by 
For sale is a first-generation Mazda RX-7 with only 1,567 miles on the odometer. This 1982 sports model is listed on the auction site Bring a Trailer with no reserve.
According to Mazda’s data, the U.S. version of the RX-7 was emissions-restricted, resulting in just 100 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque.
Forty years have passed since the debut of the first-generation RX-7, yet you can still find many examples for sale with very low mileage. We’ve highlighted over half a dozen cars with fewer than 20,000 miles on Bring a Trailer in the past year. But none have as minimal mileage as this example, which has only 1,567 miles (2,522 km).
This particular car was delivered new to Dayton, Ohio, arriving at Eastgate Mazda dealership in metallic Tornado Silver and equipped with air conditioning ($610 option), bright red leather upholstery ($650), and a three-speed automatic transmission ($355). The total cost was $13,940, equivalent to $46,200 today.
U.S.-spec RX-7s of this era weren’t particularly powerful, and adding an automatic transmission didn’t help performance. The carbureted 12A rotary engine produced just 100 hp (101 PS) and 105 lb-ft (142 Nm) of torque. While manual versions could reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in about 9.2 seconds, automatics took half a second longer. It’s hard to imagine the limited-slip differential being used in anything but icy conditions.
Even if this RX-7 isn’t the last word in performance—though it’s still quicker than its American rival—it would make slow driving a pleasure. Picture cruising to a Radwood show with the A/C keeping things cool, enjoying the admiring glances. The current owner appears to have driven 500 miles (805 km) of the total 1,567 miles, and with refreshed bumper paint, it looks fantastic.
