In Canada, a friend had a Mazda rotary many years ago. When he needed a repair, the shop had to remove the exhaust for access. While the exhaust was laying on the floor, the apprentice cleaned up, and chucked it in the scrap metal bin, which was emptied before anyone realized what happened. After a bit "Oh, Shit!" moment, they found out it was around $5000 dollars to replace, leading to an even bigger "Oh, Shit!" moment. The apprentice was sent to the scrap yard to try and find it, with no luck. The lucky owner, in addition to the repair, got a shiny new exhaust!

I got to ride shotgun in an old FB at an autocross meet. It still had the buzzer in it, and while we were on the track the driver told me, "yeah, it's to let you know when you hit redline. When it stops buzzing, you downshift until it starts buzzing again."

Headlights go up Headlights go down I miss pop-up headlights.

Great episode. The FD's styling is absolutely timeless, looks stunning to this very day. And the FC isn't far off either, it embodies the late 80s smoothed out box aesthetic. Either one would be my dream car. The FD/FC and all the other 90s Japanese sports cars are the stuff of legend.

It's a shame the RX-7 Spirit R was never sold in the US. I think it's the most beautiful car ever made.

Thank you so much for this video, and I love that you didn’t fall into the typical bashing of the RX-8 as many do. I have an ‘04 Rx-8 6-speed that I bought new in the autumn of 2003. She’s about to cross the 60,000 mile threshold, and runs like the day I bought it... an absolute joy to drive. For those few naysayers who posted some comments about the RX-8 engine being problematic, I have some comments of my own. The early 8s had a few issues, but Mazda handled them all beautifully for me. I have kept my car maintained religiously, and granted, I put it away each winter. Still, I’ve had NO problems with the rotary, and I’m sorry, but 24 mpg on the highway has been just fine for me, and has never changed in 16 years of ownership. Ok- around town I get about 17-18 mpg, but I didn’t buy it to be an econobox. My dealership has a rotary specialist who’s brilliant, and he tells me that my engine stays in fine shape because I REV it like rotaries prefer. I add a little premix to every tankful, and clean out carbon with some Sea Foam every so often. According to my mechanic, the RX-8 engines that fail happen for a few common reasons: the worst were people who drove them like grannies trying to eke out every last possible mile per gallon. Those engines needs revved! Lack of proper, informed maintenance is another common problem: rotaries require their own care and feeding, but Americans don’t read owner’s manuals. Finally, he says that the automatic trans models seem to have more engine problems- they probably don’t get into the higher RPM ranges as often as the manuals, and I believe they lack the degree of oil cooling found in the higher- performance 6-speed models. These days, there aren’t many RX-8s around that haven’t been modified and beaten to death by dumb kids. The thrill I still get from my 8 when it hits 8500 rpm on a clear freeway ramp is reason enough to spend what it takes to maintain this car in top condition, and if the engine needs a rebuild some day, I am keeping a savings account ready. If my choice is to put $10K into the 8 or spend $50-80K for a new car, it’s a no-brainer. I have yet to see anything at any yearly auto show that does for me what my RX-8 does.

Former RX-8 owner here, and I approve of this video! Mine was a victim of the hot starting issue. Caused by low compression, caused by worn rotor tip seals, caused by lack of lubrication, caused by by own neglect. :-( Ah well, it was a fun 5 years while it lasted. I really miss that car.

As someone who played Auto Modellista and Gran Turismo several times during his childhood, I kept dreaming of driving and owning an RX-7 FD3S. I even owned a small model of the famous yellow RX-7 driven by Keisuke Takahashi from Initial D. It's still one of the greatest cars ever produced.

Easily becoming my favourite car channel. Keep it up!

I was fortunate to see the RX8 race twice. It ran with Speedsource, Sahlen and Dempsey Racing in the Grand-Am series from 2006-2012. The races I saw them at? Montreal in 2007 and 2008. And those things were loud and shot flames out of the exhaust on deceleration. It was really a joy to watch.

I owned a '94 R2 with 28k on the clock when I bought it for only $19k in 2007. It was my dream car, yet it managed to meet every expectation I could throw at it. It was sharp, lightweight, attention-demanding, had buckets of personality, and it put down plenty of power for a street car. I had to sell it when moving out of the US back in 2012, and in the 5 years that I was gone, cars in the trim and condition I sold mine in tripled in value; it now is in a price bracket that I just can't afford. To this day it's the car that occupies my heart, haha, I genuinely feel a physical longing to drive it again. Maybe one day if work and luck meet I'll get the opportunity to pull the trigger on another one. Truly a fantastic car.

Rx8 was my daily car for 6 wonderful years. I loved those days.

Growing up in South Africa, in 1982 my best friend's father bought a red RX7. We used to sit in it dreaming of driving it. Beautiful car.

I remember the RX-7. I was too young to drive when the first gen was on the market. I find both the first two generation the most attractive looking cars.

I own an RX8 and I FREAKING LOVE THIS CAR

I purchased an Rx8 R3 a couple of weeks ago, its bloody amazing!

Excellent coverage a long running group. I had an MX-5 and an RX-7. The MX was the closest replacement car to my MGB. It had great road holding and you could slog it around all day. The RX was a much more sophisticated car, and fast as a bullet for 1984, but it just didn't have the same fun aspect as the MX-5, and I was still a sucker for a two seater roadster. Both were pretty reliable cars, especially considering the bad rep of the rotary in the RX. OTOH, my son had a 1982 P-Type Supra. Also fast as a bullet for the time, but the MGB put the Supra to shame for reliability and long life. The whole car started falling apart after 80,000 miles, and it spent more time broken down than it did on the road. It had the absolute worst leather seats in any car I or the family owned, cracking and stitching coming loose after just a couple years. It was a fun ride, when you could get it to go.

I remember the buzzer in the third model in the late 80's, when my boss took me out in his wife's newly acquired RX7. He thought the police were behind him at that point, which still puzzles me. I remember the car clearly as I used to borrow it on my nights off to take my girlfriend out from the Mendips to Bristol. Great roads and I loved this power, after her previous car, the Fiat X19.

12:34 whoa slow down with that.... To clarify this confusion, the Spirit R LAUNCHED IN 2002 AND NOT 1999...

I bought a new RX8 in 2006. Still running perfectly after 185.000 km with regular maintenance (1st engine, no rebuild). This car needs your attention (check the oil level, drive it in high revs sometimes to remove the carbon from the housings etc.) Perfect brakes (better than Porsche's 911), absolute fun drive, it never fights back when you push it to the limit. Each time I drive it, after almost 14 years, it's like the first day I got it. Splendid car indeed. Problems? Some interior plastics lack quality and it's expensive to replace them. Damages? In 14 years a broken radiator some months ago, 150 euros cost. Annual service cost is around 300 euros for 10.000-12.000 km run. Fuel consumption is more than average, but horses need food in order to run well. In case someone wants an RX8 don't be afraid to approach it. Check the compression and go for it! Prices are extremely low!!!

I bought my 1995 FD in 2008 (directly from Tokyo) and I love it! It's a Type R special edition with 1 previous owner (I still have contact with him) and since 2014 I hit 480hp on the wheels with 80% locking diff! On the day I picked up the car and drove it home it was a rainy night (on the way back home) and I enjoyed it cruising with maximum 3500rpm! But after a few days I pushed the engine more and more and then I heard a buzzer! First I was confused (something wrong with my new car?) but not long time later I liked the buzzer and now I love it! Also the rear axle steering: lovely!!! I still own the FD and I will never sell it! I also own an NB 1.8S and NC 2.0 RS! Very good cars! But the FD is another level!

Love the animation of the different versions near the end

I feel sadness and regret at selling all of the 4 RX7s I owned. 82, 85, 87, 89. Now I have an RX8 which I love. But it's not the same. I love and hate watching these vids.

Dear Big Car, I am trying to catch up on your library and it is such great fun - every episode never fails to make me happy and leave me informed - Thank you so much for your hard work !

I had a yellow 2004 RX8... what a special car that was. The handling was so good and the engine was so smooth that I really felt like I was driving something unique and amazing. The rear suicide doors were perfect for letting my two young sons access the rear seats were they were perfectly comfortable. I've owned quite a few cars over the years ( including a Civic Si, 2 Miatas, 2 del Sols and a FIAT X1/9) but the RX8 was my favorite in many ways, and the one I miss the most

What great cars the RX’s were, shame they could never shake off the emissions issues, for me the RX8 was my favourite, mainly for its looks and that engine of course, it’s down to the cars thirst though that I’vs never owned one, but maybe one day. Once again a great informative vid 👍

Gotta love the RX7 such a legendary car such as the NSX and Supra :)! Awesome review as always dude :) Greetings from Malta x

My 1984 GSL has 130,000km on it, and still starts right up in sub zero weather. She's a garage queen now, but still gets a healthy dose of redline every drive!

Awesome vid👍it’s funny the last bit of vid showing evolution of Mazda rotary didn’t show Holden HJ-HX rebadged as Mazda Roadpacer AP that was produced from 77 - 79. It sad shame to see emissions kill off rotary engine, it not like new Ford 7.0lt V8 gas engine is more efficient then rotary.

Yay, the first new release while already being a subscriber, this feeling never gets old ^^

Like you BC, I also lingered drooling over the glossy brochures for the Supra, but when the RX8 came along, my allegiances shifted in an instant. I still reckon it looks every bit as orgasmic now as it did then, and still hanker after owning one if only my heart ruled my head. Many, many thanks BC for yet more quality nostalgic memories. 8-)

There's one interesting fact about Mazda RX: two or three of them were bought by soviet officials to research the abilities of rotary engine. The engine was reworked and installed into Lada Riva (later Samara too). The soviet version was modernized two or three times, production stopped in the mid-00's because of ecological reasons.

Having owned a tuned one (1979 North American - First year - not 1980), I can tell you, the MPG was 9-25 depending on how you drove it. I could get 18 in town. The red-line was not for the engine - but the transmission. The engine red line was actually closer to 12,000 rpm because of the design - and I used it because of the very flat torque curve. In 1980 they introduced an electronic ignition - mine was not originally. The car was actually very reliable, but the 12A needed a rebuild every 85,000 miles or so because it would blow the rear seal and dump extra oil into the combustion chamber. The 13B was supposedly better. The handling was actually amazing. This was a car build for cornering. The nearly even 4 wheel weight distribution meant that a good driver could put the weight on any of the 4 corners - it was VERY predictable to drive. The engine was also easy to modify and pull up to 300 HP. Road and track showed that a bit of porting and headers could could pull 310 hp. Mine had headers and an expansion chamber (the rotary is basically a 2-cycle engine - it required burning oil) and I could keep up with a 5.0 Mustang GT with no issue - and handle better. It was a great car.

Still today the RX-7s are great cars to drive and I and my brother love to take one of them for a spin. The only problem is the poor parts availability and the enormous parts costs.

In spite of what the commentator said, my RX-7s were incredibly reliable. They both had manual chokes and started every time, no matter the weather. They were great cars.

My first car was an RX5. The rotor seals failed on the first day. Luckily I had a brand new 13B rotary replacement under warranty...it was very reliable after that.

Wonderful cars. As a late teen I regularly worked on RX7s with a friend's dad who owned a few. I was later lucky enough to own an absolutely beautiful mint FC Turbo which later ended up in a rich collector's shed of rare cars. I love rotaries and will always have a soft spot for them. The FD is a strong contender for the best looking car ever made, it's just perfect 👌

In South Africa the Mazda RX2 was somewhat of a legend in the early 70's. It was a rotary engined version of the 616, also available at the same time.

I bought a new 1985 GSL-SE. The service manager told me to "run the crap out of it" and I obliged. I pegged it a few times at 140. I had a Japanese back seat installed; it matched perfectly; it was large enough to hold an infants seat. Seventeen years later, I had it repainted and gave it to the infant. Yes, of course, he wrecked it in a month.

I lusted after the 1st & 2nd Generation RX-7. I did have a 1995 Ford Probe SE which bears a family resemblance to the RX-7 in my opinion. It was mostly Mazda with a normal piston engine. It was a fun car to drive.

Great video/s, very interesting and informative, but as an Aussie I have to make a correction - Bathurst is pronounced Bath-erst, not Bat-herst.. Sorry, had to get that one out....lol

FD RX-7 and the Z32 300ZX, Japanese sports cars that will always have a special place in my heart!

I had a 1988 Second Gen (Porsche 924 look alike) normally aspirated Mazda RX-7 in about 1993 for just 1 year. I loved it. Coming from a Ford Sierra it was quite different. As I recall the RX-7 at the time had the most expensive exhaust to replace on any car in the UK. Something like £1500 for the complete system ! This was mainly due to the "after burner" that introduced air into the exhaust manifold to burn off all the unburnt fuel for emissions . At the time it was possible to throw all the "after burner" emissions equipment away and get a Janspeed exhaust for about £700 that released a fair few more BHP from the engine. As said in the video, it was the fuel consumption that was a killer. I found if I hammered it, I could get it as low as 16 MPG, drive really easy on a long run and it could do 23 MPG. Usually it averaged around 19 MPG. At the time I had it, UK petrol was around £0.50 / litre, but it was still too expensive to run. So I sold it after 1 year, and got another fricking Sierra that could do around 30 MPG ! I miss my Mazda RX-7 , plus I was young at the time :)

Both my Series 2 (1982) and Series 3 (1984) cars had a rev limiter buzzer. Australian delivered cars.

Brilliant idea the rotary. Always struck me as kind of 4 stroke/2 stroke hybrid engine. Another very interesting video,cheers!

Don't know how I haven't seen this video yet but it is very well done! Thank you!

Loved this video. My first car was an NSU Ro80 and briefly owned an RX7. Would love it if you did a video about the Wankel Rotary engine and the cars that used it.

Whayhey another one! What a wonderful surprise as usual.

The rev buzzer remained on all Rx7's sold in Australia

Utter class. Great video. I hope to own a Turbo II FC someday.

Mazda keeps teasing us with that rx9 concept

My fc rx7 had over 210000 miles without any issues before I sold it. I would say it was very reliable.

I have owned all three generations of RX7 and also a 40th Anniversary Edition RX8 among my seven rotary cars since 1974. You have a few facts wrong here and some omissions. . I had my first gen RX7 in the USA in 1978 and it had no limited speedometer, that came later. I helped with the Racing Beat Bonneville car in 1978 and the stock version of the car had already been sold for months in the States. . And at the 1979 Daytona 24 hour endurance race ,RX7s finished 1-2 in GTU class and fifth and sixth overall in the race, beating many cars of the two higher classes from Porsche and Ferrari.. And when the RX7s went from 12A to 13B engines , it was not a bored-out engine. The 13B was a bigger housing with bigger rotors inside. The RX7 Turbo II had an early form of rear wheel steering.

In the early 90's had an RX2 with mild port 12a RX7 motor, custom exhaust and E1600 van diff. It handled and braked badly but not much would touch it in a straight line, the front wheels would leave the ground on a hard take off. The way the rotary power comes on is addictive, like a 2 stroke sportbike, no other car engine like it. It used V8 levels of petrol but was reliable for me. Early rotaries worth a small fortune these days.

I love my 93 rx7 more than anything ❤

My 2001 type R Bathurst R was a lot of fun to drive and fantastic to look at. Even with the advances that the series 8 had, the turbos did not always sequence properly and the power delivery could be unpredictable.

There's a Reason why the FC and FD are both the cars of choice of the Takehashi Twins in Initial D.

The first RX-7 was a well proportioned, clean design, and in the context of the time, it was a good looking car. I'd say it was a classic. I've driven an RX8 on narrow country roads, and it was a great drive, especially if you enjoy a buzzy engine with lots of gears available. The RX8 died in large part because of the word of mouth/internet forums highlighting the problem that if you stalled (or switched engine off to close the garage) just after starting, in some cases it just wouldn't restart and needed a dealer's truck to take it away - its reputation never recovered. In the UK second hand ones are usually broken, the seats especially are fantastic to transpose to other cars. Even though Mazda did the wankel engine well, it was always fighting the market "wankel" negativity (NSU was brought to its knees by their engine). Also finding post warranty mechanics who understood it and were willing to work on it, was also a challenge.

Really interesting - I learnt about cars like the Rx-7 from Gran Turismo like many others did in Europe. Now I'm making a Tamiya scale model 1992 RX-7 replica.

17:26 The Group B RX-7 rally car was the most powerful naturally aspirated rally car in the world during the Group B years. It sounded amazing! (Oh, and 'Bat-Hurst' is pronounced 'Bath-uh-st' by local Aussies) 👍 Loved my time working on RX-7s at the local Mazda dealership where I got to test drive every car from the workshop as the workshop foreman 👌

Had a 1st and 2nd gen, loved them. Unfortunately the 3rd gen and RX8 were out of my price range and the rotary engine issues, so I went MX5 and never looked back. Loved them all.

Very interesting and well presented. Thanks from Orlando.

I used to work for AJM MAZDA in chadwellheath IN THE LATE 80S AND LOVED DRIVING THESE CARS ON ROAD TEST VERY FAST CAR FOR THERE DAY , I actually got banned from driving them by the governor George for driving them too FAST ,, ,!!

Fun Fact: Ever heard of the Mazda Roadpacer AP? Hmm, probably not! It was a rebadged HJ/HX Holden Premier sedan and was exported from Australia to Japan in 1975 to 1977 without engines and upon reaching Japan, they would be fitted with the 1.3L Wankel engine! It's believed to be the only GM product ever to be fitted with a rotary engine. You're welcome! :)

Congratulations on your interesting and informative uploads.

In 1978 my dad bought a Mazda GLC. The dealer had a customer who ordered 3 RX-7's. When they arrived, he sold 2 for enough profit to pay for his.

I had a 2005 Mazda RX-8 wankel. Used it as daily driver for 10 years but once it hit 100K, it became problematic and the dealership charges an arm and a leg because they know not many mechanics touch it. But was an absolute fun car to drive. I miss that beauty

かっこ良い‼️🎵 広島生の最高の車❗️ 素晴らしい動画ありがとう‼️👍️ from Hiroshima Japan

Thanks. Another in a great series. It is weird to here the MX-5 called that as in North America it was the Miata.

Nice one! Wasn't expecting an RX-7! I still want to request a Fiat Panda video 🐼

Daily drove a 1987 rx7 for 6 years and daily drove an 04 rx8 for almost 7 years. Reliable cars IF you do proper maintenance. Which is not normal. Rx8 has a comfortable backseat compared to any other coupe/2+2 I’ve ever been in.

Rotary Fix: put a square valve and spring at the top of the rotary seals. with enough give to reduce the “Devils Claw” marks.

Becoming the best car channel on you tube

Fantastic! My Dad traded his Triumph 2.5PI for a brand new yellow RX3 coupe back in 1974, he owned that car for five years and after the Triumph it never gave any trouble what so ever. The body started rotting in the end, the north west of England isn't the kindest climate to cars.

When i was at meterology school in 1981 we were told to prepare an essay on any topic to assess our breifing skills. I did one on why the RX7 was the best buy in sports car. When i graduated and was posted to an airport office in Canada i went to buy one and the salesman kicked me out of the showroom saying i could not afford it. Never did get one...i was too disgusted with the dealer

the RX-8 is just amazing, I am still waiting for a rotary engine car like this, maybe an RX-9 with the SkyActive Technology? :P who knows!

You simply CANNOT ignore the crappy MPG and emissions figures and for that reason the Rotary engine has to be considered a failure. Shame coss the RX8 as a design is an absolute stunner.

fun video but a couple of things wrong here. 1: the series 6 rx7 had 255 hp in factory form 2: the rx7 ended production with the 2002 model year in japan

Good lord, to quote clarkson that 2017 concept is "bite the back of your hand pretty" Why didn't they make it? What a shame.

Great memories and work here :) '80, older brother of a friend i grew up with bought a RX 7 which he quickly crashed into a tree, Insurance payout, bought another one, Bit more careful. '95, i start working for a mom and pop mfg. Mom's car, a mint RX 7. btw, The Miata was the Motor Trend Car Of The Year. She wanted one. I know, MX5...same but not, Roll On !!

Another wonderful video! Thank you!!

I had a Gen 1 Series II on a B reg, and that still had the buzzer on the revs.

I just like the way you talk and get your story down, also I like the cars you chose...and you're pleasant to look at. Thank you!

I had a 2 seater 1979 Savanna, US import in to the UK, It came from Maplewood Sports Cars NJ. On the V5 it said it was a 1300cc Coupe, it was Indy Maroon colour, like the one @4.40 in the daytime it looked sort of brown but red at night under street lamps and It had a rear spoiler but other style wheels. Funny thing is I was working in Germany and on the way back we went to Brighton to the bosses place. I wanted to buy a left hand drive car and went to look at a Ford Escort locally, did'nt buy it. Then a six months later I seen the Mazda advertised and it was near Gloucester. When I went to buy it the vendor asked if I remembered him, and it was the same guy from Brighton.

the RX-8 is one of my all-time favourites. so good.

I dont know why MAZDA dont drop the rotary engine in the RX8 and have 4 cylinder 2.2 and v6 2.8 in the RX8 using a conventional engine and gearbox with a restyling updates and more horsepower and better economy the rx8 would sell like hot cake on a cold day in the south pole for sure ,,, excellent video and brings back good memories of when i drove brand new xr7s at work,,

I got to drive an RX7 back from the tuner shop back in the day. It had all the letters: GSL SE or something similar. It was pretty darn fast.

Great work on the videos. High quality and always interesting.

The RX-Vision concept car looks awsome.

I'm not a huge fan of the rotary myself, although I do certainly appreciate it's innovation and technical brilliance, but despite that I've always loved the RX7 :) I liked them much better as they evolved becoming bigger, me being 196cm tall I gained more of an appreciation for the later versions for that reason :) The RX8 is really cool too, loved them at first sight as well :) And those rear doors are a brilliant idea, a much better design for egress in and out of the vehicle, any vehicle for that matter. The design of those doors, known as suicide doors, harks back to days of old, but were considered less safe than front hinged doors. The rotary scene here in Australia is a huge, there's massive following for them. With every conceivable model ever released here in Australia and even with a ton of grey imports. Each Mazda I've had, all piston engined, 929s from 1974 to 1989 (my current Mazda, a 1989 929 Sedan), and 121Ls from 1978 are all much sought after as rotary variants or even as the piston varieties to convert them to rotaries. Even though Mazda is no longer, at this point in time, producing rotary engined cars, the rotary will be kept alive for a hell of a long time to come by enthusiastic, um... enthusiasts :) Just an FYI, Bat-Hurst, is actually pronounced Bath-urst, not Barth-urst though :)

I think Mazda should have introduced a special tank for filling up 2-stroke oil so that it will be easier for owners to take care of their cars' rotary engines.

88 S4 US spec and 91 S5 JDM spec both had buzzers for RPM. I had both clusters on my 88 cab with 91 turbo engine once upon a time

Thanks for these videos mate! Fantastic in-depth information as always.

Love em all owned all three rx7z an a rx8 mazda is in my blood! Dad has a rx3 and sa22 cheers !

Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen an RX-7 in real life. I just started getting interested in them and their peculiar engines because I had a toy Matchbox one!

VERY GOOD INFORMATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ima rotary engine addict!!! from PUERTO RICO!!

SA22C,FD3S,SE3Pと乗り継いできました。 やっぱりロータリーエンジンはいいよね。

When you hear the beep that’s when you shift. The twin turbo RX7 would break the tires loose going into 3rd gear. Most fun I ever had.

The car also had great Aust racing success too! With legend Alan Moffatt in charge

The mother of one of my school friends had a series 1 RX-7 with the Elford turbo conversion. I think it was on an X plate, so around 1982. Bearing in mind this was back in about 1990, so it wasn't that old back then. The turbo conversion made an already pretty quick sports car, for it's day, into something that many other performance cars of the time would struggle to keep up with. Before I knew that car, the headmaster of my previous school had owned two series 2's during the time I was there. A C plate in red, then an E plate in white. So at the time they were only a couple of years old at purchase. I always preferred the series 1 though.