1980 Mazda Rx-7 1st Gen Rotary Engine 5 Speed Rx7 No Reserve! on 2040-cars

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Junkyard Gem: 1981 Mazda RX-7

The first-generation Mazda RX-7 was sold for the 1978 through 1985 model years, and for decades you'd see and hear these nimble little sports cars buzzing around American streets. Then, well, the apex seals went out, or owners tired of a 2,400-pound car that drank fuel like an Eldorado, or the floor pans were eaten by the Rust Monster... and then nearly all of them were gone. Enough of them remain, however, for a steady trickle to show up with depressing regularity in self-service wrecking yards. Here's a pretty solid '81 that I found in a Denver yard last month. The 12A Wankel engine in this car made 100 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque, which was very good for 1981 (considering that you could buy a new Camaro with a 115-horsepower V8 that year). The $9,385 RX-7 looked like an especially good value when compared to, say, the $11,299 Datsun 280ZX or the $8,997 Fiat 124 Sport Spider, being much lighter on its feet than the former and much quicker than the latter. View 12 Photos If you have ever considered getting one of these cars, move fast before all the restorable ones are gone! Auto News Mazda Automotive History mazda rx-7

2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata may be getting 181 hp

Even though the current 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata makes only 155 horsepower, our experience has shown that it's more than enough fun with its modest output. Still, if Mazda were to offer more, we wouldn't turn it down, and it appears that's exactly what will happen for the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Road & Track dug up a VIN filing from Mazda to NHTSA with information about the Miata for that model year. On one of the pages, it states that the 2019 Miata will have a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 181 net brake horsepower. That's a pretty big jump from 155 horsepower, nearly matching the larger 2.5-liter engine in the Mazda3 and Mazda6. It's also close in power to the estimates for the Skyactiv-X spark-controlled compression-ignition engine. But, based on what a journalist on Twitter posted, the 2019 Miata will continue to use a version of the existing spark-ignition Skyactiv-G engine. Apparently it will have a new cylinder head, be able to rev higher, and make more horsepower, though he didn't say how much more. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. We've reached out to Mazda for comment on this discovery, and, like with most car companies, wouldn't give comment since the topic regards a future product. If it does turn out that Mazda won't up the horsepower for 2019, the good news is that the aftermarket has speed demons covered. Flyin' Miata offers a package that includes camshafts, exhaust and a tune that will bring it up to about 200 hp. There's a supercharger kit from Edelbrock that will provide similar power, but without the need for digging into the engine. Flyin' Miata also offers a turbocharger kit that can bring the Miata up to nearly 250 hp, and if you're really speed-crazed, the company can swap in a Chevy LS V8 with more than 500 hp. Or, you know, you could just be happy with 155. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club View 32 Photos News Source: Road & Track, Twitter Mazda Convertible Coupe Performance

Junkyard Gem: 1991 Mercury Capri

Ford has gotten a lot of use out of the Capri name in the United States. First, there was the Lincoln Capri in the 1950s, followed by the Ford Capri Mk1 (which was sold by Mercury dealers in the USA but never actually badged as a Mercury). Then came the 1979-1986 Mercury Capri, built on the very successful Fox Platform and essentially a clone of the Mustang. Finally, in 1991, the Australian Ford Capri came to the United States. Here is an example of this rare car that I spotted in a Northern California self-service yard not long ago. Mechanically speaking, the 1991-1994 Capri was a Mazda 323 under the skin, complete with a member of the same B-series engine family that went into such cars as the Miata and Ford Escort. So, for a few years in the early 1990s, car shoppers who wanted a sporty Mazda convertible could choose between a Miata and a Capri. The Capri had front-wheel-drive, but could be had with factory turbocharging. These cars were reliable and fun, but had a tough time competing with the Miata in the showroom battles. You'll see the occasional example now and then, but most of the 1991-1994 Capris have met the same fate that awaits this one. Related Video: