Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site scgvaxd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!qantel!hplabs!sdcrdcf!trwrb!scgvaxd!kvc From: kvc@scgvaxd.UUCP (Kevin Carosso) Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: 1986 RX-7 info Message-ID: <416@scgvaxd.UUCP> Date: Mon, 30-Sep-85 22:28:04 EDT Article-I.D.: scgvaxd.416 Posted: Mon Sep 30 22:28:04 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 7-Oct-85 03:26:51 EDT Distribution: net Organization: Hughes Aircraft Co., El Segundo, CA Lines: 127 Well, I finally got hold of a brochure on the '86 RX-7. In fact, I got the first one the dealership handed out, as I happened to be there when the package arrived. As I promised earlier, I'd supply whatever info on the car I could get, so here goes. I should state that I haven't seen the car in the flesh yet, they should be out very soon, however. I am second on the list to be notified when they arrive. If I have anymore info after driving one, I will follow up with that. Most people interested in the car know by now more or less what it looks like, so I won't go into that in much detail. It's hard to describe how a car looks anyway. Suffice it to say that it's kind of a blend of a 944 and an RX-7. I think it looks ok, though not nearly as nice as a real RX-7. Highlights of the car are (some relative to previous RX-7's): - 6-port fuel injected 13B rotary engine. This sounds like the same engine that the GSL-SE has, however it cranks out a little more power. 146 Hp at 6500 RPM and 138 ft-lb torque at 3500 RPM (the -SE is about 134 HP). The electronic fuel injection has a new computer monitoring system. Great to see they put this little beauty in the whole line. It really livened up the RX-7 GSL-SE! - Disk brakes all around. Previously, the RX-7 had drums in the rear on the cheaper models. - Heftier transmission to handle the extra power. - Some sort of whiz-bang new suspension system. The brochure really touts this. The key here is "dynamic tracking". The rear suspension "steers the rear wheels to provide controlled toe-out or toe-in -- whichever is most advantageous at any given stage of any given driving situation." It controls toe-in and toe-out depending on factors such as acceleration, braking, lateral G-force, etc. There is also a "camber control system" that supposedly helps maintain traction and control through bumpy corners. This sounds like it could be quite a neat feature, however I would like to see some reviews by reputable car mags on this. This is supposed to significantly increase the handling of the car over previous RX-7s. - The interior is not radically different. From the photos in the propaganda it looks like they did away with stalks on the steering column. When I took the RX-7 Club's performance driving class last year (highly recommended, by the way) it was really funny watching everyone spin out off the track and come to rest with the wipers madly wiping and the headlights popped up! When you're flailing around with the wheel, the stalks always seem to get in the way! The controls for these have been moved to the side of the instrument console. They look to be easily reachable. Also the knobs are shaped differently, so you can verify by feel that you got the correct control. Airflow through the interior is supposed to have been increased dramatically, improving things like defrosting. I hope so, since this is one of the problems with my '79 RX-7. With the windows up and the roof closed there isn't enough airflow. Instruments look nice, pretty much the same as my -SE looked. None of that digital nonsense. Some options changes: - The sunroof is quite different. It now electrically slides back over the roof of the car, similar to the sunroof I've seen on the CRX. Looks a little odd, though not nearly as odd as a CRX with the sunroof back. On the one hand, this does do away with the hassle of removing the roof, but I think a removable sunroof leaves a bigger hole -- so more sun. - You can get a back seat now. Looks far too small to be useful, but it may do for children and groceries. - 4-speed automatic (I think previous ones were 3-speed). - Standard low-end now has 14" wheels with 185/70HR14 tires. Optional 15" wheels with 205/60VR15. - If the picture is anything to go by, avoid the Mazda louvres. Ugh-ly!!!!! There are currently 4 models of the car. The basic RX-7, a "sport" package, a "luxury" package, and the high-end GXL model. The sport package provides the 15" wheels, some spoilers (yuck, I hate spoilers) to bring the drag coefficent to 0.29 from 0.31, more options (like sunroof), and the "sport tuned suspension". All the cars have the fancy dynamic tracking and other goodies, so I assume they merely adjust some parameters somewhere to "tune" the suspension. The "luxury" package has more to the stereo, tinted windshield, standard sunroof, electric mirrors, and optional back seat and automatic. The GXL is like the "luxury" package, but has even more stereo, power windows, etc. (much like a GSL in older model years). It also has an automatic adjusting suspension. It lets you choose between normal and "sport" suspension parameters and controls the shocks in real-time to supplement the standard dynamic tracking. Could be neat, could be useless. Also you get limited slip differential. (Why can't they put this in the lower models? It's one of the few things I've really wanted that makes me even think about shelling out the bucks for a top-of-the-line car... In previous RX-7 years the same was true of disk brakes) Sometime early next year there is supposed to be a turbo-charger option for the GXL. As far as price goes, the dealers aren't saying. Expect something like $1000 above what '85 RX-7 prices were for comparable models. The brochure uses $12,000 when talking about a basic model. Expect a big markup at the dealers until the novelty wears off. All-in-all, my impression is definitely favorable. I like everything about the car, though the body-styling is mundane. It looks much like everything else on the road these days. I must assume that this is due to aerodynamics. As car stylists concentrate on reducing aerodynamic drag they are converging on a shape. It does not look bad, just not quite an RX-7. The other improvements are more than ample to keep my interest in the RX-7. I am still hunting for a GSL-SE to replace my stolen one, but they are not easy to find in the form I want. Once I drive an '86 I may have a different opinion of the car. I have noticed that my impression of the styling is improving as time goes by. When I first opened the brochure I said "yuck", that's not a -7! I guess it sorta grows on you. /Kevin Carosso {allegra|ihnp4|seismo}!scgvaxd!engvax!kvc Hughes Aircraft Co. ps. The stupid third brakelight is mounted just under the latch for the rear hatch in the center of the car. The hatchback keyhole is just under the light. It lives as high as it can get without being in the car shining through the glass or on the roof. Looks tacky, but less obnoxious than most other third-eye brakelights. Maybe this is why they had to redesign the whole car?? :-) pps. Does anyone know if "Road and Track" or "Car and Driver" or any other mags will be reviewing this car in the near future?