- One of two hero cars from Tokyo Drift, this RX-7 sold for $1.22M thanks to its iconic VeilSide kit.
- It’s a real, running Mazda with a rebuilt twin-rotor engine and formerly functional NOS system.
- Some wear is visible, but it’s still a rare, drivable, and desirable piece of movie car history.
Movie cars are sometimes lauded for decades, but there are some silver screen secrets few know. The majority aren’t often running driving examples, and many don’t look all that good up close either. Of course, every once in a while, we find outliers, and that’s exactly what this 1992 Mazda RX-7 VeilSide from Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift is. In fact, it’s so good that someone just paid £911,000 ($1.22 million) for it.
Believed to be one of just two cars that made it out of production for the film, this car is undoubtedly one of the most famous from the series. The ‘Fortune’ body kit on it replaces every original RX-7 panel save for the roof and the tailgate. In an era where most body kits were tacky add-ons, this was a revelation.
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Unlike many movie cars that end up being a shell atop a very basic powertrain, this is a real Mazda. In fact, it still leverages its twin-rotor turbocharged engine. On top of that, the tuners at RE-Amemiya rebuilt it prior to the sale. According to the auction listing, it makes around 280 horsepower. That might not sound like much, but this little rocket weighs just 2,314 pounds (1,050 kg).
The engine isn’t the only part recently overhauled. Before the auction, the car received a new clutch, new brakes, new coilovers, and a Blitz Nur-Spec exhaust system. Oh, and in case that wasn’t enough, it still has the original NOS system inside the cabin just waiting for its new owner to reconnect it. The cabin is fully outfitted with VeilSide bucket seats, carbon fiber, aluminum, and chrome trim.
Notably, this isn’t a perfect car as close up photos so a bit of wear and tear both inside and out. Some of the weather seals look worn, some of the panels show imperfections, and it’s been sitting for a little while, so replacing the fluids is probably a good idea before “the car is driven in anger,” as the listing puts it.
That all said, it’s a stunning example of one of the most famous movie cars from a movie about cars in the last few decades. Here’s to hoping that the new owner thrashes it with regularity.
Credit: Bonhams
