--- title: "All I Want When I’m 80 Is to Be as Cool as This RX-7 Driving Japanese Lady" date: "2024-12-26" modified: "2024-12-26" authors: - name: "Chris Tsui" job_title: "Contributor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/chris-tsui" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/all-i-want-when-im-80-is-to-be-as-cool-as-this-rx-7-driving-japanese-lady" categories: - "Mazda News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "mazda" - "RX-7" - "sports car" --- # All I Want When I’m 80 Is to Be as Cool as This RX-7 Driving Japanese Lady ![]() *NBC長崎放送 via YouTube* We've all seen for sale posts of "lady-driven" sports cars that the seller claims were only used by a grandmother once a week to church and back. Well, if you ever see a mint FD [Mazda]() RX-7 for sale in the Nagasaki area with similar claims, don't be so quick to call BS. After 25 years of ownership, 80-year-old Naoko Nishimoto has sold her RX-7 back to Mazda. From *[The Mainichi]()*, Nishimoto bought the car (which she affectionately calls "Seven") new after seeing it in *Initial D*, some anime her son happened to be watching at the time, and falling in love with the design. "Its outline is beautiful," she told the publication, and naturally, she's especially fond of the shapes that make up the back of the car. She even has the appropriate license plate. She says she used it for daily outings to the grocery store, accumulating a little over 48,000 miles over a quarter of a century. Two years ago, she made the decision to turn in her driver's license and the Mazda on her 80th birthday, and her story was then picked up by the media. As a result, she received around 400 emails from people wanting the buy the car, but she ultimately decided to sell it back to the folks who made it. Last week, Nishimoto turned 80 and the event was marked with a handover ceremony at a local dealership, where Nishimoto was presented with flowers, a letter from Mazda president Masahiro Moro, and a sketch of her car done by a Mazda designer. "Thank you so much for the 25 years we have shared our lives together, 'Seven,'" she said. Per *The Mainichi*, Mazda plans on doing some maintenance work on Seven before using it as a "promotional vehicle." https://youtu.be/55Y-ewQg688?si=UYpvj55khy0pkeqz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUq91pPsGn0 *Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach him here: chris.tsui@thedrive.com* ## Author Chris Tsui is *The Drive*'s former Reviews Editor and current freelance automotive journalist. He's based in Toronto. ### Author social links [Instagram]()