The world’s only remaining unmodified Mazda RX-7 has died in captivity in Japan. It was 12 years old.

The only remaining unmodified RX-7 was rescued from its owner seven years ago, moments before it was grotesquely disfigured with a bodykit. For the rest of its life, it bore scars on its doors from attempts to fit them with a massive line of stick-on logos. At the time rescuers noted that if they hadn’t intervened the RX-7’s rear quarters were probably just days away from the ‘atrocity’ of a crude blowover with some flip paint.

After being rescued, the one remaining unmodified RX-7was taken to the Wakayama Institute of Car Protection where it was safely shielded from insane levels of rear camber, idiotically massive replacement turbos and aftermarket boost gauges crudely wedged between the dashboard and the A-pillar.

The cause of the last remaining unmodified RX-7’s death is not yet known but probably something to do with rotor seals.

As a mark of respect, 50 RX-7 owners will gather outside WIoCP on Friday to rev their engines simultaneously and weirdly smoothly. They will then stop because quite a lot of blue smoke is coming out.