Deep Dive Dominic Toretto's Mazda RX-7 from "Wild Speed".

In the "Wild Speed" series, Dominic Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, is often associated with a Dodge Charger. However, early in the first "Wild Speed" film, Toretto was driving a Mazda RX-7. In the accompanying video, Craig Lieberman, the film's technical advisor and the man who chose the RX-7 as Toretto's car of choice, tells the story behind the car.

Instead of building a car specifically for the film, the main RX-7 was borrowed from a private owner. This is the case with many of the cars in "Wild Speed"; for example, the Toyota Supra and Nissan Maxima that appeared in the film were owned by Lieberman.

The 1993 model had undergone several performance upgrades before being brought to the set, including an engine rebuild with a 3mm apex seal to accommodate the high boost. According to Lieberman, with these modifications, the car was rumored to make 305 hp at the wheels, compared to 255 hp for the stock FD RX-7. Also, the nitrous oxide system featured in the film was a fake, made of scuba gear and plumbing components.

Although it appears on screen in red, it was originally silver. Like the other cars used by Toretto's crew, the RX-7 was given a controversial graphic to indicate that it would be used by the protagonist.

That original RX-7 became the "Hero One" car and remained the original model used in all close-up shots. The production team then purchased additional cars for the stunts; one bodyshell was chopped up for use in indoor shots on the soundstage, Lieberman says. The other car was equipped with a stereo system, which the original "Hero One" car did not have.

Fans of rotaries may notice a strange RX-7 exhaust note in the film. Lieberman says that's because the sound was heavily edited, using a mix that included Toyota's 1JZ and 2JZ engines.

After filming ended, the three cars were sold and now reside in Holland, Florida, and Las Vegas; one was repurposed for "2 Fast 2 Furious" and driven by Orange Julius in the film's opening drag race and "warehouse scramble" near the end. That car had a modified body kit and graphics package. The engine was not changed.

The original RX-7 is currently in storage. According to Lieberman, the car is rumored to be featured in the next "Wild Speed" film, "F9," but we will have to wait to find out. Due to the global coronavirus outbreak, the film has been pushed back to April 2021.

For a behind-the-scenes look at the RX-7 that appeared in the first two films, check out the video.