What Does FD Mean In Cars? -All About It

FD doesn’t stand for anything. Instead, it’s a chassis code for specific generations RX-7 and Honda Civic. But this can be confusing at times. 

So, what does FD mean in cars?

FD is a chassis code for two cars from Mazda and Honda. The Japanese domestic market identifies every model of a vehicle with a unique code. FD is a unique code for Mazda Rx-7 and Honda Civic. Mazda RX-7 has an FD version which was released in 1992. On the other hand, the Honda Civic FD version was released in 2005.

Now that you have some idea, dig deep to know more about FD RX-7. We’ve got it all covered. 

What Does FD Mean in RX-7?

FD is also part of the chassis code for the Mazda RX-7. All the third-generation Mazda RX-7 have a code that starts with FD. 

Previous generations of Mazda RX-7 had chassis codes SA, FB, and FC. SA Rx-7 started its journey in 1978. Mazda continued with this model till 1985. FB RX-7 is also the first generation as SA., but it’s the second series of the first generation.

FC was launched in 1985. The second-generation RX-7 was nothing like the first generation. The whole body was redesigned, it was heavier, the performance was also better. They continued till 1992.

FD RX-7 was introduced in 1992. This was totally different from the first and second-generation Mazda Rx-7. Its performance was also boosted. They inputted all the best products out there. 

This isn’t enough to know about the FD RX-7. So, let’s jump to know more about Mazda FD RX-7.

1. Engine

The 13B-REW was the first-ever mass-produced twin-turbo engine. This engine provided 252 horsepower. It was upgraded to 276 horsepower when production ended in 2002.

Though turbo-charged engines are best for a sports car, they also included an exceptional rotary engine. Moreover, it was a twin-rotor engine. The rotor engine increases the revs in the vehicle. This enhances the sports mode of the car.

2. Transmission

FD RX-7 provides two options with the transmission. 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic. The car is a rear-wheel-drive car. So it doesn’t matter a lot with the transmission.

Though racers always prefer manual transmissions. Because they provide higher acceleration than auto, for drifting, the manual transmission also has an advantage. They can increase the gear while drifting.

You can also drift with automatic transmission for rear-wheel drive. But we suggest you upgrade your suspension if your car is automatic.

What Does FD Mean in Honda Civic?

Civic has been in the Japanese domestic market since 1973. Honda released a total of 10 generations of civic. FD is the 8th generation of Honda Civic.

FD civics was released back in 2005. They continued production till 2011. This is a sedan car. This is not like the RX-7 sports car. Civics are used mostly for daily personal use. The car capacity is four people.

Civics are front-engine front-wheel-drive. The engine type is very basic. It creates a decent 155 horsepower which is enough for day-to-day purposes.

FD is the chassis code of the 8th generation civic. They introduced seven types of FD civic. They are starting from FD1 to FD7. Every class is different.

Common questions arise about the engine and the transmission and the engine of FD civic. Read along to know more about these.

1. Engine

Civics are front-engine front-wheel-drive. The engine type is very basic. It creates a decent 155 horsepower which is enough for your daily commute. But if you’re into racing, then you should focus more on modifying the engine.

The excellent build quality of Honda civics allows you to upgrade the engine into a turbocharged engine. Civics with Turbocharged engines have outstanding performance.

Here are some top picked turbocharged engine for you;

Though the stock engine is not so powerful. But other materials are well-built. Basically, it’s a luxury car. So they focused more on the comfort of the vehicle.

2. Transmission

This car comes with three types of transmission. These are:

  • 5-speed manual 
  • 5-speed automatic
  • 4 speed CVT

5-speed manual transmission is widespread. They are found in all types of vehicles from the 90s. In FD civic, the manual transmission is fundamental. No sports mode is available in FD civic.

A 5-speed automatic transmission is the newest addition to this FD civic. This was a new feature back in 2005. It helped many consumers of civic to choose FD civic above any other generation.

CVT transmissions were also newly introduced in 2005. This transmission comes with paddle shifters.  It also has a sports mode. After switching to sports mode you can use paddle shifters to control the gears.

These are all about the FD in cars. Hope this article helped to clear all your confusion about FD.   

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does FD mean face design?

Ans: When it comes to cars, FD is just a chassis code for Mazda Rx-7 and honda civic. 

Q: What year is Honda FD?

Ans: Honda FD was released in 2005 and continued the production till 2001.

Q: Can I buy a brand new FD Mazda RX-7

Ans: No, Fd Mazda RX-7 stopped their production back in 2002. You can either get a reconditioned or a second-hand FD Mazda RX-7.

Conclusion

Japan’s domestic market can be confusing at times. They use these specific chassis codes to keep track of generation. We hope you got answers on what does FD mean in cars.

One last tip, if you are into racing, modifying your FD honda Civic will be very interesting. You can make it to an absolute race car.

Let us know if you have any questions in our comment section.

Till then, enjoy riding cars.

Rob Dahm

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