Is there a difference between Canadian spec and US Spec. Basically if something is listed as USDM, are Canadian models the same?

 

Yup and nope.

Do a search on the 3rd gen forum....there was a big thread about the differences a few years ago.

 

I don't know enough about the rx7 yet to say if there was a CDM and USDM difference but I know that in alot of cars there is a difference.

 

There is for sure a difference. Mazda offered different trim packages for the FC at any rate and didn't call the models by the same names because of it. They also didn't stick us with those stupid automatic seatbelts in the S5's.

I also recall reading somewhere that BMW offered some special M3 model (E36 IIRC) with IRTB's from the factory that wasn't available in the US, so it's not like Mazda's the only one with differences.

I know when importing Miatas into Canada we need to replace the bumpers, because we had slightly more stringent low speed impact laws (maybe still do), so there was more reinforcements.

Then there's the whole daytime running lights thing, mandatory in Canada, not in the US and most cars there don't have it. There's also the fact that we're metic and they're not, necessitating different gauge clusters.

So long story short, yes, there are differences.

 

+1 ^

I wouldn't call it CDM because our cars are very similar except as noted above...maybe you'll disagree.

Indeed, the parts fiche has one or two little parts near the front bumper because of our 5km/h bumpers having to maintain 'integrity'.

 

I can tell you that a Canadain R1 has cruise!

 

Here's that thread I was talking about. From about 2 yrs ago and only concerning FDs:
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=387858

 

off the top of my head, the guage cluster, (specifically canada uses pictorals and US uses words) both markets show metric and imperial speedo's. daytime running lights. US bumper rebar is rated for 3mph, and canadian rebar is for 5mph. their is prolly more legal regulations.

 

I actually meant the question in general(not just 7's), but this good.

I know the Lancer EVO Viii isn't allowed in canada because of the FMIC, so is it allowed in the states?

 

Are you sure about that? Because the Mazdaspeed Miata and the Dodge SRT-4 definetely have FMIC's stock, and they're sold here in Canada. So no, I don't think that's why.

 

I forget how the Evo's FMIC is mounted, but it basically doesn't pass our 8kmh front end crash test. In the States it's only 5kmh and so it does pass. Something about the FMIC being mounted either too close to the rebar or in front of it or something, lol, I couldn't tell you as I've never even looked carefully at Evos.

 

One thing that comes to mind is that in Canada the base model 3rd Gen came in CYM where as in the states the only CYM FD3Ss were R1s.

 

no the lancers aren't allowed in canada because the never made a 5mph rebar, only 3mph.

 

That may be true of the EVO, but they do sell Lancers in Canada.

 

I heard it had to do with one of canada's collision rules, something along the lines of this...a vehicle in a collision cannot have any major engine component damaged in slow speed collisions, basically the fmic is mounted too far forward so it is too easily damaged in slow speed collisions.

^that's what i was told, don't know how much truth there is to it.

 

The Evo doesnt have a Rebar. The states lifted that law 2 years ago for bumper requirements. Hency why the Radical SR3 and Ariel Atom are now legal in non-epa states.

 

The SRT-4 was a year late coming to Canada because of the bumper rule. Don't forget our daytime running light requirements that changed a lot of cars over the years.


For some reason Pontiac would sell certain cars here and not in the USA over the last 40 years, the USA has a Mercury version of the Ford Fusion right now that we don't have. Lot's of strange things like that.

 

US FD's coming into Canada need a different front bumper rebar, daytime running lights and a child restraint bolt, In addition the dash is different (kilo's versus miles) and I heard the paint scheme was a little different. Only US R1's came in competition yellow mica but I remember someone telling me Canadian base models could also be had in that colour.

 

us models gauge cluster light up with the engine off and key in the on position.....cdn models do not....

 

There is definitely a CDM and has been for a long time. Bumper regs havekept some cars available in the US out of Canada, such as the current Lancer Evo (the US went to 5mph bumpers in 1975, meaning the both the bumpers and body, lights, etc could not be damaged in a 5mph collision, and Canada followed suit). THe US then repealed that requirement in ~1985 to a 3mph standard, while Canada has retained that higher requirement. On the other hand, easier certification and emission standards have meant we got a lot of performance cars or models that never made it to the US, like the (at the time) all-conquering Porsche 930 Turbo of the late 70's - early 80's. Canada-specific models or trim and options are common on many cars - eg, on the current Mustang GT, the Canadian cars are standard with a 3.55 final drive, whereas on US cars this lower ratio is an option. And on S5 non-turbo 7's, Canadian models even with the Sport package didn't get the viscous LSD that was part of the Sport/GXL option in the US - apparently they figured we either a) Never drove our 7's hard or in snow, or b) were too poor to pay a couple hundred bucks more on a $28,000 car.
Currently, I notice with a lot of models sold in the US and Canada, Canadian models tend to divide into a high and a low trim line, and no in between, while in the US 3 trim lines are much more common - so besides paying 20-35% more for comparable cars, we tend to have to choose all or nothing on options. And often the same option groups on Canadian models are priced 50-100% higher than the same options in the US, which has to affect how commonly cars are sold here with many options, I would think. Manual transmissions are more commonly offered in Canada than in the US (thank God).