Mazda’s RX-7 FD was developed during the heady days of the Japanese real-estate bubble. The Japanese were flush with cash and their domestic automakers catered to this new-found affluence with a slew of supercars. Many of these cars would go on to become legends in their own right, but the curvaceous and low slung FD is – in my eyes – the iconic image of those times.
The subject of today’s article, a highly modified RX-7 FD, seems more cartoon character than icon. Although it only arrived in my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, it has been a regular sight ever since. I see it everywhere but it was only last week that I was finally able to snap the photos you see here.
Unfortunately, I was unable to speak to its owner but I can say that, on the road, this car is hard to miss. It makes more noise than a swarm of bosozoku motorcycle gangsters and, like other drift cars I have come across, sits bare inches above the pavement. I am absolutely compelled to look every time it goes past and its owner should probably be thankful that I am not an officer of the law.
Given the strict standards of the Japanese “shakken” inspection system, it’s a mystery to me how highly modified cars like this stay on the roads. In the US, this car would be a police-magnet. As it sits, it seems capable of generating endless reams of “fix-it” tickets and would likely end up providing a steady stream of revenue to some fortunate municipality. The Japanese police, however, seem surprisingly disinterested in enforcing vehicular standards.
I can’t decide how I feel about this car. I have been involved in street racing in the past but, in my world where you take the same car to you race on Friday night to work on Monday morning, the desire to modify a car was always checked practicality. In Japan, where most people use the train every day, however, practicality can go straight out the window. The end result is, for better or worse, what you see here. Cool or not? I’ll leave it to you to make up your own mind.
I would like to see the Citation Sheriff car in the previous post involved in a pursuit with this
it depends which would go bang first. I think it would be simultanious
LOL
The elegant shape of the final RX7 is badly mangled on this street racing example. There really was not room for a rotary sports car in Mazda’s lineup after the Miata debut. The boosted turbo and boosted price allowed the line to go out with a bang, as I am sure this example will soon. Thanks Thomas.
It seems to meet the original objective: being a black hole for disposable income. It should be on the track , not the road.
That poor car.
I am conflicted about this one. Cars are an important form of personal expression, right? I am not a restored car guy, I am a modified car guy. I believe that it is perfectly fine to change a vehicle to make it optimal for its purpose and for the taste of the owner. This car also has a purposeful look about it—not much good for commuting, etc, but it does look like a ‘real’ drift car. I can appreciate a racecar on the street, so long as its not a poser, but a real performer.
So, while its sad to see a great car getting used up, it is also what cars are for—they are tools, first and foremost. This one seems to be a real deal drift car as opposed to a cartoon/fake of the real thing. It will go out in a blaze of ‘glory’…
Drift racer is an oxymoron.
Thomas, when you wrote “I can’t decide how I feel about this car” I said to myself “I can.”
This is not my cup of tea. Not Earl Grey, Green Earl Grey, Green Tea, Lipton, nor Herbal.
Mazda’s RX-7 is a beautiful car and I like almost every car ever made (except for the Pontiac T-1000 because it said Pontiac but was Chevette – and also it came from the future to kill Arnold), but this is (I’m trying to be nice here) not likeable enough. Thanks Obama!
And the rear window stickers. I know they add speed to the car, but really?
Dogfight. Really?
Sorry. Apologies to all offended. I’ll probably do it again though.
I like the Pontiac T-1000. One of the things I like about it is I never had to own one, but still…
“Dogfight” by M.O.V.E. was the opening theme song for the fourth season of Initial D.
Thomas, that’s one of the best opening of the Initial D series.
Keisuke’s FD, along with Takumi’s 86 become very evolved race cars on the 4th stage.
Although I was a few years late to the party, I really enjoyed Initial D. I think Funamation’s editions were top notch. I was especially happy that they left the original Japanese audio tracks intact and as a SAP option.
There was a point, not sure if it was the third or fourth season, where the character designs changed quite a bit. That bothered me, I liked the first season’s look and it was a little disconcerting to see the new designs.
The design of the characters changed on 3rd Stage and then again (me thinks) on 4th Stage.
The cars on the 4th stage have much better detailing. I have yet to watch the 5th stage and Battle Stage and another one I am probably missing.
My son loves the series.
I don’t know if you have watched Wangan Midnight.
I got into Initial D when we went from Japan to our Buffalo assignment. I went ahead of the family to arrange an apartment and in the few weeks I was there by myself I discovered the series on Hulu. I liked it because it rang so true. I taught English in Japan 99 to 01 and knew more than my fair share of young people, I felt like the show captured some of the personalities really well.
I haven’t checked into Wangan Midnight. I still have a large Manga collection from the 90s and now that there are a lot of used book stores in the area have thought about going down and getting a complete set of Initial Ds. I haven’t because we just don’t have a place for that much extra stuff and I’m just not sure that I need to be carting all that extra crap around for anyhow.
I would if the kids were into reading what I have, but they just aren’t. I’m guessing they really won’t learn to read and write Japanese, which is unfortunate, but I just have the desire to be the kind of harsh parent that forces them to.
Count me in for conflicted. The FD RX-7 is one of the most beautiful automobiles to come out of Japan, perhaps ever. So it’s a shame to see such a lovely shape festooned with extra flares, spoilers, and exaggerations of its feminine curves.
However. I’m also not a stickler for originality. And if he actually takes it to drift events–I’m hesitant to call them races or shows as they seem to involve elements of both–then it’s modified for a purpose and it serves that purpose, and I respect it.
In either case I think we can agree there are too many stickers on the back glass, but like paint of a disagreeable color, it’s a personal aesthetic thing.
When its next shaken test comes round it will likely fail, go to auction, and emigrate here, except import rules got tightened and its not eligible any more, There are plenty of rotary Mazdas that look just like this one here already modified for drifting, the slowest way possible around a track. You can try it on the street but complaints generate police interest and they will impound your ride. Lowered cars fail dramatically on the regular roads around here they simply arent smooth enough making mods like this car has largely a waste of effort.
This car looks alright enough, but I rather not drive it. It looks in better shape than most street racers I see around here and vehicle safety standards are a bit lax in Oregon.
Great find – I see quite a few of these here in western Tokyo also – along with a older Mark IIs and Sylvias – all highly modified.
I can never figure out how they go over any speed bumps or broken pavement – there seems to be less than a millimeter of clearance between the wheels and fenders.
I don’t mind patination, but I can’t stand ripped plastic.
It seems a bit ‘forced’ to me; the rode-hard drifter look, but those rims and that low don’t work together. Surely an active drifter would have cheaper rubber to chew through. Likewise clearance to the guards. Perhaps he has another set of wheels for the track?
I can’t claim to understand all the stickers but there are some funny ones, eg at the top.
Also I wonder if the 3 exhaust tips indicate a triple-rotor (20B) engine? That would take it beyond the ordinary.