Surrounded by all the expensive luxury cars, there’s a truly special car sometimes spotted around Bangsar. It isn’t an exotic but it is a truly rare sight because this particular car is a bone stock red Nissan 180SX that was driven by an elderly couple.
Before some JDM aficionado starts spouting out “#GOALS” like it is 2017, it probably won’t be surprising if the owners are often asked by those same fans if their clean sports car is for sale. I highly doubt the new owners would keep it clean though but it is still a decision that one has to respect anyway.
Over in Japan though, a 79-year-old grandmother made local news when she decided to relinquish her driving license upon turning 80 in December. It is her daily driver which is what makes it newsworthy as it is a late-model FD Mazda RX-7 with a 5-speed manual transmission.
Naoko Nishimoto looks like any elderly Japanese woman and enjoys gardening, playing the piano, and singing recitals. She stays in Nagasaki along with five cats but little do people outside of her circle know that she is a petrolhead.
Unexpected enthusiast
Her first car was a Toyota Publica which she bought after getting her driving license at the age of 21. This was despite protestations from her parents who said driving was dangerous, proving she was a bit of a rebel just to get behind the wheel.
Two years later, she got married and upgraded the family’s small Publica with a larger Toyota Corona and a Toyota Corona Coupe. During family trips to Takamatsu, Kagoshima, and Tottori which is 800 km away, Nishimoto would be the designated driver.
Then in the 1990s, an anime series was sweeping across Japan with cars that slide downhill at breakneck speeds while Eurobeat plays in the background. Not only did Initial D spark excitement among young teenage males, but it also caught the attention of Nishimoto who was in her mid-fifties.
The car that caught her eye wasn’t the black-and-white AE86 Toyota Trueno but rather the yellow FD Mazda RX-7. From the moment Keisuke Takahashi slid onto the screen with his RedSuns FD, Nishimoto realized that this car would be it.
Without any hesitation, she went to her local Mazda dealership and placed an order for an RX-7. She has been keeping it bone stock for 25 years and has been enjoying it as much as any young petrolhead.
In an interview with Nagasaki Television, she described the ride with such excitement. “It feels like you're glued to the ground and it's an indescribable feeling of exhilaration that just rolls along. It's great to be driving it and experiencing it myself. It feels really good, bravo," she told the local news station.
Full delight
The RX-7 is Nishimoto’s sixth car and one that she deemed the most irreplaceable of the 6 cars she ever owned. The pristine FD which bears a single 7 on its number plate has done only around 75,000 km since new and the elderly Nishimoto mostly takes it out to the nearby supermarket or drug store.
Each time she brings out her RX-7 for a drive though, the compliments keep coming as well as the surprise to see a short old lady behind the wheel of a modern classic.
As she approaches 80, Nishimoto wanted to commemorate her last days with her beloved RX-7 by taking photos and going on road trips. In the spring, she toured the prefecture’s famous cherry blossom spots with her second son, Makoto while in the summer, she visited nearby seasides and mountains.
Nishimoto told local media that she is beginning to simulate a new reality of taking public transport instead of getting behind the wheel after relinquishing her driving license. Though she is still capable of driving, she decided it is best to “retire” to avoid any unforeseen circumstances due to her age.
Of course, the RX-7 will be looking for a new home and Nishimoto has received approximately 500 inquiries since deciding to let it go. The good news is that the FD’s condition will remain stock as it was revealed the new owner is Mazda which will preserve it and use it for domestic marketing purposes.
Also read: The inspirational story behind this automatic Honda NSX and why it is the best way to experience it