The CaDA Officially License 1:8 Mazada RX-7 by Artemy Zotov we were so excited about is out on the international market and we have managed to get our hands on a unit (woohoo!). There are many reasons to be excited about this set. Firstly, it is the first mass-produced, officially licensed 1:8 JDM Technic-style in the market and secondly, it is inspired by the iconic heavily kitted and modded FD RX-7 from Tokyo Drift (2006, Universal Pictures) driven by Han. As always, before getting into the meat, here are some basics of the set:
- Product name: CaDA Mazda RX-7
- Product number: C61502W
- Number of pieces: 3,305
- Scale: 1:8
- Completed model size: 56.2 x 21.6 x 27.5 cm (22.1 x 8.5 x 10.8 inches)
The Overview
Like the CaDA Mercedes-AMG One C61503W we reviewed last year, the CaDA Mazda RX-7 C61502W is part of the Chinese brick-built toymaker’s Master series and the second officially licensed Master series model. While it is equivalent to LEGO UCS, it is not specifically targeted at adults. It is listed for 14+ but trust me; it takes more than age 14 to deal with this set. The build is super hard but not a walk in the park either. It does take some experience and maturity to build.
Unlike the Mercedes-AMG, this set is not multi-party officially licensed. Only Mazda offered its blessing and while we are grateful, I’d wish it could have Veilside and Toyo Tire’s blessing so it could have the Veilside logo as well as the lovely set of wheels—the VeilSide Andrew EVO-V wheels (which appears to be a derivative of the Works x JDM Concept GT5) wrapped in Toyo tires. Then again, if that was the case, it would not have been at this price point.
Once again, CaDA partnered with a MOC extraordinaire to realize the set. The CaDA Mazda RX-7 C61502W is based on the original work of Artemy Zotov who designed the set around the Mazda RX-7 (FD) Veilside Fortune that has been made famous by the movie, Tokyo Drift. It features a working 13B twin-rotor engine and a functional 4-speed sequential gearbox.
It is a 1:8 scale model of a 4.3-meter-long car, so it is pretty shelf-space demanding. Granted Mazda RX-7 (FD) isn’t a big car but it is still pretty sizeable. When completed, it measures 56.2 cm which is just 2 inches short of 2 feet. It’s imposing. It is weighty too, coming in at 2.8 kilograms (6.17 lbs). The model accurately mimics the real car’s wide body width with the Veilside Fortune wide body kit. Though this is not what it is called officially, for obvious reasons.
As with most—if not all—newer CaDA Master series models, this is not a build-and-display model. It is a remote control toy too. It comes with a ready-to-run 2.4 GHz controller that pairs with a receiver on the model. Thankfully, it does not use an app for control. Why I do not appreciate app-controlled toys has been explained previously. I think there’s no to detail further.
The Package
The set packs 3,305 pieces which is a few pieces more than the Mercedes-AMG One but as far as build goes, the technique employed on the RX-7 is far less complex. The 3,300+ pieces are divided into 5 boxes, each containing multiple plastic packets, and neatly packed inside a massive main packaging along with the wheels and the coffee table-like instruction booklet. All together the build is divided into 7 sections: A-F with elements labeled 1-7.
Two coffee table book-style instruction booklets introduce to the builder the designer, the power components, CaDA’s unique removal tool, and of course, the instructions. At the end of book two, you get the requisite glossary of components used in the build—complete with part SKU. Prior, it had some operating instructions, including RC operations and various gimmicks.
The main box features a beautiful, glossy print of the RX-7, along with the requisite information, alongside the official Mazda logo, and Artemy Zotov’s signature with his logo. The box also features a couple of images of the complete model, the key features of the set, and the obligatory product info in English.
The Electronics
The set is supplied with two motors: a L Size Motor Pro, a Servo Pro, and a LiPo battery box. The light-up elements include a 3-in-1 hub and two LED lights. Rounding up the power components is a radio control pad.
The power system of the CaDA Master series is not an afterthought but it is not perfect either. The biggest boon is that there is no force sandwiching fine wire between bricks. The downside of having cables, be it the ribbon cables or regular round wires for the lighting, is cable management. I use small zip ties and narrow cellophane tape to get the cable out of the way to minimize the interruption to the internals.
But I cannot do anything with the battery box. It is just there with the ribbon cables converging on it. Not the prettiest sight, IMHO. But also not a dealbreaker. Though I wish there was a non-powered version.
As a consolation, unlike the Mercedes-AMG One, this set does not have a lot of excess length for the cables. They are manageable.
The Power Function & Lightings
The power functions are pretty basic. It does not have fancy features like a retractable spoiler, or powered door opening and closing. It can move forward and reverse, as well as turn left and right. Interestingly, this model includes a manual steering gear on the top of the dash so you can manually steer the wheels if so desired.
The power function also includes making the twin-rotor move, which is a sight to behold. However, I thought this part could use a little orange light to mimic the combustion within the engine. I also have a slight gripe about how the rotors are designed which I will detail in the design section.
There is something I have to say about the light-up features. Over at the front, only the main round headlight lights up, not the secondary lamp. Over at the rear, the LED is placed quite far from the taillight piece and while it works, it does not have the best effect. But I am not gonna fuss about it. It is just an observation.
The Design
I cannot say this is the best representation of the kitted-out Mazda RX-7 but I think the design is pretty spot on. Comparatively, the FD does not have as many details as, say, the Mercedes-AMG One but Artemy nails it nevertheless. Everything comes together solidly and I do mean solidly. The air outlets on the hood, the recess on the doors, and the front lips with the front air scoops—all have been accurately recreated using Technic-style elements.
The only thing isn’t consistent with the real life are the rims’ design and the fact that the rear suspension setup that does not allow for deep dish wheels. Oh, there is another thing.
The instrument panel is faithfully recreated using printed 1×1 flat round tile. It has four of them and each of them is secure to the instrument panel using two methods: connector peg with friction and connecting bush. The latter is the connector that posed a problem. The 1×1 flat round plate is loose when attached to it and it can rotate even with the slightest bump or touch.
There are no stickers or decals to deal with and that is a major hooray! And oh, it has no seatbelts but it does have cleverly designed bucket seats. Last but not least, it has a functional 4-speed sequential gearbox which is super fun to build.
The Build
It may have almost the same number of pieces as the Mercedes-AMG One but I took just 16 and half hours to complete the set. Where LEGO often uses color pieces for internals, CaDA doesn’t but then again, I can’t even if it wanted to since most of the internals are visible or designed to be seen. The single-color build—especially black pieces—can be taxing on the eyes.
As said at the beginning, building is not a walk in the park but it is not nearly as complicated as I imagined it to be.
The Thoughts
As far as individual elements go, CaDA means business. Most of the elements bear CaDA branding. Overall, the CaDA Officially License 1:8 Mazada RX-7 by Artemy Zotov is not a super hard build. It would classify it as a fun, slightly challenging build that perfectly recreates the iconic sports car.
In the quality department, the set I have has a little shortfall. I noticed almost all the black axles have a flawed finish (pictured below). It looks almost like it has been exposed to high heat and is on the verge of melting. This “scarring” sometimes makes fitment a little challenging.
Beyond that, it feels just like any quality Technic-style which means the usual not easy to get in pins is kind of standard. Or maybe it is just me having with connectors.
Now for the rotors… they have a weird design choice. Each rotor is created using a black triangular three-axle connector, and a “chain” is formed using links. It uses 13 links which has some freeplay when stretched over the black triangular three-axle connector.
Because it is kinda loose, it can be hard to handle during the build process. At times when I was trying to get the sections together, the “chain” came loose and I had to take stuff apart to get it back to the rotor shape. The 13B rotary with its twin rotor is also faithfully recreated here using this design but I think it could be improved with molded pieces—you know, for the benefit of authenticity.
Not going to lie. I dig this set a lot—as much as the Mercedes-AMG One if not more but as before, it would be nice if there were RC and non-RC versions. The RC feature is good to have but not necessary for enthusiast builders like me. Unless it uses proportional technology, the RC part is just toy-level fun.
The Verdict
For:
- Accurate proportions
- manually selectable 4-speed gearbox
- No decals!
- The hood opens to reveal the engine with a single large turbocharger
- Engine hood holder (!)
- Engine bay brace
- Opening trunk with a removable panel to view rear suspension setup
- Door opening and locking mechanism
Against:
- No authentic-looking wheels
- Scratchy/scarred black axles (almost all of them)
- Engine seated too low and engine back to sparse
- Suspension is not the most accurate but its function
- As with most sets with electronic functions: cables everywhere
Additional Notes
I said it before and I will say it again: This set could use a multi-way collab with Tokyo Drift, Veilside, and Toyo Tires. An official collab would mean it could include the VeilSide logo at the rear, rather than an empty square now. Plus, a collab with Veilside may also mean a 1/8 scale of the 19-inch VeilSide Andrew EVO-V wheels would be possible.
Honestly, I would highly recommend this set to any JDM fans out there. While it may not be affiliated with Tokyo Drift, I would say it is a set for Fast franchise fans too.
If you are down, you may pick up the CaDA Mazda RX-7 C61502W from the CaDA store for US$249.99.
All images by Mike for Mikeshouts.com.