A like a little while back showed a link to page that explained the history of the first gen rx-7. Some where in the midst of all the technical upgrades, a small comment was made about the RX-01 concept. After doing a small...very small...amount of research, this is what i came up with.

*im sorry but this car was very distasteful and im glad that it didnt replace the rx7.




Engine
Engine Configuration R
Cylinders 2
Aspiration/Induction Normal
Displacement 79.00 CU IN. | 1294.8 cc. | 1.3 L.
Horsepower 220.00 BHP (161.9 KW) @ 8500.00 RPM
Torque 159.00 Ft-Lbs (215.6 NM) @ 6000.00 RPM

Im sure that this has been posted before but what did they do with that little power house of a 1.3 liter. Im guessing it was fuel injected, something to the equivalent to the renesis engine?

 

Not really a 1st gen thing, but it was the Renesis engine.

 

Looks like a bad photoshop of a 1st gen eclipse, Rx-8, and an NSX....
With a picture like that it might as well say 500 HP and 400 Ft-Lbs of torque.
Sounds to me like a very poorly put together joke....

 

it wasnt a joke, It was actually made to replace the mazda when they saw that rx7 was dwindling in the later years.

 

but..it failed

 

Wow, that thing actually doesnt look to bad, When I looked on the conceptcarz website all I could find was that one picture and it definately doesnt look half as nice as those... Hmm.. I guess it was just another failed concept.
(Edit: I was beaten to the failed part..lol)

 

I give it one thing, it does have that whole hood tunnel thing...interesting.
The tail lights leave a little something to be desired though.
Yet the interior makes up for the lack of styling in the rear end of the car with some amazing colours and smooth lines.

 

anyone care to decifer the wording on the mag?

 

Marketing with the question "what is the esence of sports driving"
Mazda powered development of the rx-01 to ******* the answer: "The sensation of total control* Direct response has been achieved by the central midship and rear wheel drive layhout. Yaw inertia movement has been minimized and the front rear weight distributation is now idea. With the lightweight yet rigid compact body, this package ******shart and linear handling. The package innovation was enabled by employment of the newly developed multi sideport rotary engine. which **** high power and torque while being further *** **** from its already compact predecessor. With the compact engine moved behind the front axle the rx01 **** became short and **** reducing air resistance while the aerodynamic wing and the rear floor and underbody wings exert greater down force. ****** sports car styling with superb ***** performance and high ******. The rx01, the ultimate in control, the true sports car of your dreams.

 

If you can imagine the car with a single color instead of the red/black it looks a lot like the FD.

Not really bad.

 

I do believe that it was modelled after the last gen rx7, the concept was made in 96' so that wouldnt have been too much after the rx7 craze. Im not sure when the last year for the rx7 really was but i know that companies were still making special editions of the rx7 in 96. Arent we all still awaiting the return of the rx7?.

Veilside rx7 1996

 

the rx-01 is, and always will be my favorite of the rx series.

 

I love, love, love the RX-01. Light as a Miata, powered by the first side-port 13B and that beautiful hood spoiler make it a superb looking and driving car. It makes me more than a little sad that we never got the RX-01 in production. It would have meant a return to the roots of the RX-7: namely a fairly inexpensive sports coupe that was lightweight and tossable.

 

buy it on ebay...j/p

 

only flaw being that ghetto-booty on the car. I would have so much preferred that to the RX-8. hell, if they did make it, I'd be driving that instead of my FB. just maybe.

They should keep the Mazda 6 as the sport sedan, leave rotaries to light weight sports cars.

 

Let's not get het-up. the RX-01 was just a rolling concept car to keep the design team happy while the company worked out which way it was going after several years of financial loss. In the cut back the M2-1020 was cancelled along with part of the performance/special projects division. There was no intention to go into production, with a dry sump engine and high spec alloys it would Ferrari level prices.

The engine was one of the first prototypes of the Renesis engine. The engine was further developed into the form that went into the RX-EVOLV with the aim of getting reasonable power with good fuel consumption. Power went up from 220 to 250hp in this next pre-production run. The 13BTT being produced at the same time for the RX-7 was more powerful at 280hp but was unreliable and thirsty. There were problems of getting the engine pass US emission standards so when the engine went into production for the RX-8 the US received a detuned version.

The original RX-7 concept will never be reintroduced. As far as mazda is concerned the market is covered by the Miata. For a sports sedan, the 4wd version of the 6 is great, but for a moderate hot hatch the SP23 would get my vote until the Golf R replacement comes out.