Mazda RX-7 vs Toyota Supra A80: JDM rivals compared

The Mazda RX-7 and the Toyota Supra share a surprising timeline. Both nameplates appeared in 1978, the Supra as a longer, six-cylinder Celica Supra built after North American dealers asked for a rival to the Datsun 280Z, and both ended Japanese production in 2002. Their best-known meeting came in the 1990s, between the third-generation FD RX-7 and the fourth-generation A80 Supra.

Mazda built the RX-7 in three generations, more than 800,000 cars in all. The SA22C and FB ran from 1978 to 1985 (471,018 cars), the FC from 1985 to 1992 (272,027) and the FD from late 1991 to 2002 (68,589). The A80 Supra was made from April 1993 to August 2002. The Supra name returned in 2019 with the A90, developed together with BMW and sharing its platform with the Z4; the RX-7 was followed by the four-door RX-8.

Mazda RX-7 vs Toyota Supra: key differences

Rotary against straight-six

Every RX-7 uses a Wankel rotary engine. The FD's 13B-REW is a 1,308 cc twin-rotor unit with sequential twin turbochargers. It launched in Japan with 188 kW (255 PS) in 1992 and, in the final Type RS, reached 206 kW (280 PS) and 314 Nm. Toyota's A80 used a 2,997 cc inline-six. The naturally aspirated 2JZ-GE gave 165 kW (225 PS) in Japan. The 2JZ-GTE also used sequential twin turbos, with the second turbocharger joining at 4,000 rpm. Toyota rated it at 206 kW (280 PS) and 431 Nm in Japan. North American cars had 239 kW (324 PS) and 427 Nm, European ones 243 kW (330 PS) and 441 Nm.

Weight and gearboxes

The FD is the much lighter car. Japanese versions weigh between 1,220 kg (A-Spec) and 1,340 kg depending on trim, with the late Type RS at 1,280 kg. A manual Supra Turbo weighs 1,565 kg, nearly 300 kg more than an FD Type RS. The Mazda therefore carries 6.2 kg per kW, against 6.5 kg for a North American Supra Turbo. Turbo Supras have a six-speed manual developed with Getrag, the V160, or a four-speed automatic; the naturally aspirated car used a five-speed manual.

Markets and availability

Both cars left the United States early: the FD RX-7 was sold there only from 1993 to 1995, and US Supra sales ended in 1998, so most later cars are Japanese-market imports. In Japan the Supra was limited to 180 km/h; in other markets it was limited to 250 km/h. The last RX-7 special edition, the 2002 Spirit R, was limited to about 1,500 cars.