Mazda RX-7 selection at Shannons in May

Fans of the early Mazda RX-7 should make a beeline for Shannons in Melbourne on May 8 for the opportunity to snaffle up one or all of three cars up for auction that night.

All three cars – Series I, II and III – are owned by the same vendor. They are, according to Shannons, 'substantially-unmolested' locally-delivered examples with manual transmissions and air conditioning. Shannons report that all three cars are fitted with their original equipment wheels and the interiors are in good condition.

Powered by a 12A rotary, the Series I model is finished in silver and was originally sold by Hotham Motors in Traralgon, Victoria. Over the past decade or more it has remained in storage, which accounts for its relatively low kilometres. Shannons expects it will sell somewhere between $20,000 and $26,000.

The Series II model is fitted with larger bumpers, larger tail lights, different alloy wheels, four-wheel disc brakes and higher performance. Presented in metallic blue, the Series II is a one-owner model that Shannons estimates will fetch between $14,000 and $18,000 at auction.

With a 13B rotary under the bonnet, the yellow Series III is another low-kilometre car that the original Aussie owner specified without the factory-standard sunroof, which makes the car rarer, says Shannons, although the auction house is tipping that it will sell for the same guiding price range as the Series II.

"Because RX-7s have always had strong appeal to younger enthusiasts, they are often modified and can pass through many hands. This is the first time we have seen a collection like this come to auction," says Shannons National Auction Manager Christophe Boribon, acknowledging that the three cars going to auction will be prized for their original condition.