Digestible Collectible: 1989 Mazda RX7 GTUs

by Chris Tonn

Published: November 4th, 2015

digestible collectible 1989 mazda rx7 gtus

Mazda just can’t quit the rotary. Magical spinning Doritos are such a significant part of their DNA that, in spite of overwhelming evidence against the Wankel existence thanks to its appetite for fuel, oil, and apex seals, they keep a team of engineers developing it.

In theory, the rotary is the perfect engine for a sportscar. Lightweight, rev-happy, and reasonably powerful — exactly the attributes needed for a lithe corner carver. Back in the late ’80s, just as another enthusiast-focused Mazda was coming on the scene, a special edition RX7 was released. Rather than tape stripes and excess frills, this one came stripped of excess weight, and loaded with performance goodies.

The 1989 Mazda RX7 GTUs helped commemorate the dominance of the RX7 in IMSA’s GTU series. Basically, the car was a base model, naturally-aspirated RX7, with big front brakes from the Turbo, and a numerically-higher rear end ratio on a limited-slip differential. A little lighter, but a good bit quicker than the regular car. Around 1,100 were built over two years.

This one has been lightly modified and fitted with a rebuilt engine that has been street-ported for probably around 50 more horsepower than stock. The odometer has around thirty-five thousand miles showing, which can mean death for a Wankel, as seals will dry out if the car isn’t driven regularly. The recent rebuild should have taken care of that. I’m not much for the stereo upgrades, as they add unnecessary weight, but I’d imagine a built-up rotary and the short rear end mean highway cruising is a bit loud.

At $12,500, it might be a bit much for a modified limited-edition car, but there are so few of these that it the price may be right. As it turns out, I’ll be in Cincinnati this weekend. I may need to check this out.

#1989MazdaRX7GTUs #Mazda #Rotary #Rx7 #ZoomZoom

Chris Tonn

Some enthusiasts say they were born with gasoline in their veins. Chris Tonn, on the other hand, had rust flakes in his eyes nearly since birth. Living in salty Ohio and being hopelessly addicted to vintage British and Japanese steel will do that to you. His work has appeared in eBay Motors, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars, Reader's Digest, AutoGuide, Family Handyman, and Jalopnik. He is a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association, and he's currently looking for the safety glasses he just set down somewhere.

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Ricky Spanish on Nov 04, 2015

I've been trying to find one of these for years, in STOCK condition. Price is insane and it's been molested AND left to sit.

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Craiger on Nov 04, 2015

I've always found the C4 to be simple and honest, with a little bit of 80s nostalgia. Can anyone comment on the wisdom of picking one up today as a DD?

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Recent Comments

ChristianWimmer I have a 2018 Mercedes A250 with almost 80,000 km on the clock and a vintage ‘89 Mercedes 500SL R129 with almost 300,000 km.The A250 has had zero issues but the yearly servicing costs are typically expensive from this brand - as expected. Basic yearly service costs around 400 Euros whereas a more comprehensive servicing with new brake pads, spark plugs plus TÜV etc. is in the 1000+ Euro region.The 500SL servicing costs were expensive when it was serviced at a Benz dealer, but they won’t touch this classic anymore. I have it serviced by a mechanic from another Benz dealership who also owns an R129 300SL-24 and he’ll do basic maintenance on it for a mere 150 Euros. I only drive the 500SL about 2000 km a year so running costs are low although the fuel costs are insane here. The 500SL has had two previous owners with full service history. It’s been a reliable car according to the records. The roof folding mechanism needs so adjusting and oiling from time to time but that’s normal.
Theflyersfan I wonder how many people recalled these after watching EuroCrash. There's someone one street over that has a similar yellow one of these, and you can tell he loves that car. It was just a tough sell - too expensive, way too heavy, zero passenger space, limited cargo bed, but for a chunk of the population, looked awesome. This was always meant to be a one and done car. Hopefully some are still running 20 years from now so we have a "remember when?" moment with them.
Lorenzo A friend bought one of these new. Six months later he traded it in for a Chrysler PT Cruiser. He already had a 1998 Corvette, so I thought he just wanted more passenger space. It turned out someone broke into the SSR and stole $1500 of tools, without even breaking the lock. He figured nobody breaks into a PT Cruiser, but he had a custom trunk lock installed.
Jeff Not bad just oil changes and tire rotations. Most of the recalls on my Maverick have been fixed with programming. Did have to buy 1 new tire for my Maverick got a nail in the sidewall.
Carson D Some of my friends used to drive Tacomas. They bought them new about fifteen years ago, and they kept them for at least a decade. While it is true that they replaced their Tacomas with full-sized pickups that cost a fair amount of money, I don't think they'd have been Tacoma buyers in 2008 if a well-equipped 4x4 Tacoma cost the equivalent of $65K today. Call it a theory.