Mazda RX-7 – PPG Pace Car
Now painted orange, the RX-7 is part of Mazda’s Heritage Collection.
History
There’s not a lot of info on this one, but the car was repainted at some point from the purple/red/orange/yellow gradient to a metallic orange.
Specifications
The RX-7 also received OZ Racing 3-piece wheels to replace the painted cast wheels in the earlier side photo. Unlike most PPG Pace Cars, this one has a manual transmission. In a TFL Car video of the Mazda Heritage Collection, they said the engine made 350 HP.
Current Status
The RX-7 is part of Mazda’s Heritage Collection, located in Irvine, CA.
Thanks to TFL Cars for sharing
From the old http://www.cart.com website:
Mazda RX-7 – this addition to the pace car fleet sports PPG’s Mandarin Orange paint and features a potent 270 hp sequential, twin-turbocharged, intercooled two-rotor engine.
I’m pretty sure this was the car at McLaren engineering in the 90s
I used to sit in all the time When I was just a kid.
I wanted this car so bad. Surprise, I didn’t get it.
My son is now 13 and he was showing me what kind of car he wants. He show me a Mazda like this one.
I had to look to see if I could find This one I remember wanting it so bad. It’s so funny that he wants the first car I ever wanted too.
My Dad is Joe Bunetto He worked At mclaren for many years. Probably on that car. Thought I would share What I know about the cars past.
I’m sure you are right, as McLaren had a hand in many of the PPG Pace Cars in the 80’s and 90’s. Awesome that you got to see it in person!