FYI: An 80-year-old Japanese woman marks her milestone birthday by gifting her prized Mazda RX-7 to its manufacturer, making waves among car enthusiasts and touching hearts across the globe.
A Unique Birthday Celebration
On her 80th birthday, Naoko Nishimoto from Japan decided to do something truly remarkable — she returned her driver’s license and parted ways with her beloved Mazda RX-7, a car she’s cherished for the past 25 years. Celebrating life’s new chapter with a twist, Nishimoto opted to gift the iconic sports car back to Mazda, the very brand that gave her years of driving joy.
The Legacy of the Mazda RX-7
Acquiring her driver’s license at 21, Nishimoto’s garage has seen several notable models, from the Toyota Publica to the Toyota Corona. It was at age 55, when a deeply embedded malfunction in her then-corona inspired her to seek a replacement, that she stumbled upon the Mazda RX-7 FD3S —an encounter fueled by an admiration for its presence in the anime "Initial D." An aesthetic attractor, the RX-7, led her straight to the dealership where she invested in the Type RB S variant, a baseline model famed for its lightweight modifications including suede seats and a rear spoiler.
Advancing with a turbocharged 13B-REW Wankel engine promising 261 horsepower, this performance machine sustained Nishimoto’s driving passion for 48,000 miles over a quarter of a century.
A Heartfelt Connection with Mazda
The sentimental tale of Nishimoto’s history with the RX-7 piqued significant attention when she announced her plans to pass the car to another owner, following her driver’s license surrender. Among the torrent of eager suitors was a heartfelt email from Mazda itself, prompted by an engineer inspired by her story. Emphasizing their shared passion for the RX-7, Mazda extended formal congratulations to Nishimoto, accompanying her parting with flowers and a handover ceremony held at the very dealership of her purchase.
A Fitting Tribute at Mazda
In a testament to the deep connections that cars foster, Mazda President and CEO Masahiro Moro hailed Nishimoto’s bond with the RX-7 as a perfect encapsulation of how vehicles transcend mere transportation. Now, housed at Mazda’s Yokohama R&D center, Nishimoto’s RX-7 is destined for an eternity of showroom glory, featuring at special events and continuing to inspire others as it did its original owner.
Conclusion
With a sense of nostalgia and gratitude, Naoko Nishimoto has not only shared an intimate part of her history but also ensured that the spirit of the Mazda RX-7 lives on. Her touching gesture reveals the automotive industry’s emotional layers, reminding us all of the transformative power of cherished memories shaped by the vehicles we drive.
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Author: Donald Smith, Editor of Automotive.fyi
