The unique appeal of Dominic Toretto aka Vin Diesel in the “Fast and Furious” franchise is that he seems like an All-American good guy despite being a notorious street racer and ex-convict. He is family-oriented and obsessed with protecting his friends from rival gangs, appears quite religious, and has an incredible sense of responsibility. Moreover, like the All-American guy he is, Dominic Toretto drives some of the coolest muscle cars that made the United States proud.

While his friends and enemies are often driving exotic cars like the 2005 Aston Martin DB9 and the 2019 McLaren 720s, Toretto is a huge fan of the Dodge. However, occasionally, we get to see him ride even cool Asian cars, like the 1993 Honda Civic EJ1 used for hijacking trucks or the Mazda RX-7 that appeared in a street race. With that being said, Dom Toretto will always remain the ultimate Dodge guy, but the Mazda RX-7 easily beats some of those rides when it comes to coolness and combativeness.

Related: 10 Of The Best Hero Cars In The Fast And Furious Saga

The Fast And The Furious: The Controversy Surrounding The Upgrades On Dom's Mazda RX-7

Dom's Mazda RX-7 From The Fast And The Furious
Mecum

Various websites claim that the Hero car was modified by Hollywood auto builder George Barris. For those who don’t know who Barris is, he was famous for upgrading, customizing and revamping several cool cars. For instance, he pimped up a 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 and transformed it into a “Red Demon.” He also built the original Batmobile that was used for the television series in the '60s. But Barris never worked on any of the “Fast and Furious” movies. In fact, The Drive debunks the lie and points out that Craig Lieberman even addressed the issue on Instagram.

When Lieberman found out about the modified Mazda RX-7 that was sold at Mecum Auctions in Kissimmee, Florida, he famously said, "THIS RX7 was NOT A MOVIE CAR. It was a car that George Barris had built by someone else in order to stay relevant in the movie car business. He did this to other cars, including at least one actual Fast and Furious car."

The Fast And The Furious: Keith Imoto’s Mazda RX-7 Had To Be Altered

Dom's Mazda RX-7 From The Fast And The Furious
Mecum

Dominic Toretto aka Vin Diesel is a pretty big and muscular guy; thus, some cars are really not made for him. Imagine Diesel driving a Smart car or a Ford Ka, that would be a funny sight. Interestingly enough, he had the same problem even on the set of “The Fast and The Furious” movie, so producers had to find a solution. According to GT Channel, Keith Imoto installed the cage in his car for safety reasons, but this made the hero car too little for Diesel, who struggled to sit comfortably. Luckily, the problem was solved by altering Keith Imoto’s car.

The “FD was designed after a Keith Imoto car, and originally came with a roll cage,” says the Fast and Furious fandom. “Unfortunately, Diesel couldn’t fit into the car with the roll cage, so it had to go.”

The Fast And The Furious: The Selection Of Japanese Cars In The Movies Was Not Irrational

1995 Nissan-Skyline-GT-R-R33
Fast & Furious 

While the most recent “Fast and Furious” movies use various European and American cars, the first movies were closer to the realities of street-racing. Autoweek highlights that in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the youth were falling in love with Japanese muscle cars and real street racers were using them in their underground street races. Not for nothing, Japan is famous for the Kanjozoku or "Kanjo Racers”.

In the United States, street racers were also turning towards Japanese cars, using them for street drifting and drag races; thus, the selection of Japanese cars for the “Fast and Furious” movie was not irrational.

Rafael Estevez, a street racer that might have inspired the Dom Toretto character, said in a phone conversation with Autoweek that his generation grew up “watching American cars,” but they didn’t like those vehicles, so they switched to “imports.”

Related: The Real Story Behind Jesse's VW Jetta From The Fast And The Furious

The Fast And The Furious: The Cool Street Racing Styling

Dom's Mazda RX-7 From The Fast And The Furious
Mecum Auctions

While in the movie, Dom’s Mazda RX-7 takes advantage of the nitrous-oxide system, the reality is a bit different. The engine of the Hero car had to be rebuilt with 3 mm apex seals, but other than slight upgrades, the vehicle remained the same.

However, one important modification was made for aesthetic reasons and that was repainting the exterior. Instead of the original silver color, the team decided to repaint the Mazda RX-7 in red. This way, the car looked sleeker and more dangerous.

Inside the cabin, Dom’s Mazda RX-7 had only one Recaro SPG racing seat, which was on the driver’s side. Sparco harnesses and Veilside Combat steering wheel and shift knob were also present.