Brush Up on the History of the Mazda RX-7
Learn everything you wanted to know about the rotary engine and the RX-7.
In case you weren't aware, the Mazda RX-7 was a sports car that replaced the RX-3. It was a rotary-powered rear-wheel-drive car produced through multiple generations from 1978 to 2002. The car earned a cult-like status after appearing in anime series such as Initial D, as well as being one of the hero cars in the Fast and Furious franchise.
For this round of Donut Media's "Everything You Need to Know | Up to Speed" YouTube series, they covered the history of the Mazda RX-7. In the video, Donut starts with the most memorable part of the car—its rotary engine. The RX-7 was equipped with a Wankel rotary engine, created by German engineer Felix Wankel. Eventually, the rotary engine found its home in the RX-7. Pumphrey reveals multiple stats of the car in the video, and mentions that the RX-7's engine has to be driven to redline on a normal basis to clear out carbon deposits and to keep the oil at the right temperature.
In the video, you are taken through the different generations of the RX-7, all the way to its successor, the four-door RX-8. The video also touches on the motorsport heritage of the RX-7 and the rotary engine in IMSA, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and even its appearance in the World Rally Championship.