---
title: "Brush Up on the History of the Mazda RX-7"
description: "Learn everything you wanted to know about the rotary engine and the RX-7."
date: "2017-09-07"
modified: "2017-09-07"
authors:
  - name: "The Drive Staff"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/the-drive-staff"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/14153/brush-up-on-the-history-of-the-mazda-rx-7"
categories:
  - "Mazda News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Watch This"
tags:
  - "Donut Media"
  - "mazda"
  - "Rotary"
  - "RX"
  - "RX-7"
---

# Brush Up on the History of the Mazda RX-7

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/09/thedriverx7dk.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

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](<https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=15&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjs1YzlspPWAhWCQiYKHaJjDcoQFgiCATAO&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Ftitle%2Ftt0385426%2F&usg=AFQjCNF7UtP8mXCs9RNaDdAYAmNIY34WAA>),* 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](<https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/13979/the-true-hollywood-like-story-behind-delorean>), 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.

https://youtube.com/embed/UChXOmVhXW4

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