The DFW Car & Toy Museum has expanded its collection with the addition of an exceptionally preserved 1983 Mazda RX-7 GSL, part of the Ron Sturgeon Collection. This acquisition provides automotive enthusiasts and historians with a rare opportunity to study a nearly untouched example of Mazda's innovative rotary-engine sports car, preserving automotive heritage for future generations.
The brown RX-7 GSL features fewer than 4,000 original miles on its odometer, making it one of the finest surviving examples of the first-generation model launched in 1978. The vehicle represents a significant era in automotive engineering when Mazda's rotary engine technology challenged conventional piston-engine designs, offering unique performance characteristics that captivated driving enthusiasts worldwide.
Equipped with Mazda's legendary 1.1-liter 12A rotary engine factory-rated at 100 horsepower, the GSL trim package includes a five-speed manual transmission, limited-slip differential, and four-wheel disc brakes. These features combined to deliver what museum owner Ron Sturgeon described as "the spirit of the true driver's car — light, agile, and endlessly fun." The preservation of such a low-mileage example allows visitors to appreciate the original engineering and design intent without the modifications or wear typical of vehicles from this era.
The museum's acquisition underscores the growing importance of preserving automotive history as manufacturers transition toward electric vehicles and automated driving systems. The RX-7's rotary engine technology represents an alternative engineering path that, while no longer in production, contributed valuable innovation to automotive development. Visitors can examine state-of-the-art features for its time, including pop-up headlights, sunroof, electric windows, cruise control, air conditioning, and a factory cassette stereo with graphic equalizer and balancer.
The vehicle is now displayed among more than 200 collector vehicles and 3,000 vintage toys and memorabilia at the museum's North Fort Worth location. For additional information about visiting hours and exhibits, the museum maintains its website at https://dfwcarandtoymuseum.com. This addition enhances the museum's educational mission by providing tangible access to automotive history, allowing visitors to understand the evolution of sports car design and engineering during a transformative period in the automotive industry.
