80-year-old Japanese woman daily drove her RX-7 for 25 years and then gave it back to Mazda when she stopped driving
Published on Sep 26, 2026 at 5:41 AM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Sep 26, 2026 at 5:41 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Some cars are bought, driven for a few years and eventually traded in for something newer, but for Naoko Nishimoto, her Mazda RX-7 became a 25-year companion that she simply wasn’t ready to part with.
The Japanese driver bought the sports car when she was 55 after watching the anime Initial D with her son.
She immediately fell for the car and headed to her local Mazda dealership to buy one of her own.
And she ended up keeping it for the next quarter of a century.
She put 48,000 miles on her RX-7
Naoko Nishimoto had learned to drive in 1965, at a time when it was still relatively unusual for women to drive cars in Japan.
After buying her Mazda RX-7, she used it as a daily driver for the next 25 years, eventually putting around 48,000 miles on the odometer.
She also took great care of the car, regularly applying wax coatings to keep its bodywork looking its best.
But there was eventually a problem that even the best-maintained car couldn’t solve.
When Nishimoto turned 80, she decided to voluntarily give up her driver’s license, meaning her beloved RX-7 would no longer have a driver.
Rather than leave it sitting unused, she wanted the car to go to someone who would appreciate it as much as she did.
That’s when the company itself stepped in.
Mazda took its RX-7 back
The automaker eventually took ownership of Nishimoto’s RX-7 and promised to give the 25-year-old car a full restoration.
For Nishimoto, handing over the keys was understandably bittersweet.
“This car is my friend. A friend who was always there for me,” she told Mazda.
“I’m saying farewell to a dear friend. But that’s okay. Because thanks to this old friend, I’ve made many more new friends.”
The RX-7 wasn’t simply going to disappear into a private collection, either.
Mazda planned to use the restored car as a publicity vehicle, allowing Nishimoto’s story and her love of driving to reach a new generation of enthusiasts.
And Nishimoto seemed pretty happy with the car’s new chapter.
“I’m a little jealous,” she joked. “My RX-7 gets to become young and beautiful again – how wonderful is that!”
After 25 years of daily driving, it seems the RX-7 wasn’t quite ready for retirement after all.
Daisy is a technology and automotive journalist covering artificial intelligence, consumer tech, Apple news, cryptocurrency, emerging technologies, and transportation innovation. Since joining the team in 2025, she has reported on everything from AI-powered startups and major iOS updates to viral car stories and the latest developments shaping transportation and the digital economy. Drawing on her background in automotive journalism and a degree in History and Journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London, Daisy specializes in breaking down complex topics into clear, engaging reporting for a global audience. Her work spans cutting-edge technology, innovative vehicles, and the people driving change across both industries. Daisy has gained first-hand access to some of the world's most talked-about technologies and innovators, including meeting Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot during its first European appearance in London. She has also discussed the future of space exploration with an astronaut, bringing unique insights and real-world perspectives to her coverage of emerging technology.
