Barn find Mazda washed for first time in 23 years and somehow looks better than factory fresh
- This Mazda RX-7 was abandoned in a garage over 20 years ago
- The car looked terrible, but only because it was dirty
- After cleaning it up, it looks as good as new
Published on Jul 10, 2024 at 7:26 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jul 11, 2024 at 12:30 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
This Mazda RX-7 was recently discovered in a barn after being neglected for over 20 years.
It’s such a shame to see such iconic and sought-after cars in this condition.
But the thing is, the car was not broken or anything – it was just (extremely) dirty.
After cleaning it up, it looks like it came straight from a showroom.
The car was discovered by WD Detailing, a YouTube channel that posts videos about cars being cleaned and detailed.
The car looked horrid, but this is just because it was incredibly dirty.
What really happened to this Mazda RX-7
The owner apparently bought it brand new from the dealership and drove it for about 8,800 miles.
After that, at some point in 1999, the car was seemingly abandoned in a garage and never seen again until now.
When WD Detailing decided to clean the car, they discovered a lot of junk, dirt, and unexpected ‘things’.
Upon inspection, they found dead mice and, curiously, ammunition inside the glovebox.
Fortunately, they also found the car’s documentation in there as well.
An underrated collector’s car
The RX-7 is one of those underrated icons that gearheads absolutely love, chiefly due to the unique rotary engine.
The RX-7 is powered by a 275-hp rotary engine that can rev up to 10,000 rpm.
Back when it was new, this car was capable of reaching a top speed of almost 249km/h (155 mph).
And it only takes about five seconds to get to 60 mph from standstill.
The problem with this engine is that it is incredibly unreliable.
This probably explains why Mazda hasn’t introduced a rotary-powered car since the RX-8 in the early 2000s, despite teasing a variety of concepts for an upcoming replacement which – for now at least – doesn’t seem to be happening.
The good news – if we wanted to look at the silver lining here – is that Mazda is still using its rotary technology, technically, but only as a range extender for one of its EV.
Not exactly the same thing, is it?
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