At the RAC Rally held in the UK in 1981, though it was the first time for the RX-7 to fully participate in the race, an 11th place finish. was achieved.
  The following year, two RX-7s participated in the at the final RAC rally of 1982. Rod Millen, who had achieved an admirable finish in the prior year's rally series, piloted his RX-7 in Group 2 to everyone's expectations; at mid-race, he was in 15th place. However, later on in the race he went off the course due to a tight corner. As it was nighttime, and lacking assistance from the gallery, he was forced to retire. The other RX-7, entered in the stock car class and driven by Bror Danielsson in Group A, maintained an amazing pace and was in 24th place when a rock hit his oil cooler head-on at the SS21 stage and he was also forced to retire from the rally.