The interior is where driver and car interact, therefore the various factors necessary for a modern sports car were given careful consideration All components, such as the meters, switches and gear lever have been ergonomically positioned to facilitate ease of operation, even the center console is angled towards the driver to give a feel of oneness with the car. The five round meters each have a chrome outer ring and are angled slightly downwards, as in the Le Mans car, to reduce reflection from ambient light and to ensure legibility. The electric speedometer prevents needle fluctuation and transmission of noise, while highly visible liquid-crystal displays are used for the trip and odometers. The gear stick knob and the three-spoke, leather-covered, 380mm steering-wheel have dimples where the driver's hands fall, not only to offer better grip but also to absorb moisture. The centers of the seat cushions and both sides of the leather seats are completely separate. This design gives full support to the driver and passenger under the considerable g-forces generated during cornering or heavy braking. The pedals are highly rigid and are laid out to permit hell-and-toe operation. Lightweight materials have been used - the clutch and brake pedals are aluminuim while the throttle pedal is made of plastic. In terms of weight reduction, small gains from countless measures have added up to huge saving compared to the previous model. For example, the seat-cushion frame is approximately 2.5kg lighter through the use of plastic, the smaller doors, including the windows, are each 6kg lighter and the windscreen is almost 9 kg lighter. Some of the weight saved through these exhaustive measures was subsequently utilized for the higher levels of safety and comfort required in modern sports car. After extensive testing, we concluded that accident avoidance is as important as crashworthiness, and the ultimate comfort of a sports car depends on functional, as opposed to excessively luxurious features. The driver's side SRS airbag is standard, both doors house a side-impact bar and fire-resistant material is used throughout the interior. SRS air bag The switches for the power windows are located in the door trim and the door locks are power operated. The electrically operated outer-sliding sun-roof is also standard. The new RX-7 is positioned as a pure sports car. The word luxury is totally alien to this car, although we did compromise a little when we felt it was becoming too Spartan. The ultimate judge of the effectiveness of the balance we have achieved will be the driver. Outer-sliding sun-roof Side impacts bars