Mazda RX-7 1994 Retro Review

An other-worldly shriek fills the amphitheatre of Sydney Motorsport Park. It’s an incessant blare that permeates the skin and settles as a vibration in your sternum: The Mazda 767B Sportscar is currently hot-lapping.

Built to race at Le Mans in 1989, the 767 was the precursor to the 787B’s 1991 victory at La Sarthe.

Its mid-mounted, quad-rotor engine doesn’t need turbos to produce big power. There’s over 447kW on tap, in a vehicle weighing a scant 800kg. Fast doesn’t begin to describe it.

Thankfully, I am not here to drive the privately-owned, priceless masterpiece, but the sight of my steed for the day nevertheless gets the heart beating faster. A 1994 Mazda RX-7 may not sound particularly intimidating, but its BP livery is etched into my brain from the 1994 Bathurst 12-Hour production car race.

It won that event outright with Neil Crompton and the late Gregg Hansford sharing driving duties. It was the third time in a row a third-generation ‘Series Six’ RX-7 had done so, under the expert supervision of Mazda Australia’s motorsport guru Allan Horsley.

Already self-conscious, the return of the 767 to Mazda’s pit marquee brings the hoards that are here for the World Time Attack weekend. As I’m race-suited up, I must be important, and the questions – or statements – commence; some unrepeatable, but most asking if they can come along for the ride.

The sanctuary of the RX-7’s cabin is welcome, and so is the largely unmodified nature of its cockpit. Beyond the mandatory safety equipment and auxiliary boost gauge it’s essentially stock, down to the key-in-ignition start. A peak behind notes the dry-break fuel-cell and simple differential and gearbox temperature gauges, placed so the fuel crew can record the temperatures as the car’s being filled. Simple, but smart.

A beautiful three-spoke Momo sits an easy reach away, once the harnesses are adjusted and the simple fore/aft front seat lever is set. Less adaptable is the pedal position, with a decided offset to the right.

An easy clutch and quick wrist flick ensues neutral is selected, the booted shifter easily slipping to hand. Crank the ignition key and the 1308cc nominal capacity rotary engine fires straight to 3000rpm to begin a warm-up cycle, thanks to the modified ECU allowed in the regulations.

Warmed through, it’s time to navigate the crowded pit-lane. Thankfully the road bias of this RX-7 assists, the clutch easy to modulate and the smooth rotary cleaning picking up as we part the sea together, the occasional rotary rev jolting those distracted by their phones out of the way.

Finally, the pit gate. As I’m waved through, the 600bhp (447kW) blare of a Group A Sierra Cosworth RS 500 sends a shockwave down SMP’s front straight… I didn’t realise we’d be sharing the track with such high-powered machinery; I thought this was a simple ‘Turbo Legends’ demonstration with the Mazda 3 MPS Targa Tasmania giant-killer in tow. Nothing for it but to jump on the throttle…

Besides its inherent smoothness tricking you into thinking you’re running 3000rpm when in fact it’s 7000, the first thing you notice from the engine is its linearity, the sequential twin turbochargers providing consistent delivery through the range. Secondly, it’s not that quick in a modern context – figures of 176kW and 295Nm pushing 1310kg make the RX-7 modern hot-hatch fodder.

We have only three laps together, on a circuit I’ve not seen, with ferocious race cars bobbing all around. No pressure, then…

Cold tyres (225/50 on 16-inch alloys) almost catch me out as I reapply throttle out of a second-gear corner, but the RX-7 telegraphs it beautifully and it almost looks intentional. From this point on, the word that repeats internally is ‘balance’. The RX-7’s power, grip, handling, braking (still with booster and anti-lock) and steering blend in near-perfect harmony, with feelsome control weights adding to its brilliance. It’s so easy to drive, and feels as if it could do another 12-Hour at a canter.

Winding out onto the front straight, the rotary isn’t as noisy as expected. The knowledgeable crowd snap shots as we blast by, and I decide to resist the temptation of tipping into the ultra-fast turn one and instead drink in the occasion; the BP RX-7 is something to be savoured.

Back in the pits after my drive, the looped video of the Mazda taking the flag at Bathurst in 1994 takes on new meaning. I watched it as a 13-year-old, and now I’ve driven it. What an honour.