Mazda RX-7 FD3S Spirit R 25-Year Rule 2027｜1,504 Cars Unlock April–August, Not January 1
この記事の要点
- Spirit R was manufactured from April 9 to August 26, 2002 — a five-month window, not a single date
- No Spirit R unlocks on January 1, 2027. The earliest is April 2027; the last cars unlock August 2027
- Total production was 1,500 units (Mazda’s official figure), broken down as Type A: 1,044, Type B: 420, Type C: 40 — figures not published by Mazda but compiled from their Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC)
- Your Spirit R’s chassis number sits between FD3S-604509 (first built, April 9) and FD3S-607313 (last built, August 26). Its position in that run gives you a working estimate of build month
Every Spirit R unlocks between April 2027 and August 2027 — not all on January 1
The 25-year rule (49 CFR Part 591) exempts vehicles from FMVSS compliance based on the month and year of manufacture — not the model year, not January 1st of the anniversary year. Mazda produced every Spirit R in 2002, but that production ran across five calendar months. A Spirit R built in April 2002 becomes eligible in April 2027. One built in August 2002 waits until August 2027.
Every importer who tells you “all Spirit Rs unlock January 2027” is simplifying in a way that could cost you months. The practical consequence: if you book shipping for a January 2027 arrival on a car that turns out to have an August 2002 build date, that car will be held at port.
The Spirit R production window is confirmed by enthusiast research compiled from Mazda’s EPC:
- First Spirit R: chassis FD3S-604509, manufactured April 9, 2002
- Last Spirit R: chassis FD3S-607313, manufactured August 26, 2002
That gives you the outer boundaries. Every Spirit R falls somewhere in between.
For the full picture of what else unlocks in 2027 — including the R34 Nür, the NSX-R, and the final A80 Supra — see the 2027 eligibility calendar.
Type A (1,044 units), Type B (420), Type C (40) — what the numbers mean for your 2027 timeline
Mazda’s March 2002 press release announced 1,500 Spirit Rs in total but did not break out the count by type. The per-type figures come from an enthusiast compilation using Mazda’s EPC database — the most detailed Spirit R production dataset publicly available. They show a heavily Type A-weighted run:
| Type | Units | Seats | Transmission | Power | Unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type A | 1,044 | 2-seat | 5-speed manual | 280 PS (206 kW) | April–August 2027 |
| Type B | 420 | 4-seat | 5-speed manual | 280 PS (206 kW) | April–August 2027 |
| Type C | 40 | 4-seat | 4-speed automatic | 255 PS (188 kW) | April–August 2027 |
| Total | 1,504 |
Note the four-unit discrepancy: Mazda’s press release states 1,500; the EPC-based count is 1,504. The difference is minor and likely reflects rounding in the official announcement. All three types share the same production window, so the unlock month depends entirely on when a specific chassis was built — not which type it is.
Avoid this mistake: The Type A’s 1,044 units mean it is far more commonly listed than Type B or Type C. But “more common” does not mean “unlocks sooner.” A May 2002 Type A and a May 2002 Type C unlock in the same month.
Reading your Spirit R chassis number: the six digits after FD3S tell your eligibility window
The Japanese chassis number on your Spirit R will read FD3S-6XXXXX — FD3S for the model series, followed by a six-digit sequential number. Every Spirit R falls within the range FD3S-604509 to FD3S-607313.
Because the chassis numbers were assigned sequentially as cars came off the Hiroshima line, a higher number generally means a later build date. The verified endpoints are:
| Chassis number | Build date | 25-year unlock month |
|---|---|---|
| FD3S-604509 | April 9, 2002 | April 2027 |
| FD3S-607313 | August 26, 2002 | August 2027 |
Every Spirit R falls between these two serials. The closer your chassis number is to 604509, the earlier in 2027 it will unlock; the closer to 607313, the later. This is a triage tool — production pace was not uniform across the five months, so a chassis that sits proportionally in “June” by serial position may have been built in May or July.
What this estimate is good for: narrowing your 2027 planning window before you have full paperwork. It tells you whether to plan for April-area or August-area shipping.
What it cannot do: certify a specific build month. That requires official documentation.
The only way to confirm the actual build month is through the official build record or a MLIT inspection report. For a practical explanation of how Japanese paperwork establishes manufacture date — and what CBP will accept at the port — see our guide on how the 25-year rule works on manufacture month.
What the Mazda press release of 22 April 2002 actually says — and what it leaves out
Mazda’s official announcement (dated March 25, 2002, release coinciding with on-sale date April 22, 2002) is the primary source for the Spirit R’s formal specifications. Here is what it actually states, versus what you will often read in secondary sources:
What the press release confirms:
- Total production: 1,500 units, Japan only
- On-sale date: April 22, 2002
- Type A (2-seat, 5MT): ¥3,998,000 (excluding tax)
- Type B (4-seat, 5MT): ¥3,998,000 (excluding tax)
- Type C (4-seat, 4AT): ¥3,398,000 (excluding tax)
- Type A and B: 13B-REW at 280 PS (206 kW)
- Type C: 13B-REW at 255 PS (188 kW)
What the press release does not contain:
- Per-type production counts (Type A vs. B vs. C split)
- Any chassis number ranges
- Any build-date information
- Manufacture month data of any kind
The per-type counts (1,044 / 420 / 40) and the chassis number endpoints (FD3S-604509 / FD3S-607313) come from the EPC-based enthusiast research, not from Mazda directly. When an English-language importer guide cites “1,500 Spirit Rs split into Type A, B, and C” with specific numbers, they are drawing on the same community source — or from our 2027 eligibility calendar which was the first English article to document both the chassis numbers and the five-month window together.
The Spirit R your importer is showing you: questions to ask before April 2027
If you are evaluating a Spirit R now, with the 2027 window approaching, here is what to ask — and what to avoid:
Avoid this calculation: Using the April 22, 2002 on-sale date as a proxy for all Spirit Rs. The on-sale date is when Mazda began delivering cars. The first car was built on April 9, 2002 — thirteen days earlier. More importantly, cars built in May, June, July, or August were delivered in those later months. The on-sale date tells you nothing about a specific chassis.
Do this instead:
- Ask for the chassis number (FD3S-6XXXXX). Cross-reference it against the 604509–607313 range to confirm it is a Spirit R serial
- Ask for the MLIT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) export documentation. The 初度登録年月 (first registration date) on the Japanese vehicle certificate is not the build date, but it provides an upper bound — a car first registered in June 2002 cannot have been built after June 2002
- Ask whether the importer has obtained a build record. Some Japanese dealers and specialist importers can retrieve individual build records through Mazda’s network. This is the most reliable source
- For FD3S-specific mechanical background before you commit, see our analysis of what Japanese FD3S owners actually report after long ownership
The 49 CFR eligibility check: Under 49 CFR Part 591, the 25-year exemption runs from the date of manufacture. CBP’s enforcement is done at the port of entry. If your paperwork shows a manufacture date that puts the car inside the 25-year window on the day it arrives, it will be held — regardless of what your importer told you.
What to do if your Spirit R’s build month falls in August 2027
The last Spirit R was chassis FD3S-607313, manufactured August 26, 2002. Its US eligibility date is August 26, 2027 — or more practically, it clears the 25-year threshold during August 2027.
If you are looking at a high-serial Spirit R that appears to be an August build, this is not a reason to walk away. It is a reason to plan:
- Do not book a vessel to arrive before September 2027 if you have any reason to think the car may be an August build. Arriving in late August on a car built August 20 is a problem; arriving in early September is not
- Leave slack between the calculated unlock month and your planned port-of-entry date. A one-month buffer is standard practice
- The final-production cars — the highest serial numbers in the Spirit R run — are the last FD3Ss ever manufactured. Some collectors actively seek these. “August 2027” is not a defect; it is a specific historical provenance
All Spirit Rs, regardless of type or build month, completed production by August 26, 2002. From September 2027 onward, every Spirit R that has ever existed is fully eligible for US import.
よくある質問
Q1. Are all 1,500 Spirit Rs eligible to import in January 2027?
No. The 25-year rule runs from the month of manufacture, not from January 1st of the anniversary year. The first Spirit R was built in April 2002, so the earliest any Spirit R becomes eligible is April 2027. Cars built in later months unlock in those corresponding months. None of the 1,500 (or 1,504, per the EPC count) unlock in January.
Q2. What is the difference between Spirit R Type A, B, and Type C?
Type A is the two-seat variant with 5-speed manual transmission and lightweight Recaro bucket seats — 1,044 units, the most produced and most sought-after. Type B is the four-seat variant with 5-speed manual — 420 units. Type C is the four-seat variant with 4-speed automatic transmission and a lower 255 PS (188 kW) output versus 280 PS for Types A and B — only 40 units were produced, making it the rarest Spirit R. All three types were on sale from April 22, 2002, at the same price of ¥3,998,000 (Types A and B) or ¥3,398,000 (Type C), excluding tax.
Q3. How do I find the manufacture month of a specific Spirit R?
The most reliable method is an official build record from Mazda’s system, which some specialist importers can retrieve. Failing that, the MLIT export certificate’s 初度登録年月 (first registration date) gives an upper bound. The chassis number’s position in the 604509–607313 range provides a rough estimate (higher serial = later in production), but this is an estimate only — production pace was uneven across the five months.
Q4. Is the chassis number FD3S-604509 really the first Spirit R ever built?
According to EPC-based research by the RX-7 enthusiast community, FD3S-604509 was manufactured on April 9, 2002 — the first Spirit R to come off the Hiroshima line. This predates the April 22 on-sale date, which is when Mazda began delivering cars to buyers, not when production started. The same research identifies FD3S-607313 (August 26, 2002) as the last Spirit R built, which was also the final FD3S of any specification ever manufactured.
Q5. What happens if my Spirit R’s build month is August 2027 — can I still plan an import?
Yes, with appropriate timing. August 2027 build cars become eligible during August 2027 under the 25-year rule. The practical advice is to avoid scheduling vessel arrival in August 2027 if there is any uncertainty about the exact build date. Arriving in September 2027 — one month after the last Spirit R’s unlock — is the safest approach for late-serial cars. The August 2027 window does not affect the car’s desirability; it is simply a timing consideration for your shipping plan.
Q6. Does the Type C’s lower horsepower (255 PS versus 280 PS) affect its 25-year rule eligibility?
No. The 25-year rule is solely an age-based exemption under 49 CFR Part 591. Output, transmission type, and any other specifications are irrelevant to NHTSA eligibility. The Type C’s 255 PS rating reflects a different tune of the same 13B-REW engine; it does not affect the import clock. Eligibility is determined entirely by the date of manufacture relative to today’s date.