Mazda RX-7 Type R, Bathurst R

TRAILBLAZER

The Mazda RX-7 is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable sports cars to have come from the land of the rising sun, making it a JDM icon that has left a mark in motorsport and car culture across the globe.

In the early ‘70s, Mazda released the RX-3 which served as a proof of concept for the Wankel rotary engine, a shift from the traditional, four-stroke piston engine. Although the RX-3 wasn’t particularly sporty on paper, the properties of the rotary engine made for quite a driving experience – laying the foundations for the RX-7.

Rotary engines are known for performing incredibly well at high RPMs, and their supreme power-to-weight ratio meant that the optimal engine placement resulted in near-perfect weight distribution and low center of gravity – leading to extremely precise handling. 

For many, the third-generation (FD) RX-7 is the one that comes to mind when talking about RX-7s and Ash’s FD3S is a stunner, a result of years of experience, passion, and meticulous upgrades.

A TRIBUTE

Modifying cars can have immense sentimental value, a form of expression and a way to preserve a legacy. For Ash, the “rotary bug bit [him] early” as he started off with an RX-3 and an S2 RX-7 that he and his family worked on for several years. In fact, the YES12A license plate on Ash’s FD is a tribute to his parents.

Ash was drawn to the FD3S for its ultimate rotary powerhouse and timeless design – the RX-7 truly holds its own to this very day with its sleek curves and menacing stance.

This car also embodies the essence of a car enthusiast because, for Ash, it was always about building a car that would go on to inspire other builds and foster a sense of community amongst like-minded enthusiasts.

With this in mind, the build process began and Ash set to work on taking a JDM classic to new heights.

HITTING HARD

The styling of this RX-7 is “hard-hitting” and instantly establishes its dominance on the road – all of which was made possible by a set of RE Amemiya parts such as the GT2 wing, Carbon AD front lip, Carbon Pro rear diffuser with vortex generators, and more.

As a seasoned expert, Ash strictly prioritised maintaining reliability when it came to performance upgrades – selecting parts from “proven and trusted” brands were essential for the finished product. The result? A sweet, twin-turbo rotary engine producing an astounding 302KW / 404HP at the wheels.

All of this herculean power meets the road on a set of Advan GT18s supported by the Ohlins DFV Coilovers.

LESSONS FOR THE ROAD

When asked about challenges faced during the build, Ash attributed his relatively smooth journey to two things.

Firstly, being thorough with research for parts is a must and opting for proven parts can definitely help with streamlining the process.

Ash also believes that it comes back to “being realistic with your goals when modifying your car” –  a valuable lesson that many may have to learn the hard way.

These two, seemingly simple, strategies have clearly worked for Ash and is a good reminder for all enthusiasts out there.

NEW HORIZONS

Although Ash is content with his RX-7, he is always tinkering away and open to moulding his car to be the best that it can be. Performance-wise, he is more than satisfied and doesn’t want to sacrifice driving experience or reliability.

Aesthetically, a widebody kit may be on the horizon but we will have to wait and see for that to happen.

All in all, Ash’s FD3S perfectly sums up car culture – a means of self-expression that enables others to get started on their own journey and producing some bonkers works of engineering in the process.

This incredible build was made possible with the help of Marcus Read, Andrew from Billtech, Kace from JDM Tours, friends and family, and his wife for her continual support.