That" " is that a Porsche" is that a Viper", Is that your
Car its so Beautiful" EVERY Day all day..

YOu should see the look on their faces when I tell them
its a 93.. They look so dumbfounded..

Now lets up the 4th GEN RX7 is or better than our
beloved FD3S..

SaulV

Is true! The 4th Gens RX7 are BEAUTIFUL!! YET I HATE The Spoiler! Is just ME Though! Even though it look sgood in the car, I really Dont like the Spoiler!! The rest of the car is just a work of art!