3rd gens start to lift off the ground @ 150mph+

 

wtf at 150+ they are producing to much downforce. that would make the top speed of 155 (touring) and 159 (r1) extremely dangerous and the mazda engineers were dedicated to making a perfect sports car. Motor Trend said that it was extremely stable at top speed. i'm not an engineer, but i'm willing to bet that mazda designed the rx7 to safely survive stretches at over 200.

 

Go watch soem RB videos. The car doesnt come off the ground untul 240



















(it wasn an FC, but close enough....)

 

Sorry but I am going to have to agree with this to a certain point! I talked to a guy with a sweet 94 R2 with only 20k miles. He entered it in the Gumball Rally and said that he could feel the front end playing with him at around 160. He said that the car couldn't go faster then that. I do believe him mostly because it makes sense and the guy isn't the type to lie about something he has so much pride in.



I don't believe that it would lift the entire front end off the ground though. I have heard a similar story from someone who hasn't even driven one who said he knew a guy that flipped the car end over end cause he was going to fast. That is just BS.



I think you would have to play with the front end a little bit to make it stable at such speed. Their are so many factors that can cause the car to handle differently. Wind speed being on of them. BUt then again I could just be wrong. Doesn't really matter to me. I barely ever drive over 90

 

if you look in the fd yamaguchi book the fd does have lift at speed, although it wont fly



mike

 

The first time I drove a completely stock FD Touring at 135 mph way back in late 1993. It felt like it had some downforce making it squat into the road a bit - this being a '93 Touring without any aero pieces. At some point, the rear end is going to lighten and I think speeds like 150+ is making almost any car susceptible to cross-winds and road anomalies. Bolt on some good aero pieces and forget about it until 300 mph or a whole lotta blue lights........