MAZDA XEDOS 9 (1994-2001)

A Mazda what? That’s likely to be the reaction of the pub pundits when you tell them you’ve just bought a Xedos 9. With sales of just a few hundred cars a year, you’re guaranteed to have the only one in your street and that rarity value may well hold additional appeal. After all, who wants a BMW when they’re everywhere? Along with its smaller brother, the Xedos 6, the 9 represented Mazda’s attempt to break into the world of luxury sporting saloons dominated by the likes of the aforementioned BMW. The brand never quite achieved that aim –its bid to match Lexus in the States was a flop – but, with top build quality and Mazda’s renowned reliability, the cars make excellent second-hand buys here in the UK. High initial depreciation makes the well-equipped Xedos 9 cracking value for money on the used car market. Early ones with the regular 2.5-litre V6 engine are a bit ordinary, but explaining how the unusual 2.3-litre Miller Cycle engine of later cars works should keep the pub ‘experts’ engrossed for hours.

The Xedos 9 followed the 6 onto the UK market a couple of years afterwards, in early 1994. Initially only a ‘standard’ version was offered with automatic transmission but, six months later, the plusher SE version arrived. Both have the silky smooth, quad cam, 24-valve V6 from the 626 and MX-6. The SE was dropped in 1995 after barely a year on sale and the standard car was upgraded with leather ‘n’ walnut trim plus a remote control stereo with CD autochanger. In October 1998, the intriguing Miller Cycle 2.3-litre V6 replaced the earlier engine and the Xedos 9 was given a mild facelift. Only one trim level was offered. The car eventually died in the UK in August 2001. Mazda stylists originally built 20 full-size clay models before arriving at this graceful design with its quietly original lines recalling the lightness and elegance of a Jaguar. Indeed, strip away a little of the chrome and brightwork and the Coventry badge would rest easily on this car’s sculptured flanks. The earlier 2.5-litre V6 is a superbly smooth engine but not particularly economical. If you can afford it, go for the later 2.3-litre V6 Miller Cycle engine whose arrival coincided with a minor styling update and improved interior. The Miller Cycle (named after Danish-born Ralph Miller) is quite a clever way of making smaller capacity engines behave like larger ones. At the beginning of the compression stroke, the inlet valves are closed later than normal, which raises the capacity of the cylinder and increases power without affecting fuel consumption. Clever stuff. In this case, thanks both to Miller magic and the addition of a Lysholm turbocharger, the Xedos 9’s 2.3-litre V6 engine has been made to behave like a 3.3, with power leaping from 166 to 203bhp and torque rising an astonishing 35% to make overtaking a cinch. Yet the kind of appalling fuel consumption you’d expect from a 143mph super saloon of this prodigious capacity simply doesn’t materialise: you should get close to 30mpg in day to day use.

The earliest 94L-registered 2.5 V6 Xedos 9 models start from around £2,000 and range all the way up to about £5,300 on 99T plates (old stock of 2.5s overlapped the newer 2.3 for a year or so). The plusher though short-lived SE version commands a £500 premium. Miller Cycle 2.3-litre cars start at about £5,900 on 98S plates and you should secure even a 00X for £7,700, an excellent saving on the £28,500 new price. Only consider cars that are immaculate inside and out with a full (preferably Mazda dealer) service history. There’s a lot of equipment so check it all works and also look for minor bodywork and trim damage. Accomplished handling, a superb ride, high levels of grip and an invitingly cosseting interior make this the best Japanese luxury saloon you can buy new for less than £30,000. Second-hand, that rather high initial depreciation and rarity value ought to make it difficult to ignore. But be prepared for a search – there aren’t many about.

(based on a 1995 Xedos 9 – approx. – exc. Vat) A full exhaust system is around £1080 (inc. catalyst) and front and rear brake pads are £70 and £50 respectively. An alternator is around £285 and a starter motor around £235. While on the subject of the electrics, a complete headlamp unit is £275. When a major service is due, budget in the region of £600.

There’s a Jaguar-like quality about the ride, which provides smooth and unruffled progress over almost any surface. The automatic gearbox (there’s no manual option) is not quite as impressive, inclined as it is to be somewhat jerky in kickdown mode. Refinement and build-quality are, along with the stylish exterior, Xedos 9 strongpoints. Mazda’s body engineers originally set out to create a structure that would rival the most rigid Europe had to offer. So it is that the whole shell is heavily reinforced. For noise suppression, Mercedes was the benchmark, which meant filling all roof pillars with polyurethane and developing a secret new sound-damping material for the floor. It works too; this is an extremely refined used car.

MAZDA XEDOS 6 (1992-1999)

For years, the idea of a Japanese sports saloon with the kind of prestige and status of a BMW or an Audi was a contradiction in terms. The Germans offered the class, the Japanese the value. Mazda’s Xedos 6 changed all that when it was launched in 1992 but how does it stack up as a used buy? Thanks to the relatively small numbers brought into the country, the answer is very well. Sales were limited to just 1500 cars each year, making second hand Xedos 6 models sought after on the used market, the result being that their residual values hold up reasonably well. A Xedos 6 is a decent investment of a used car – and a surprisingly fine compact executive saloon.

The Xedos 6 was the car that launched the Xedos (pronounced ‘ker-see-dos’) brand back in 1992, Mazda’s attempt to break into the BMW, Mercedes and Audi-dominated compact executive saloon sector. Initially, only the 2.0 V6 version was offered – in standard and plusher SE forms. A year later however, a visually identical single-specification 1.6-litre four cylinder version was added to the range. There was also an automatic option but this lasted less than a year. In June 1996, there were mild revisions to the line-up which included the addition of a relatively affordable Sport V6 model with spoked alloy wheels. A year later, both this car and the entry-level 1.6-litre model were withdrawn. The entire range disappeared quietly from the Mazda price lists late in 1999. In launching the Xedos 6 line-up, Mazda was the first Japanese manufacturer to recognise the importance that customers were attaching to the question of image – and the first to act accordingly. The company described the Xedos 6 as a car that is ‘genuinely different from the rest’, which seemed reasonable enough when you saw it in the metal. The ultra-low front, the subtle curves, the flush-fitting glass and the striking front grille; all gave the car real identity. You may see a hint of Jaguar in the feline sweep of the rounded body. Mazda even supposed that some customers would prefer to look at the car as a four-door sports coupe. You could not fail to ignore it either way. The boot was huge, the cabin airy and inviting and the handling taut and responsive. In this respect, it helped that the manual gear change was also excellent and the power steering quick and communicative, lacking the anaesthetic applied to the helm of most expensive Japanese saloons. Equipment levels were extensive in the plusher versions as you might expect. Alloy wheels, anti-lock brakes, tinted glass, electric headlamp levelling, central locking, front fog lamps and powered sunroof, windows and mirrors were all included, for example, on the V6 Sport model.

The earliest K-registered 2.0 V6 Xedos 6 models start from around £1,500 and range up to about £3,200 on 96N plates. The plusher SE version commands a £200-£500 premium and is your only choice from 97P to 99T at prices from around £3,600 to £5,400, the latter is a big saving on the £22,000 new price. The short-lived Sport model can be found between £3,000 and £4,000. If you’d be satisfied with one of the rare 1.6-litre models, the earliest L-platers cost around £1,000, with later M to P-platers between about £2,000 and £3,200. Ordinarily, Xedos 6 buyers tend to be picky, so if you’re thinking of one, you’ll need to be too. Avoid cars that are less than pristine and have incomplete service records. Check for electrical faults and minor bodywork and trim damage. The Xedos 6 may not have the image of a BMW 3 Series or a Mercedes C-class but its not far off. A pity that the dull interior doesn’t match the eye-catching bodywork but you can’t have everything. At least it should be reliable (a claim the German competition can always make) and you’re likely to be the only one in your road to have one. That – and those strong residual values – might swing the balance Mazda’s way.

(based on a 1995 Xedos 9 – approx. – exc. Vat) A full exhaust system is around £1080 (including the catalyst) and front and rear brake pads are about £70 and £50 respectively. An alternator is around £285 and a starter motor around £235. While on the subject of the electrics, a complete headlamp unit is £275. When a major service is due budget in the region of £600.

On the road, don’t expect it to be a BMW 320i, a Golf VR6 or an Audi A4. It isn’t but the gap is narrower than you might think, thanks to handling characteristics which Mazda said were tuned more to European tastes. New shock absorbers coupled to larger front and rear stabiliser bars were said to be responsible. The Hiroshima-based manufacturer was particularly proud of its sophisticated four-speed automatic gearbox which automatically selects ‘economy’ or ’sports’ mode depending on your mood. To make sure that gear changes are imperceptibly smooth, the same computer enters into conversation with the one controlling the engine to cut torque at the moment of change. Refinement, in fact, is one of the key features of the car; those sculptured lines help, of course. So does the impressive build quality. You could criticise the embossed plastic logo on the steering wheel or the slight lack of legroom in the back, but not much else.

MAZDA TRIBUTE (2001- TO 2004)

The Mazda Tribute is one of the best of the breed of compact 4×4s, a fact not generally recognised by its sales performance. Here is a vehicle that did practically everything you could reasonably demand of a small 4×4 and did it well, but which has been overlooked by British buyers. That may be down to a lack of promotion on Mazda’s part. The Tribute’s low-key approach may well have some justification. With Ford now owning a good proportion of Mazda, it will come as little surprise to learn that the Mazda Tribute and Ford Maverick are largely the same vehicle. Neither of these cars has exactly enjoyed a high profile. Why? Well, it could be something to do with the fact that Ford also own Land Rover, a premium product with big margins. If customers buy Tributes or Mavericks instead of Freelanders, the corporation’s bottom line takes a hit. All of which is great news for the used buyer. Here’s a car for which the asking price is relatively low, enjoys the benefits of major manufacturer development, has parts that are available all over the map and isn’t exactly the same as what Joe Soap from up the road has on his driveway.

Unlike many of their compatriots, Mazda don’t have much of a history in 4×4s, so when Ford proposed the joint venture, the Hiroshima company jumped at the chance to get a beach head in another market sector. First introduced to the UK in August 2001, the Tribute lagged behind its Ford cousin by a clear four months. We already knew what to expect, a Maverick with a Mazda grille tacked onto the front, right? Wrong. Mazda had a little trick up their sleeve. Unlike the Maverick, Mazda offered a budget front wheel drive version that continued a trend resurrected by the Honda HR-V that can be traced all the way back to cars like Talbot’s Matra Rancho of the Seventies. ‘Faux-by-fours’ may be a harsh term for what is ostensibly a mini-MPV on stilts, and the front wheel drive 2.0GXi model was a tribute to Mazda’s pragmatism, realising that these cars were often driven exclusively on tarmac. Alongside the 123bhp front wheel drive 2.0GXi version were the all wheel drive 2.0 GXi and a plusher GSi variant, with the range topper being the thirsty 196bhp 3.0-litre V6 Automatic. No diesel version was ever offered, limiting the Tribute’s opportunities markedly. Final tributes were paid to the Tribute in early 2004. The major market for cars like the Tribute remains the States, and the plastic slab of dashboard betrays the US-bias more than anything else, the column-mounted automatic gearbox on the 3.0-litre car being probably the least happy aspect of the vehicle, hunting between gears and with detents on the shift that make it difficult to just drop straight into Drive. It’s also something of a shame that it’s only possible to lock the Tribute into first, second and top (fourth) gear, as third would be the ideal gear to take advantage of the Tribute surprisingly agility. As we’ve alluded to, the interior, though well equipped, probably won’t impress those with an eye for aesthetics. Everything works, seems well placed and well thought through, and yet feels drab, cheap and uninspiring. Interior space and luggage space is well up to the mark, the Tribute is longer than many rivals, evidence of which is instantly apparent the moment you throw the tailgate open. The rear seat is something of a shapeless bench, but the space available is excellent. The Tribute’s exterior styling is a little sharper than Ford’s Maverick, the beaky grille and shapely headlights making it look a good deal more modern.

Prices start at around £9,800 for a 2001 51 plated 2.0-litre GXi with front-wheel drive. If you feel the need for all-wheel drive, you’ll need £10,400 for a 2.0 GXi or £10,900 for a 2.0-litre GSi, again on the 2001 51 plate. A similar vintage 3.0-litre V6 Auto starts at just over £12,000. Insurance is decidedly reasonable; the 2.0-litre cars rated at Group 9 and the torquey 3.0-litre version at Group 12. The Tribute is built to last; certainly a good deal more so than many of its compact 4×4 rivals. No mechanical gremlins have been reported, as both the engines are well-respected units. Inspect the underside of the used car for off-roading damage to the exhaust, driveshaft and wheelarches if you suspect that the previous owner took their car off the blacktop. The other thing to make certain of is that your compact 4×4 is just that. Don’t let an unscrupulous seller try to pass a 2wd version off as a 4×4. The Mazda Tribute represents a real opportunity to bag a quality used compact 4×4 for relatively little. It’s weak image and utilitarian interior means that demand is not high for these vehicles, all of which spells big savings for the shrewd used buyer who’s in it for the long term. With a superb reliability record and satisfying on-road performance, you shouldn’t allow the Tribute to be the compact 4×4 bargain that you let slip.

(approx based on 2001 2.0GXi) A clutch assembly is around £245. Front brake pads are around £60, a rear exhaust about £105, and an alternator around £240. A headlamp is about £165. Should you want to shave a fair proportion off some of these prices, try at your local Ford dealer. Not strictly by the book, but you may be surprised as to how much you can save.

The deletion of 4×4 hardware from the base Tribute should have helped the economy figures somewhat, the 2.0GXi 2wd returning an average figure of 30mpg, but strangely the 4wd version can manage 31.4mpg. It becomes apparent at this stage that the Tribute is not always what it seems. Mazda were never going to convince real 4×4 enthusiasts to buy this car. Even the four-wheel drive versions aren’t full-time 4×4s and don’t feature serious off-road hero essentials like a low speed transfer gearbox and a limited slip differential. Instead, there’s a front wheel drive set-up for normal motoring, with an electronically operated clutch engaging the rear wheels when things get slippery. Alternatively, there’s the option of selecting full four-wheel drive via a switch on the dashboard. Given this torque split you’d probably expect the Tribute to struggle when the need to transmit power switches from front/back to side to side, for example if the driver’s side wheels were on tarmac and the passenger’s side in deep mud? Although it tries manfully to make the best of this, the Tribute isn’t in the same league as serious off-roaders. But then why should it be? As a result of the Mazda’s more car-oriented chassis dynamics we don’t get the lurch, wallow and bounce that makes driving a ‘serious’ 4×4 on the road such a miserable experience. Along with its Ford Maverick sibling, the Mazda Tribute is quite simply, the best handling car of its kind, an off roader you could conceivably enjoy driving on the road. It’s no sports saloon of course, but the excellent ride and general lack of body roll you can expect should make for a painless transition from more conventional family fare. There’s a choice of two petrol engines – diesel is not yet on the menu. Either a 123 bhp four cylinder 2.0 litre unit or a punchy 3.0-litre V6 with 196 bhp – more power, incidentally, than the old Range Rover 4.0 V8. This version’s fast, good for rest to sixty in 10.5 seconds on the way to nearly 120 mph, but it’s not too clever against the pumps (expect to average around 22 mpg) with the figure slipping to 15mpg in town.

MAZDA RX8 (2003 – TO DATE)

Mazda had long had a reputation as innovators, but the launch of the RX-8 elevated their reputation still higher. Not only did it boast a rotary engine – in common with all the RX series sports cars – but it was also a four-door coupe. Whilst other car manufacturers scratched their heads and stroked their chins, Mazda made hay and sold thousands. Can a used RX-8 be anything other than a potential for big bills or does Mazda’s sweet handling coupe promise stress free reliability? Find out here.

When Mazda drew the wraps back from the RX-EVOLV, the 2000 show car that paved the way for the RX-8, few who saw it thought it would make production. Motor shows are full of cars like the RX-EVOLV, wild flights of fantasy that never get anywhere near sign off. Except that it did. With the RX-7 withdrawn from UK sale in 1995, many buyers were impatient for another Mazda rotary engined cracker and there was some slight disappointment in certain corners when the RX-8 was announced. The styling, while challenging and fresh, was nowhere near as slinky and menacing as the old RX-7. It looked as if Mazda had changed a street racer into a rather sit up and beg coupe. With four doors, it hardly looked like something that would put the frighteners on Porsche the way the RX-7 did. Still, despite, or perhaps because of, its less hardcore appeal, the RX-8 soon found favour with customers. Two models were available, one with 189bhp and another with a claimed 237bhp. A brief embarrassment followed when US versions of the ‘237bhp’ car were found to be routinely producing 228bhp, and Mazda’s power claims were rounded down in this country. Drawing many plaudits from an enraptured press, the RX-8 has shown that bold design and engineering can find favour with consumers. There are certain terms that car manufacturers love to use when pushing their latest wares. Words like extreme, radical, groundbreaking, and distinctive are often used to describe cars that are anything but. We grow immune to this hyperbole, a healthy amount of cynicism protecting us from the worst excesses of the press offices. Every now and then, however, something arrives that genuinely does break the mould. The Mazda RX-8 has certainly lived up to that particular billing. Here is a car that provides even greater impetus to Mazda’s ongoing renaissance. Four-door coupes are pretty thin on the ground, the term practically reading like a contradiction, but this one has been carefully thought out. The rear-hinged back doors create a pillarless profile and despite their truncated dimensions, allow easy entry and egress to and from the rear pair of seats. It’s an idea that Rolls-Royce have adopted for their Phantom and it works very well. The doors may attract the causal observer but as anybody who knows anything about Mazda’s RX series of cars knows, the real Unique Selling Proposition lies under the bonnet in the form of a compact rotary engine. With the RX-8, it comes in two guises, one with 189bhp and another with 237bhp at prices which at launch were £20,100 and £22,100 respectively. The less powerful car has marginally more torque – 162lb/ft as opposed to 157lb/ft – but most customers opted to pay the relatively small premium for the additional 48bhp. The payoff was – and is – definitely worth it. Rather than use a conventional internal combustion engine in which a number of pistons pump up and down in their respective cylinders to provide the motive power, a rotary engine like the one used by Mazda instead adopts a completely different engineering solution. Two triangular rotors spin in ellipsoidal chambers which, as any student engineer will attest, is a very elegant theory. Why? Because constantly spinning a rotor is a far more efficient use of energy than the wasteful, reciprocating motion of a piston accelerating from 0mph at the end of its travel up to around 40mph and then decelerating to 0mph at the other end of the cylinder, all in the space of a hundredth of a second. That’s the theory. In fact rotary engines have a reputation for being thirsty, dirty and difficult to maintain. Mazda claimed to have addressed these issues with the RENESIS engine found in the RX-8, the powerplant winning the 2003 Engine Of The Year award. As well as building on the traditional virtues of rotary engines, namely their smooth revving nature, their low weight and their flat, broad spread of torque, Mazda ironed out many of the bugbears. The efficiency of the engine was improved by a fundamental redesign of the way air and fuel are pulled into the combustion chamber and the way that exhaust gases are ported out. Cleanliness was improved as well, with unburnt hydrocarbons being recycled back into the chamber for another torching. As regards durability, Mazda worked hard to exorcise the demon of rotor tip wear using high tech materials and their engineers obviously had a clear understanding of the thermodynamics at work in the engine. The result was an engine that can rev to 9,000rpm without ever feeling strained. It settles to a hum at idle but then just zings straight up to the redline with turbine-like smoothness.

Although lower specification import models can be found from around £17,000, most customers prefer the additional trim, security features and rustproofing of a UK used car. These open at around £19,000 for a 189bhp car and £21,750 for a 228bhp model. Both cars have held onto their initial value extremely well, confounding many who thought that the RX-8 would be a disaster in terms of depreciation. A low up front price from new and reasonable insurance ratings have both helped to ensure that there’s a big pool of used cars from which to choose. The RX-8 is still so new and is built using new technology, so rotor tip wear has yet to rear its head. Many of the bugbears of the RX-7 have been well and truly addressed with the RX-8 but it has a few quirks of its own. One of them is an appalling thirst for oil. At first Mazda were recommending checking the oil every 1,00 miles but many owners have taken to having a gander at the inaccessibly located dipstick every time they fill their car up with fuel. You’ll probably be doing this a great deal as the RX-8 is still quite thirsty. Few owners average over 20mpg from their cars. Check the wheels for signs of kerbing and also take a look at the back end for signs of parking damage. The RX-8 isn’t fitted with a rear wiper and the high tail often renders delicate manoeuvres mere guesswork. There’s a lot to like about a used RX-8 but do make sure you know what you’re getting into. If you equate Mazda with low involvement, hassle-free motoring, the RX-8 may not suit your tastes. It’s a car that rewards keen drivers and diligent owners. Find one that’s been well looked after and put the effort in yourself and you’ll be amply rewarded.

(approx based on a 2004 RX-8 ex Vat) A rear exhaust box and tail pipe come to about £285, while front brake pads weigh in at around £85 a pair, with rears retailing at around £70.A new windscreen is £215 and a new starter motor will cost you around £320.

If anything, the 228bhp RX-8 feels a good deal livelier than its rest to 60mph showing of 6.0 seconds would suggest. The chassis offers the same sort of taut feel that made the last RX-7 such a favourite amongst those who appreciated a proper rear-wheel drive sports car. Although RX-7 diehards groaned with disappointment when they saw that their darling was being replaced by a car with four seats and a more upright profile, the result is a more rounded car in every sense of the word. Yes, the sensitivity of the steering and the feedback through the seat of your pants has been dialled back a few degrees, but the RX-8 still knows how to entertain in a way that’s proved beyond the ken of cars like the Audi TT and the Mercedes C-class Sports Coupe. Fuel consumption still isn’t what you’d describe as stellar, although it’s certainly a good deal less thirsty than the RX-7. Expect to average 25.6mpg in the 189bhp version and 24.3mpg for the 228bhp car. In reality, it will require a very disciplined right foot to return such figures over the course of an ownership spell as the RX-8 is one of those cars with an infectious nature that tempts you into frequent right boot to the bulkhead progress.

MAZDA RX7 (1992 – 1995)

Generally held to be the most beautiful car ever to hail from the Land Of The Rising Sun, the Mazda RX7 could delight and frustrate in equal measures. Here is a car that is stunning to look at, electrifying to drive, agreeably rare, relatively affordable to buy, yet is horrendously thirsty and fiendishly complex mechanically. As the final custodians of the rotary engine concept, the Mazda RX series had its highs and lows. This last RX to be sold here was Mazda’s way of going out with a bang. Unless you want similar pyrotechnics from your used RX7, pay close attention…

The formula for new car development goes something like this. Successive generations get bigger, heavier and more upmarket until somebody stands up and has the courage to tell the emperor that he’s up for an indecency charge. At Mazda that man was Takahura Kobayakawa, who demonstrated his disgust at the way Mazda’s 2nd generation RX7 had developed by lapping the Miyoshi test track quicker in a 14bhp kids go-kart. Mazda’s senior management finally saw the error of their ways and gave Kobayakawa license to work on the 3rd generation car, with a philosophy of light weight and keen handling. Smaller, lighter and more powerful than the outgoing generation, the 3rd generation Mazda RX7 first arrived in the UK in July 1992, priced at £33,999, within a hairs breadth of its chief rival, the Porsche 968. The Weissach company was about to spring a rude surprise on the boys from Hiroshima though, soon afterwards introducing the now almost legendary Porsche 968 Club Sport for just £28,975. In early 1993, Mazda’s response to weak UK sales was to slash £1,500 from the list price and boost the spec with the fitment of an airbag, but still sales were haemorrhaging. It was then that Mazda decided on an extraordinary course of action, knocking £6,500 off the list price. The £25,950 RX7 was something of a bargain, but any goodwill Mazda hoped to accrue was drowned beneath the howls of anguish from the owners who had thought that £1,500 off was a good deal. Resale values fell through the floor and Mazda ended up paying compensation to disgruntled owners who felt that Mazda had deliberately misled them over pricing. The price crept steadily back up to £35,950 at the time of the car’s withdrawal from sale due to increasingly stringent emission and noise regulations in 1995. Development of the RX7 continued apace in Japan, with the Type RS version still finding customers in 2002. The RX-8 replaced the much loved RX-7 range in early 2003. Were it not for Porsche’s 968 Club Sport, the Mazda RX7 would be remembered as the best handling sports coupe of its generation. Little since is able to touch it as a driver’s car. As an ownership proposition, the Mazda was uncompromising and high maintenance. Buoyed by the success of Johnny Herbert in a Mazda at Le Mans in 1991, the UK-spec RX7 was designed as a sports car with the emphasis on driving thrills, but many were sold purely on the strength of their looks. With concealed door handles long before the Alfa 156 ever hit the drawing board, voluptuous curves, that elegant sweep of the door line and a cab-back profile that emphasised bonnet without looking overtly ‘chestwig’, the RX7 was, and is, a dazzler. The bodywork appears to have melted over the car, its fluidity punctuated with scoops, dams and spoilers with just the right amount of aggression. Aftermarket ‘specials’ show just how right Mazda got it. The other key talking point was, of course, that rotary engine. Few customers either understood or trusted the Wankel unit, bearing as it did a reputation both for rotor tip wear and prodigious thirst. Mated to twin sequential turbochargers (as seen in the Porsche 959) the Mazda was a sophisticated piece of kit. This deterred many buyers who saw the big, honest four-cylinder engine of the Porsche 968 as something that would be less of a worry. By and large they were right. The interior of the RX7 fails to match the visual drama of the bodywork, but it nevertheless feels like a great place to drive quickly. The driver is faced by an old-school fascia with chrome bezels lifting the otherwise unremitting black theme. Other clues to the RX7’s sporting intent are the tiny gear lever, the drilled aluminium pedal set and the lightweight sports seats. Visibility is pretty good and this helps reduce the intimidation factor, making the RX7 a truly useable sports car.

UK-spec 237bhp used cars start at around £6,000, which will buy the first of the 1992 cars, in this instance sitting pretty on a K plate. Now that the used market for RX7s has matured, the crazy new pricing policies that Mazda pursued have been smoothed over. For an early 1993 model, expect to pay £8,000 or a smidgeon over £10,000 for an early 1994 car. The last of the 1995 cars, residing on M plates, will fetch around £12,000. Many import companies have recognised the RX7s growing reputation as a modern classic and are shipping in increasing numbers of Japanese specification RX7s, often in RS (most similar to our model) or racy RZ guise. These are both powered by a 276bhp version of the UK car’s 13B twin rotor engine, and you can expect to pay up to £25,000 for a nearly new example. Three words that will have Mazda RX7 owners quaking in their boots. Rotor tip wear. It comes to everyone who signs up at this particular rotary club, being caused by carbon build-ups lodging at the tip of the rotors themselves. Normal use will see rotors start to drop in compression and lose power at around 75,000 miles, necessitating an engine rebuild, itself in the region of £2,000. Check to see whether the work has been carried out if you’re considering a higher mileage example. Aftermarket parts stores also stock a wide range of auxiliary cooling and heat shielding equipment for the RX7 that tells you that it’s not a car that particular likes being run in hot weather. Although not too much of a problem in this country, should you run your RX7 hard in during a hot spell, keep an eye on that temperature gauge. You won’t want to lose all your water from the radiator or reservoir. If you’re buying an import RX7 check that the exhaust is legal. Standard Mazda items are fiendishly expensive for a complete system, boasting as they do two catalytic converters, so they are often replace with freer flowing aftermarket items. The other thing you may have to take into account is that some Mazda dealers will lock themselves in the service bay toilets should you turn up with an RX7, so find out in advance how far you’ll need to go to get your Rex serviced. If you’re a keen, knowledgeable driver who revels in nods of appreciation from like-minded souls, the RX7 could be just the ticket. Expensive to run but jaw-droppingly beautiful, the Mazda is not recommended for those who merely want a car to look good in. To cruise in an RX7 is to waste it. It’s best to try to find an honest UK model, use it as a second car, treat it to heaps of TLC and stretch its legs on a racetrack occasionally. If you know what you’re getting yourself in to, get into one.

(approx based on a 1994 RX7 ex Vat) A rear exhaust box and tail pipe come to about £250, although a full system with both catalysts amounts to an eye-watering £2,000. Front brake pads weigh in at around £100 a pair, with rears retailing at around £90. A new windscreen is £150 whilst a new starter motor will cost you around £315. A clutch won’t leave a great deal of change from £400. If this strikes you as expensive, the incredible moving fuel gauge needle will give you a whole new perspective.

So long as you can afford to keep pouring in the unleaded at a rate of around 15mpg, you’re going to have some serious fun with the RX7. A good used example should still feel lithe, taut and eager in a way that so many contemporary rivals seem to have forgotten. Performance is predictably punchy, the 237bhp rotary engine only having to shift 2888lbs plus you, making the RX7 some 285lbs lighter than a Honda NSX. Performance is impressive, the RX7 making 60mph in around 5.4 seconds before topping out at 156mph. The uncanny smoothness of the RX7’s engine is countered by the liveliness of its ride, and it never makes going quickly the strangely anaesthetised experience it is in, say, a Mitsubishi 3000GT. Handling is also designed to appeal to the hardcore enthusiast. With all that power going to the rear wheels the Mazda serves up huge entertainment for those who enjoy driving their cars at only vague approximations of straight ahead. Especially in the wet, a heavy right boot can lead to some quite outrageous tail-out antics. If you’re sensible, the first time you approach the handling limits, the nose will push wide benignly, and can be tucked in with a gentle lift of the throttle. It all feels like an MX-5 on steroids. The gearshift and brakes are both correspondingly excellent, and for those who like this sort of used car, the RX7 approaches ten out of ten status.