All LS editions came equipped with special LS-only full brown leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-wrapped shift knob, removable sunroof, LS-specific four-speaker AM/FM stereo radio with power antenna (though listed as a six-speaker stereo, as the two rear dual voice coil speakers were counted as four speakers in total), remote power door side mirrors, and other standard GS equipment.

This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located rear license plate, called by Werner Buhler of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."

The Series 2, referred to as the FB (produced from 1981 to 1983), had integrated plastic-covered bumpers, wide black rubber body side moldings, wraparound taillights and updated engine control components.

[3] The four-speed manual option was dropped for 1981 as well, while the gas tank grew larger and the dashboard was redesigned, including a shorter gear stick mounted closer to the driver.

The GSL package provided optional four-wheel disc brakes, front ventilated (Australian model) and clutch-type rear limited-slip differential (LSD).

This model received two-tone paint, alloy wheels shaped like the Wankel rotor, all-wheel disc brakes, limited-slip differential, and a full leather interior.

However, after the first production run of six, Mazda Japan became aware of the project and ended it; intending in 1985 to introduce the Second Generation increased-size RX-7 with the larger, more powerful 13B engine.

The 1,146 cc (1.1 L) 12A engine was rated at 100 hp (75 kW; 101 PS) at 6,000 rpm in North American models, allowing the car to reach speeds of over 190 km/h (120 mph).

The second-generation RX-7 (sometimes referred to as "FC", VIN begins JM1FC3 or JMZFC1), still known as the Mazda Savanna RX-7 in Japan, featured a complete restyling much like similar sports cars of the era such as the Nissan 300ZX.

Mazda's development team, led by Chief Project Engineer Akio Uchiyama (内山 昭朗), chose to focus on the American market when designing the FC, where the majority of first-generation of the RX-7 models had been sold.

[9] While the first-generation RX-7 was a purer sports car, the second-generation RX-7 tended toward the softer sport-tourer trends of its day, sharing some similarities with the HB series Cosmo.

The limited edition, two-seater Infini model received a 215 PS (158 kW) version beginning in June 1990, thanks to an upgraded exhaust system and high-octane fuel.

The RX-7, with its lightweight body and rotary engine, proved to be an ideal platform for the kind of driving that would push the envelope in terms of control and style.

It showcased a vibrant design that captured the spirit of the drifting scene, often adorned with bold graphics and a striking color scheme that made it instantly recognizable.

Mazda introduced with the convertible the first integral windblocker, a rigid panel that folded up from behind the passenger seats to block unwanted drafts from reaching the passengers—thereby extending the driving season for the car with the top retracted.

Another distinctive exterior feature is the bright gold rotor-shaped 10th Anniversary Edition badge on the front fenders (yellow-gold on the Series II cars).

All exterior glass is bronze tinted (specific in North America to only the 10th Anniversary), and the windshield was equipped with the embedded secondary antenna also found on some other select models with the upgraded stereo packages.

[12][13] In 1989, with the introduction of the facelifted FC RX-7, and to commemorate the RX-7s 8 straight wins in the IMSA GTU class from 1980 to 1987, Mazda introduced a limited model labeled the GTUˢ.

[20] The changeover process occurred at 4,500 rpm, with a momentary dip in pressure to 8 psi (0.55 bar),[21] and provided semi-linear acceleration from a wide torque curve throughout the entire rev range under normal operation.

Under high-speed-driving conditions, the changeover process produced a significant increase in power output and forced technical drivers to adjust their driving style to anticipate and mitigate any over-steer during cornering.

The Touring package included a glass moonroof, fog lights, leather seats, a rear window wiper and a Bose Acoustic Wave music system with CD player.

[21] The R1 (R2 in 1994–95) model featured upgraded springs, Bilstein shocks, an additional engine oil cooler, an aerodynamics package comprising a front lip and rear wing, suede seats and Pirelli Z-rated tires.

[21] In 1994, the interior received a small update to include a passenger-side air bag, and a PEG (popular equipment group) package was offered.

[27] Weight was reduced significantly with the aid of further carbon fibre usage including lightweight vented bonnet and Recaro seats to reduce weight to 1,218 kg (2,685 lb) (from 1,250 kg (2,756 lb)) making this model road-going race car that matched the performance of the rival Porsche Carrera RS Club Sport for the final year Mazda officially entered.

Only one model was available and it included twin oil-coolers, electric sunroof, cruise control and the rear storage bins in place of the back seats.

Updates included a simplified vacuum routing manifold and a 16-bit ECU which combined with an improved intake system netted an extra 10 PS (7 kW).

Over a four-year span beginning in 1981, Moffat took the Mazda RX-7 to victory in the 1983 Australian Touring Car Championship, as well as a trio of Bathurst 1000 podiums, in 1981 (3rd with Derek Bell), 1983 (second with Yoshimi Katayama) and 1984 (third with former motorcycle champion Gregg Hansford).

Peter Farrell Motorsport also fielded RX-7's in the IMSA Firestone Firehawk Endurance Series dominating many races and finishing runner up in the overall championship two years in a row.

[40][41] In October 2015, Mazda unveiled the RX-Vision concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show, powered by a new rotary engine and featured design cues reminiscent of the third generation RX-7.

[42] In October 2023, Mazda unveiled the Iconic SP concept car at the Japan Mobility Show, powered by a two-rotor rotary engine and also features design cues reminiscent of the third generation RX-7, most notably its pop-up headlights.