Woman Donates Manual FD Mazda RX-7 After Turning 80

A Japanese woman celebrated her 80th birthday in a unique way, not only by surrendering her driver’s license, but also by donating her manual transmission Mazda RX-7 that she had owned for the past 25 years back to the manufacturer.

Naoko Nishimoto-san’s story is more than just a story about a car – it’s about the enduring relationship between a driver and her machine. It all started in 1999 at age 55, when Naoko purchased her Mazda RX-7 new after watching the anime “Initial D” with her son, which featured the car and instantly piqued her interest.

And so began her 25-year-long journey with the sports car she named “Seven”. Seven wasn’t just any RX-7 – Naoko specifically ordered an RX-7 Type RB S, which sports some some light performance goodies like suede seats, rear spoiler, ZR rated tires and fog lights. It is powered by Mazda’s turbocharged 13B-REW Wankel engine, sending 261 horsepower to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.

Naoko, who drove the rotary-powered sports car with care a passion, put just over 48,000 miles on the RX-7 during her ownership. On her 80^th birthday, with plans to voluntarily surrender her driver’s license, she appeared in a YouTube video to tell her story. That video went viral and she soon had over 400 emails from Mazda enthusiasts and well-wishers inquiring about the RX-7, including one from Mazda’s Public Relations department.

After reading the message from Mazda, Naoko smiled and said, “It was an email filled with such enthusiasm and sincerity, it truly seemed to shine for me.”

She proceeded to bid farewell to her beloved RX-7 by taking her son on a road trip to see the cherry blossoms.

Mazda held a ceremony at its Nagasaki dealership on Naoko Nishimoto-san’s 80^th birthday on December 18. When she handed over the keys, she reflected on her time with the car with her heart full of gratitude:

“When I came here today, I drove in with my ‘Seven,’ but I’ll be leaving alone. This car has been my companion for 25 years. I’ve enjoyed every moment with it, so I have no regrets about saying goodbye. I just want to say one last thing to my ‘Seven’—thank you. Thank you for 25 wonderful years.”

Mazda’s President and CEO Moro Masahiro said Naoko’s relationship with her RX-7 is a prime example of how cars are much more than just a machine that gets us from point A to point B:

“This was a moving reminder that you see a car not just as a means of transportation, but as an important partner in life. It was also the first model for which I was responsible for marketing after joining Mazda, so it is a car that holds very special memories for me. We will treasure this car, along with stories of the days when you lived a happy, energetic and vibrant life, drawing vitality from the power of cars.”

After the ceremony ended and the keys were handed over, Naoko went to the local police station and surrendered her driver’s license.

The RX-7 will undergo maintenance in Hiroshima before heading to Mazda’s research center in Yokohama, where the automaker says its public relations department will use it for special events, carrying on its story.

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