Remembering Japanese cars from the past

Tag: mazda rx7 fc

Friday Video: The very first Best Motoring video!

Back in December 1987 the very first issue of Best Motoring video became available. The video was a monthly magazine containing not only car news and reviews but also extensive how-to’s on subjects of mastering cornering or drifting. KaKo posted this video in four separate parts:
Best Motoring first video: Mitsubishi HSR Concept
The first video covers the Nissan MID-4 II, Toyota FXV-Ⅱ and Mitsubishi HSR concept cars. Followed by a short video (in sepia) about the Tokyo Motor Show from the 50s till 80s including the 27th motorshow that just happened days before the release of the video. And last part of the first video covers an extensive test between various cars including the new (second generation) CR-X Si and the Nissan Skyline GTS-X R31.

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Video: The very first Best Motoring Hot Version

Last week I discovered Ka Ko (via Rocketpencil) who posts Best Motoring videos on an almost daily basis! 🙂
One of the gems he posted last week is the very first edition of Best Motoring Hot Version:
Video Best Motoring Hot Version first volume
As you can see there is a thrilling battle in this episode: the infamous Keiichi Tsuchiya battles with an (almost stock) Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 the (back then) brand new Toyota Corolla Levin GT Apex AE101 featuring the new 20 valve Silvertop 4AGE. The battle is very very close even though the AE101 has a lot more power under the bonnet!

What else can you expect from Best Motoring Hot Version Volume 1?
– Toyota Levin GT Apex AE101 vs Toyota Trueno GT-Z AE101 vs Honda Civic EF
– Toyota Levin GT Apex AE101 (superstrut) vs Toyota Levin GT Apex AE101 (non-superstrut)
– Toyota Levin GT Apex AE101 (superstrut) vs Toyota Levin AE86
– RX7 Drift vs Grip
– Group A Nissan Skyline GT-R cup with Keiichi Tsuchiya drifting his Taisan GT-R R32 on a wet Fuji Speedway!

Watch the full video below:
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Hilarious: Robocop + Knight Rider = Jiban

What were the great sci-fi icons during the
80s? I can come up with Knight Rider and Robocop! Toei must have thought the same, so why not create a tokusatsu TV series around a cyborg human and a Pontiac Trans Am? So behold Mobile Sheriff Jiban:

Just like in Robocop a cop gets killed and is brought back to life. The little girl giving him all the shiney stuff is his little sister who is the only person who really knows who he is. One little problem: she wears a Bomb Ring which will detonate if he comes too close, so he can’t approach her anymore…

Apparently someone without car knowledge translated the Japanese wikipedia page to the English page and thinks the car is a Mazda RX7 (FC-2S). If you search on Jiban in English all results will state the same. It doesn’t take much to recognize it as a Pontiac Trans Am instead.

If you read the Japanese wikipedia page it is clearly described as a left hand drive third generation Trans Am. I know, I know: never trust Wikipedia… 😉

Rare Bosozoku cars: Mazda RX7 FC

This week we have another unpopular Bosozoku styled car: I initially planned to do a popular bosozoky styled car with the Celica XX but then I realized I already did the Corona RT40 last week, so the Celica XX feature will have to wait a few weeks I guess.

Anyway, I did see a lot of RX7 SA/FB Bosozoku styled cars but that is quite natural since the SA/FB raced in the Super Silhouette races. However I only found one Bosozoku styled RX7 FC:
Bosozoku styled Mazda RX7 FC
Bosozoku styled Mazda RX7 FC

You could consider this FC a bit of a mix between racing style and Kyusha style, but the huge lip and oil cooler in front makes it Bosozoku styled!
Bosozoku styled Mazda RX7 FC
Bosozoku styled Mazda RX7 FC

I have no idea why the RX7 FC would be an unpopular Bosozoku car: it is Mazda, it is rotary and it looks like a Porsche 928/944… Maybe it is too modern?

Factory stock Mazda RX7 FC
Factory stock Mazda RX7 FC

Back in 1986 the FC replaced the SA/FB and was produced till 1992 when it was replaced by the FD. The SA/FB was a more popular than the FC: the FC only sold half of the SA/FB in numbers.

But the FC was actually a better car than the SA/FC: it was very modern, had a better engine, featured ABS, adjustable suspension and even featured a convertible!

Factory stock Mazda RX7 FC
Factory stock Mazda RX7 FC

The FC only featured the 13B engine which was available naturally aspired and turbocharged. The power ranged from 146hp to 200hp.

Ryosuke Takahashi and his white FC
Ryosuke Takahashi and his white FC

Lately the FC became very popular after Initial D featured a white FC driven by Ryosuke Takahashi. He is one of the most charismatic persons in that series and his FC is styled very subtile so it is actually the opposite of the Bosozoku styled FC at the top of this article. 😉

[I posted this article earlier today on Bosozokustyle.com]

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