I currently have a '93 RX7 Touring Edition and a '91 NSX. Both cars offer their own unique brand of excitement. Being six feet tall and weighing 225lbs., one sits higher in the RX7 but still low to the ground. The seats are stiffer and seem equally as supportive as the NSX. Interior space in the NSX is cavenous compared to the Mazda. It's a matter of taste. If you like a tight fit, the RX7 feels like the original Mercury capsule-- it's comparable to'91 and '86 MR2s I once owned. The RX7 wraps its driver between the high console and rounded dash. The NSX is wide open and airy with a huge sloping dash and broad cockpit window looking out onto the road. This perspective seems to add to the roominess of the cabin. In terms of acceleration, the RX7 has a snap to its acceleration, while the NSX reaches speed more subtlely. The RX7 grabs the road; the NSX inhales it. The RX7 feels more muscle car in nature, like a '69 Vette I once owned. In terms of handling, the RX7, feels much smaller as it cuts turns while the NSX feels hardly feels challenged by them. I would venture to guess that someone who's driven a GT Race car might say the same thing after driving the RX7 and NSX. Because the RX7 is a sequential twin turbo (as stock), it takes a 2-3 count to catch and then explodes to 60 with little effort. Sometimes I have to look down at the speedometer to realize I'm already exceeding the speed limit in my city. It's a difficult car to drive at the legal street limit of 30 mph. The NSX, on the other hand, has a less dramatic feel to its accleration and driving at street speed is a simple and comfortable task with no bucking. Because of its rakish of the hood, there are times when I'm driving 60-70 mph and feel as if I'm driving a heck of a lot faster. That's OK when the police spot my black car in the midst of other speeders. I don't think the trunk space is lacking in either case considering the type of cars they are. You want to pile luggage on board, get an SUV. Perhaps the greatest difference between the 2 cars is overall reliablity. I'll bet 75% of third generation RX7 owners have already replaced their engine, rebuilt their transmission, replaced one or both turbos, among countless other repairs at most car's mid-life. The NSX is a far more expensive and better built car. In its current iteration, one could have purchased 2.5 RX7s
based on the '93 price tag. Repairs on the NSX are clearly more expensive and finding a mechanic who is confident with the car is not as easy as you'd think. I live in NYC and each of the 3 local dealerships are less confident than they should be. OK, so where are we? Driving the RX7 does draw attention, particularly from teenagers who saw that movie, "The Fast and the Furious" and people who think I having a mid-life crisis. Driving the NSX is a unique experience unto itself. Because of its limited production and rarity, NSX draw constant attention--not that there's anything wrong with that. On days when I'm down or need to feel the road under my butt,
the NSX is the panacea. Driving around, you feel like a celebrity. But that can have its draw backs too. Warning: Avoid contact with crazy Mustang GT owners, younger Corvette freaks, and any other high performance screwballs who can't forgive you for owner one of the best looking cars ever built. Sorry for being so long winded, but....
Larry T
