What Are The Specs For A Stock RX7 FD?
The Mazda RX7 FD is one of the most coveted vehicles Mazda has put out. Even by RX7 standards. The RX7 has been at the forefront of petrol heads’ minds since it hit the mainstream market and it’s clear why.
These things are about as close to a supercar as you can get without actually being one while still changing hands for a modest price. But what is the stock RX7 FD? What makes it so special, why is it so popular, what do its specs look like, and is it another example of being the lesser twin to a far superior Japanese model? Let’s find out.
What Is The Mazda Stock RX7 FD?
Before we get into the specifics of the RX7 FD, let’s just briefly talk about the Stock RX7 as a whole. The RX7 first hit the streets in late 1978 and stayed there, in a variety of forms, until 2002. There were three generations of this highly sought-after car, though they are all very similar visually. The RX7 was proceeded by the RX3 and followed by the, almost just as common, RX8.
The stock RX7 FD is not an acronym like when we use GT instead of “grand tourer”. FD refers to the production model. FD is the last of the three generations of RX7 and it is pretty undisputed that the stock RX7 FD is the best of the best.
What Makes The Stock RX7 FD So Popular Compared To Other RX7s?
Part of what makes the stock RX7 FD so popular is that it was simply the last of a really great line of cars. Sure, there are some great features and specs that we will get into in a moment. But it would be insincere to not highlight the fact that the FD was something of a loving send-off for the RX7s.
Given the RX7, in one form or another, was around for 25 years it’s not surprising that the latest model was the most popular. The difference between an early 2000s car and a late 70s car is pretty astounding.
What Are The Specs For A Stock RX7 FD?
So, we have established why the stock RX7 FD was so popular compared to other RX7s in terms of quality of life. A newer car is naturally going to be a lot nicer inside, and more comfortable to drive, and all that stuff that we don’t really care about but pretend to.
What we really care about is how fast can I get from point A to Point B and whether we look good doing it. In the stock RX7, the answer is really fast and yes you will. And here’s why:
Stock RX7 FD Specs:
- Engine – Twin-Chamber Rotary Twin-Turbo
- Power – 237 Brake Horsepower
- Torque – 128 lb:ft
- Weight – 1284kg
- P:W Ratio – 184 bhp/ton
- 0-60 – 5.4s
- Top Speed – 156mph
How Much Does A Stock RX7 FD Cost?
If you had asked the dealership to let you know when the RX7 FD finally got released for general sale and to put you on a waitlist you could expect to pay about $45,000. Or if you were in the UK where they happened to be a little more expensive adjusting for exchange rate and inflation, £32,000. Which is a tidy little sum for a Mazda that hadn’t yet proved itself.
But, as many people would quickly realize, this was an absolute steal. If you couldn’t tell at the time you can tell by the cost of a second-hand stock RX7 FD today. for a stock RX7 FD, with between 60-100k miles on the clock, you could still expect to pay about $20k. For a second-hand car that’s been around for 20+ years that in itself is pretty extraordinary.
How Much Brake Horsepower Does A Stock RX7 FD Have (USA)?
As mentioned above in the specs section the Stock RX7 FD has about 255 brake horsepower when measured at the flywheel at 6500 RPMs. This is pretty extraordinary from a mechanical perspective when you consider how old the stock RX7 FD, even the most recent ones, are.
For example, the much-loved Nissan 350Z from 2003 had about 276 brake horsepower and was slightly slower off the line. The USA stock RX7 FDs, and in Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia all have about 255 brake horsepower. But that can’t be said of stock RX7 FDs everywhere.
How Much Brake Horsepower Does A Stock RX7 FD Have (Japan)?
So, the RX7 FD is capable of producing about 255 brake horsepower in the United States. But, in Japan, they can produce between 261 and 276 brake horsepower. How can this be? Are Japanese horses somehow different from American ones? No. The actual reason is that Japan has/had different environmental rules and guidelines than the USA.
They were far less restrictive thus allowing the stock RX7 FD JDMs to be a little more punchy. There is no debate that strict emissions rules and environmental guidelines are objectively good for mankind. But it would have been to have access to a slightly more powerful stock RX7 FD. Even if we have to plant a couple of trees to offset our emissions!
Can I Turbocharge Or Supercharge A Stock RX7 FD?
When people hear the word stock in the context of cars we almost always immediately jump to ideas about “what can I do to change/improve it”. And while that’s fine, when it comes to the stock RX7 FD you will want to hold your horses.
Firstly, the stock RX7 FD comes turbocharged. So you don’t need to worry about that at all. When it comes to supercharging, the answer is yes you can but no you shouldn’t. Supercharging will negate turbocharging (you can only have one or the other) and the reward will be far less. If you insist on making the change, your mechanic could likely do it. They just might look at you a little funny when you try to explain why you prefer one over the other.
Conclusion
So, we have delved into the depths of RX7 history and analyzed why the FD is so popular compared to the rest. Even ignoring the fact that it’s the newest of the bunch, it’s simply a better car. Kinks have been worked out, turbo comes as standard, and you can smoke just about anything shy of a $100k price tag off the line and over distance. If you can pick one up with low mileage and a loving owner, it’s a great little car and should last you a fair old time.
