A Fast and Furious Mazda RX-7 that featured in two of the movies is up for sale at Mecum auctions this week, with an estimated price tag of $175,000 – $250,000.
If you’re a fan or collector of legitimate movie cars, then the past month will have been a rather intriguing one for you. It’s not that long ago that we sat here drooling at our desks over a genuine R34 Skyline from the fourth F&F film that recently went under the hammer. That Paul Walker-driven Bayside Blue beauty fetched an eye-watering price of $1.35 million, but for collectors whose pockets aren’t quite *that* deep, there’s now another chance to take home a piece of tuner car history.
Don’t get us wrong, the $175,000 – $250,000 estimate provided by Mecum Auctions is hardly cheap, but when you stack that up against the figures associated with Brian’s Skyline, this RX-7 is a comparative bargain!
Featured in Two Films
In case you’re not up to speed with the Fast and Furious franchise, we should probably tell you a little bit about what this car’s history involves. Although it is currently sporting its distinctive ‘Orange Julius’ livery from the second film, this chassis first hit our screens in the original unexpected blockbuster. In that first movie, it played the role of Dom Toretto’s NOS-equipped money-maker, taking on the likes of Brian’s Eclipse, RJ de Vera’s Civic, and Ja Rule’s Integra during the franchise’s first ever street racing scene.
However, after Toretto moved on to a life of infinitely respawning Dodge Chargers, the folks behind the scenes decided to repurpose his discarded RX-7. As such, it reappears with a heavily revised look at the beginning of the sequel, this time playing the role of the car driven by sexist street racer, Orange Julius. Happily, he gets his ass handed to him by Suki in her bright pink Honda S2000, and after a brief reappearance during the famous getaway scramble scene, this RX-7’s acting career would come to a close.
Tech & Specs
So, now that you know its fictional backstory, let’s take a look at what this car is in reality. The first thing to note is that despite its image as a highly modified racer, this FD RX-7 is actually running a stock 13B twin-turbo rotary power unit, meaning it kicks out around 255hp. Quick, for sure, but definitely not a “ten-second car”.
The 5-speed manual transmission is stock too, but one thing that definitely isn’t factory-spec is the flamethrower exhaust. As with most of the stunt cars used in the Fast and Furious franchise, the majority of mods on this RX-7’s spec sheet are cosmetic only. The exterior aesthetics comprise a Versus body kit and J-Spec hood, while the rims are 18-inch Ro_Ja five-spokes. On the inside, you’ll find a pair of Sparco seats and custom upholstery from House of Kolor.
All in all, its post-movie owners have spent roughly $40,000 on this car’s upkeep, including work to the engine, transmission, and wiring.
If you want to follow the bidding – or get involved yourself – this Fast and Furious Mazda RX-7 is due for sale imminently at Mecum Auction’s 36th Original Spring Classic event in Indianapolis, USA. And, as an added bonus, the car comes with documents certifying its Hollywood status and a full character outfit worn by Amaury Nolasco – the actor who played Orange Julius. We’re not sure if that’s cool or a bit creepy…
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