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Cheap Twin-Turbo 1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R Will Drive Its JDM Fans a Bit Plum Crazy

Three generations, sold between 1978 and 2002 (across both LHD and RHD markets), a quirky rotary engine powertrain, and a whole lot of love and hate from enthusiasts and detractors alike.
1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM 25 photos
Photo: Garage Kept Motors
1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM1994 Mazda RX-7 Type R for sale by GKM
That would be the gist behind the turbocharged, rotary-powered Mazda RX-7. And it is one of those marvelous ‘love or hate it’ moments when you know something will never depart the popular culture pantheon of glory, no matter what. Well, here is an example of the latter variety.

As with any project that gained a cult following among owners, everyone has a favorite. Alas, the third (FD3S) iteration has emerged as a clear victor among the many Mazda RX-7 fans. Naturally, that is the perfect opportunity to make a profit if you are a greedy dealership. Not that we are saying that Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Garage Kept Motors is the type, even if some of their models in the inventory can easily top the $100k quotation.

Anyway, now they have a rather cheap apparition, that even though it sports Mazda’s luxury Efini branding, and has had a few updates over the years, still looks and feels a bit dated, even for GKM, who are no strangers to vintage yet quirky apparitions. So, the front and rear lights are among the better upgrades, along with the custom exhaust system. But the blue-accented black wheels and the repaint in Violet Pearl are not among the best choices made by the prior owners.

As such, these custom touches might make the JDM-loving crowd go a little Plum Crazy on this Mazda RX-7 unit, even though the rest of the Type R (which was the lightweight sports model for Series 6 variants) goodies are… well, not that bad. Those include the JDM import story, the 1.3-liter twin-turbo rotary mill, five-speed manual transmission (with a shifter that has seen better days), and lower-than-average odometer reading of 26k kilometers – aka 16k miles.

Oh, and let us not forget the asking price of $44,900, which makes this a (rather) affordable RX-7...

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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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