A Mazda RX-7 used in 'Tokyo Drift' just sold for mad money at auction
According to Bonhams, the RX-7 was used exclusively for close-up and static scenes, which means its exterior remains well preserved and in 'generally excellent' condition.
The car rides on 19" Andrew Premier Series Racing Evolution 5 wheels shod with Pirelli P Zero Nero tyres and is finished in pearlescent orange with high-gloss black accents.
Image: Supplied
Universal Studios commissioned the car's build from Veilside, the renowned Japanese body-kit specialist. Company founder Hironao Yokomaku and his team fitted the RX-7 with their aggressive 'Fortune' wide-body kit, which added more than 200mm to its width. Only the roof and tailgate from the original donor car remain.
The car rides on 19" Andrew Premier Series Racing Evolution 5 wheels shod with Pirelli P Zero Nero tyres and is finished in pearlescent orange with high-gloss black accents.
Adding to its provenance, the vehicle still bears several production markings from Universal Studios, including '#71 HANS' labels on the passenger door, engine bay and scuttle, as well as traces from camera mounts used during filming.
Before the auction, the RX-7 underwent a comprehensive overhaul that included a new clutch, brakes, coilover suspension and a Blitz Nur-Spec exhaust system. Its twin-rotor turbocharged engine was rebuilt by renowned rotary tuner RE-Amemiya and remains close to stock, producing about 208kW. The car is said to weigh just more than 1,050kg, with only about 8,000km driven since the rebuild.
Inside, Veilside racing bucket seats with composite shells replace the originals. The cabin features a mix of carbon fibre, aluminium, velour, vinyl and chrome trim. An Alpine sound system with twin amplifiers and multiple speakers is installed and a polished NOS bottle (not yet connected) is mounted above the propshaft tunnel.
Though this RX-7 fetched a hefty sum, a Nissan Skyline GT-R driven by the late Paul Walker in Fast & Furious 4 sold at auction in 2023 for $1,357,000 (R25m), setting a record price for a Skyline GT-R.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

TimesLIVE
16-07-2025
- TimesLIVE
A Mazda RX-7 used in 'Tokyo Drift' just sold for mad money at auction
A 1992 Mazda RX-7 FD used in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift has sold for £911,000 (R21.87m) at a recent Bonhams auction. This unique vehicle is believed to be one of only two surviving examples from the 2006 action film and was driven on screen by the character Han Lue, played by Sung Kang. According to Bonhams, the RX-7 was used exclusively for close-up and static scenes, which means its exterior remains well preserved and in 'generally excellent' condition. The car rides on 19" Andrew Premier Series Racing Evolution 5 wheels shod with Pirelli P Zero Nero tyres and is finished in pearlescent orange with high-gloss black accents. Image: Supplied Universal Studios commissioned the car's build from Veilside, the renowned Japanese body-kit specialist. Company founder Hironao Yokomaku and his team fitted the RX-7 with their aggressive 'Fortune' wide-body kit, which added more than 200mm to its width. Only the roof and tailgate from the original donor car remain. The car rides on 19" Andrew Premier Series Racing Evolution 5 wheels shod with Pirelli P Zero Nero tyres and is finished in pearlescent orange with high-gloss black accents. Adding to its provenance, the vehicle still bears several production markings from Universal Studios, including '#71 HANS' labels on the passenger door, engine bay and scuttle, as well as traces from camera mounts used during filming. Before the auction, the RX-7 underwent a comprehensive overhaul that included a new clutch, brakes, coilover suspension and a Blitz Nur-Spec exhaust system. Its twin-rotor turbocharged engine was rebuilt by renowned rotary tuner RE-Amemiya and remains close to stock, producing about 208kW. The car is said to weigh just more than 1,050kg, with only about 8,000km driven since the rebuild. Inside, Veilside racing bucket seats with composite shells replace the originals. The cabin features a mix of carbon fibre, aluminium, velour, vinyl and chrome trim. An Alpine sound system with twin amplifiers and multiple speakers is installed and a polished NOS bottle (not yet connected) is mounted above the propshaft tunnel. Though this RX-7 fetched a hefty sum, a Nissan Skyline GT-R driven by the late Paul Walker in Fast & Furious 4 sold at auction in 2023 for $1,357,000 (R25m), setting a record price for a Skyline GT-R.

IOL News
23-06-2025
- IOL News
Rospa International expands offerings with Chevrolet Corvette in South Africa
In an exciting development for car enthusiasts in South Africa, Rospa International is expanding its renowned portfolio of rare sportscars to include the iconic Chevrolet Corvette. Known for providing automotive dream machines mostly sourced from Japan—like the legendary Nissan Skyline GT-R, the drift-ready Toyota AE86, and the beloved Mazda RX-7—Rospa is now venturing beyond its typical Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) offerings. 'People usually think of JDM cars when they hear the name Rospa. But we're expanding the business to cater for car enthusiasts with different tastes. We want to bring all the forbidden fruit to SA,' said company founder Himal Chris Paul. 'We are proud to announce that we are now offering Chev Corvettes to local enthusiasts.' Since the launch of the eighth generation Corvette (C8), this iconic nameplate has been available in right-hand-drive configuration straight from the factory, allowing Rospa International to supply brand new cars directly to local clients.

IOL News
12-05-2025
- IOL News
BMW 740i road test: the flagship sedan redefining luxury and outshining SUVs
The BMW 7-Series ticks all the right boxes. Image: Willem van de Putte You've probably seen that meme with a turtle on a fence post and wondered how it got there, followed by a politician's face asking how they got into the position they occupy. That's pretty much the same way I feel about SUVs. When did the world decide that saloon cars aren't a thing anymore and turn their attention to ubiquitous boxes? Perhaps I'm just being old fashioned but an SUV should be a rugged vehicle used for adventures and exploring not a flashy wannabe Camel man transporter. This was the discussion I was having with my mate around a braai fire while I had the BMW 740i on test. He's a long-time BMW fan having owned a couple of 3-Series and was fortunate enough to have owned a fifth generation 7-series with a V12 turbo-charged engine. Like many people he's not a fan of the big signature kidney grille and while beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I think it befits the rather large 7-Series flagship, but not so much on some of their other models. Luxury interior There are no polarising opinions on the interior, though, with everything worthy of being classified as the 7 luxury sedan. It's like sitting in a luxury Bordeaux villa in a comfortably soft La-Z-Boy with so much modern technology you'll have to own the car for months before you've managed to get to grips with everything. It has BMW's curved display digital screen that combines a 12.3-inch driver's display and 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that uses BMW's Operating System 8 and can be controlled either through touch or voice control. The BMW 740i has a curved display digital screen that combines a 12.3-inch driver's display and 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Image: Supplied Big screen TV The real star of the show, though, is behind the front seats. Apart from the impressive amount of space and the fully reclining seat with a footrest behind the front passenger seat, there's a 31.3-inch 8K screen that folds down from the headlining! You can be entertained via Amazon Fire TV, stream videos, play games or listen to music thundering through on the Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system. It's operated by a 5.5-inch touch control display in the rear doors, and as someone put it when they climbed into the back, it's like having your phone in the door. When you select Theatre Mode, window blinds cover all the glass in the back, cocooning you in the lap of luxury. Engine The 740i is powered by BMW's popular 3.0-litre turbo-charged engine that in this iteration provides 230kW and 450Nm of torque, coupled to an eight-speed automatic ZF gearbox. They've made some technical changes to improve the set-up including a 48-vault mild hybrid system that adds 8kW when needed while the integrated starter generator supplies power to keep the electrics running and it suits the car perfectly. Space It was fortuitous that I had the car over a weekend we had planned to spend at Kaapsehoop in Mpumalanga. It proved to be the ideal testing ground for the 740i with about three and a half hours of driving open roads, most of it in good condition. With my one overnight bag and my partner's more than one overnight bag, the enormous 540-litre boot made short work of it, with ample room to spare. Here, I'd like to point out that the 740i's SUV sibling, the X7, has only 300 litres with the rear seats up. See what I did there SUV driver? Fancy some TV in the back of your car? The BMW 740i has you covered. Image: Supplied Driving The 7 The 740i is a magic carpet ride. I can't remember when last I drove a car that's so incredibly comfortable and easy to pilot despite its size and two ton kerb weight. The chassis, adaptive two-axle air suspension and Active Roll Comfort function combine brilliantly to provide an almost Rolls Royce-type experience. Adding to the ease of driving is the 7's level 3 autonomous driving system, which means, if legislation allows, it can drive itself. Once we had turned onto the N4, I activated adaptive cruise control, and from there, it basically did everything itself with my hands and sometimes only a finger gently on the wheel. It's impressive to see how it keeps between the lines on some of the twists and turns, and while I wouldn't advocate it for everyday use considering some of our fellow drivers' road manners, it's certainly something I can get behind, especially in a luxury sedan. There's no denying the imposing stance of the BMW 7-Series. Image: Willem van de Putte But as they say, that's not all. My partner suffers from chronic lower back ache, and for her to say that it's the most comfortable and plush seat she's sat in, considering all the cars I've tested over the years, is a massive compliment. It was no doubt also aided by the various message options activated via the touchscreen. It proved to be a massive hit in the tiny village, with visitors filming the car and lots of selfies taken over the weekend. Consumption Being that big and heavy, you'd expect a massive fuel bill, but it came in under BMW's claimed 7.9l/100km with consumption figures of 6.8l/100km on the way there and 7.3l/100km back to Pretoria. You'd probably get close to 9l/100km with a combined cycle but I'll settle for that any day. The BMW 740i isn't a bulk seller, and more's the pity, but it's heartening to see that the company still considers it to be their flagship, and if I had R2 359 104 and was shopping around, I'd scratch every SUV off my list. Willem's star rating: 5/5 Star Rating Scale: 5 Stars: Exceptional A best-in-class car with outstanding features, no major flaws, and excellent value. 4 Stars: Very Good Highly capable with minor shortcomings. A great choice for most buyers. 3 Stars: Good Decent performance, comfort, or safety but lacks standout qualities or has notable drawbacks. 2 Stars: Below Average Some significant flaws, like poor value, outdated features, or compromised safety or comfort. 1 Star: Poor Lags behind competitors in most aspects, with serious deficiencies in key areas.