Takao Kijima: The Mazda MX-5 and RX-7 FD3S Engineer

Takao Kijima is a Mazda engineer whose fingerprints are on two of the most important Japanese sports cars ever produced: the Mazda MX-5 Miata (NA) and the Mazda RX-7 FD3S. Both cars share a design philosophy — radical weight reduction, driver-focused engineering, and a refusal to compromise on fundamentals. Kijima's career at Mazda spanned more than 30 years, and his engineering influence is still felt in every modern Mazda sports car.

The MX-5 Miata Project

Kijima joined the MX-5 development team in the mid-1980s under chief engineer Shunji Tanaka. The Miata (NA) was an attempt by Mazda to revive the spirit of classic British roadsters — lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, simple, fun to drive. Kijima was responsible for chassis tuning and suspension geometry.

The NA Miata's success — over 400,000 units sold globally from 1989-1997 — proved that a small, light, affordable roadster could find a massive market. It became one of the best-selling sports cars ever produced and spawned multiple successor generations (NB, NC, ND).

The RX-7 FD3S Project

In 1989, Kijima was assigned to lead the RX-7 FD3S development project. His vision was specific: build the lightest possible twin-turbo rotary sports car, no compromise on weight. Every component was scrutinized:

• Aluminum hood (instead of steel)
• Aluminum suspension uprights
• Magnesium-alloy wheels (some variants)
• Plastic composite front fender
• Lightweight 13B-REW rotary engine (149 kg, ~100 kg less than comparable inline-6)

The result was a sports car weighing just 1,230-1,310 kg — extraordinarily light for a modern twin-turbo performance car. Kijima's motto for the FD3S was: "Weight first, power second. You can't fix weight with horsepower."

The 13B-REW Sequential Twin-Turbo

Kijima's team worked closely with Mazda's rotary engine engineers to develop the 13B-REW's sequential twin-turbo system. The "sequential" aspect was innovative: at low RPM, only the first (smaller) turbo activated, providing quick throttle response. At high RPM, the second (larger) turbo took over for top-end power.

The crossover between turbos was aggressive enough that drivers described it as "like being pushed twice." The FD3S's 280 PS was modest on paper, but the car's light weight made it genuinely fast — 0-60 in 5.0 seconds, quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds.

Design Philosophy

Kijima had a clear design philosophy, articulated in multiple Japanese interviews:

1. Weight is the enemy of driving pleasure — every unnecessary kilogram reduces the driver's connection to the road
2. Fundamental balance matters more than peak numbers — a well-balanced car feels faster than a more powerful but heavier one
3. The chassis sets the ceiling — a good chassis can be tuned for more power; a bad chassis can't be fixed
4. Production cost is a constraint, not a barrier — good engineering makes costs manageable

The Retirement and Legacy

Kijima left Mazda in the early 2000s, during a difficult period for the company. Mazda had financial issues and was restructuring. The RX-7 FD3S was ending production (2002), and the new RX-8 was launching with its controversial Renesis rotary engine.

After leaving Mazda, Kijima went into independent consulting and eventually semi-retirement. He remains a respected figure in the Japanese automotive community, often invited to speak about weight reduction and chassis engineering.

Legacy

Takao Kijima is one of the most important Japanese chassis engineers of the last 40 years. His influence extends far beyond the cars he personally developed. The NA Miata's success established the template for "cheap, cheerful, rear-wheel-drive fun" — a template Mazda has continued with every successor generation. The RX-7 FD3S proved that weight-focused engineering could make a rotary sports car competitive with larger, heavier rivals.

For Mazda fans and sports car enthusiasts globally, Kijima represents the best of Japanese engineering: pragmatism, driver focus, and a willingness to push weight reduction to its limits. Every time someone admires a lightweight sports car, they're implicitly praising the philosophy Kijima established at Mazda in the 1980s and 1990s.