Australia is the birthplace of the SP FD3s RX-7. Conceived for homologation in Australian 12 hour production car racing at the prestigious Bathurst circuit in Australia, they took two consecutive victories and secured a legendary status.
The road version has most of the circuit spec gear. Including huge brakes for trouble free repeated stopping downhill from around 270kph, 110 liter carbon fuel cell for endurance and a lightweight body kit that aided downforce and ducting for reduced temps.
Peter's FD is an amazing example of the SP. With his business Rice Racing in Australia(
http://www.riceracing.com.au/ ) involved in rotary tuning. This demo car is one that remains remarkably standard. Apart from an Apexi PFC with datalogit and Tein Super Street dampers, its all stock. Why? The original package is so good.
Pete says "I have had the car for 3 years (I am the second owner). I bought it of a doctor who got it as a 50th B'day present for his wife, she sold it when she was 60! and could not get in and out of it easily anymore" It's a nice present. Who would want to get out of these seats anyway?
Some fast facts about the "RICESP".
The car weighs 1247kg and with Pete's tune it pumps out 318rwhp on the DD dyno on 0.95kg boost. Performance figures are impressive as recorded at elevation.
0-100kph 5.004 sec, sea level 0m 4.88 sec
0-200kph 14.286 sec, sea level 0m 13.94
0-400m 12.418 sec @ 118mph, sea level 0m 12.12 sec @ 121mph
TOP SPEED 300+kph est
Inside, there are the SP-G Kevlar Recaro seats that are found on the Japanese spec RZs. The recaro's and the Momo steering wheel look aftermarket, but once again are standard equipment and weigh almost nothing. -- maybe 4 kgs at best.
Underbonnet the standard carbon fibre intake and increased size intercooler with carbon fibre ducting works well and handles Pete's increased tuning levels without a problem.
SP is all about performance. 17" BBS rims were standard in 1993! Bonnet vas vented for underbonnet temps and front bar had an extended splitter for reduced drag and increased downforce.
The SP rear wing actually works unlike many shopping trolley wings. It's mounted high in the airstream and has a gurney flap on the trailing edge for better air flow.
With all these mods installed at the showroom and only 35 built, the price of an SP actually cracked $110,000AUD. Not hard to imagine as the stocker was around 90K!!
Whether on the road or on the track, this SP gets used as it was intended. It's simply one of the best examples of the most collectible FD RX7 around.
Russ.
Japan gets the major update...known as GT5 Prologue "Spec II"
