The Big 5 Jap Juggernauts! Part 1- Mazda RX-7

In the late 90s, early millennium, we saw the death of dominant sport compacts who legacy and repose could never be imitated or redefined. They have been used in countless world championships, show car specials, even immortalized in small TV shows,Video Games and film. These particular cars have a strong following of fans, restorers, and collectors of all sorts. We still see them on the streets on an everyday basis. Allow me to cut to the chase and stop all the anxiousness. The Cars I'm referring to is the Nissan 300zx, Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, Mazda RX-7, the late model MA70 and JZA80 Toyota Supra, and the car of all cars, Nissans' Skyline GT-R.
 

    Allow me to to talk about the Mazda RX-7 first, it being the unsung hero of them all, with its tuned suspension, Phenomenally balanced power to weight ratio, and the crown jewel of Mazda, The 13b rotary engine. Not only were we intrigued by its power at high RP M's, but the pitch of the engine when it reached its threshold, a sound that can never be explained in a small collection of words, but when you heard it, shivers would race down the spines of those who were privileged to hear such a range of wonder. The most amazing feat that the FD brought being the last chassis code it carried was the twin turbo set-up  it was built with. When this car made boost you were surprised on how well it responded, but you were even more surprised how powerful this little small car was moving around the track. When the car reached the American shores, it was greeted with such praise and admiration for its compact detail and overall performance. The Only Problem that was apparent with the car itself was you needed to have your masters and your doctorate to repair the rotary engine underneath the hood. Every time you wanted to have the car serviced, you would have to find a specialist who was not only familiar with the car, he/she would have have to be a certified Mazda technician to repair the complex rotary engine, so in other words....MONEY PIT! At the end of the day, it would be worth it to some collectors, but to others they found their thrills by driving other sport compacts which  we will get to later in the series.
  Shortly after its demise in 2000 in America and 2002 in Japan the RX-7 was discontinued and another Mazda flagship would take its place. This would be the Mazda RX-8. With a newly revamped rotary and sleek styling, it was considered as well balanced car as its predecessor but it lacked one simple ingredient, a chink in the once formidable armor that Mazda wore proudly. The 13b would not be featured in the vehicle but another model known as The Renesis.This engine still provided the power at high output of 9000 rpms, but the torque was non-existent losing its luster with a small majority of enthusiasts, but still have a strong following with some due to its remarkable styling and graceful handling. Hopefully one day with the Automotive industry making some stand out moves in some manufacturers, Mazda will return to the stage with another flagship vehicle, hoping that maybe the RX-7 will make a triumphant return with its heart beating stronger than ever.  to be continued...........