RE Amemiya Mazda RX-7 - Blue Bullet

OK, I need to begin with an apology. An apology to RE Amemiya and an apology to you, the reader, for these pictures that were taken by my own hand—these wholly, abominably inadequate pictures. Yes, they are competent from a technical standpoint. But on a larger scale, they are unqualified in fully describing the RE Amemiya RX-7. In person, the fender flares are wider, the lines are sleeker, the rear end fatter. The car is just more car. And that inevitably disappears somewhere after the camera shutter closes and the transfer to film.

And then there’s the sound the 13B-REW makes. Automotive journalistic cliches like “grumble,” “growl,” or “groan” are typically used here, but these metaphors would be less than enough. No, we must tread new ground. And for that, I propose a formula (bear with me here). Take the loudest engine you’ve ever heard in your life (F1 engineers aren’t allowed to play this game). Got it? Now, multiply that by 440 and you’re in the ballpark. And what’s so special about the number 440? That’s how much horsepower this turbo 13B-REW puts out, which is all the more impressive when you consider the fact that this is only a replica of RE Amemiya’s GT300 race car.

As far as replicas go, this one is comparable to the real thing. You’re not likely to find a Trust TD-78 turbocharger in your run of the mill Revell model. As with every FD3S, it doesn’t take much to make good power, and the list of engine mods on this one isn’t that long (although the TD-78 has more than one foot across the extreme line). Along with the turbo, there’s a Trust C-Type wastegate, intercooler, Titan 80 exhaust, and Profec B boost controller. And other than the Nismo fuel pump, RE Amemiya Redom mini E-type computer, and a few other odds and ends, there’s not much else in the way of engine mods. But then again, I’m assuming that I have a complete list. Not likely.

And where the rotary powerplant reveals a loud personality, the exterior mods tell signs of a full-on extrovert, from the race car graphics to the vibrant royal blue paint treatment. Everything else seems to bulge, flare, or burst at the seams. The 18-inch RE Amemiya AW-7 wheels look sharp enough to cut, should one get close enough, which one does not do because one is in constant fear of the car. Also, the RE Amemiya aero kit (which is manufactured by Bomex) is like none other. It brings the lines to a sharp, sleek cut at the nose. The headlights conceal air ducts into the engine bay. The front end bumper has wings on both sides.

The back is every bit as engineered and engaging as the front. A carbon-fiber diffuser and the carbon-fiber taillight casings alter the rear image, and it is all that the carbon-fiber double GT wing can do to keep up with the rest of the mods. It’s also a sign that the car could possibly take off without it. Indeed, the car looks like it had been in the hands of rocket scientists instead of auto mechanics, which may not be too off the point.

In Japan, Amemiya is more than just a tuner. He is also part madman (just look at his cars), part comic (look at his hair), and part rock star (look at his following). You’d have difficulty finding anyone else in the Japanese tuning scene more visible and popular than Amemiya-san. He is the Chip Gnassi of rotary power. A look inside his shop just outside of Tokyo reveals a three-rotor Cosmos Eunos, which is the first that this wannabe-autoweenie has seen in his life. It’s also another reason to come back.

By Richard S. Chang

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