One of the most exciting news to come out of the Japan Mobility Show 2023 was possibly the notion of the rebirth of the legendary RX-7. OK. The Mazda ICONIC SP Concept Car is not quite a successor of the RX-7 – at least Mazda did not explicitly say it is. In any case, it sure has the heart and spirit of it. And ‘heart and spirit’ is lent to it by a hybrid twin-rotor rotary motor.
That’s right, folks. The rotary lives on but with a little boost from an electric motor. It is a development we have been anticipating since 2018. The concept of a dual-rotor rotary EV system offers a versatile and scalable engine design that can utilize a range of fuels, including hydrogen. This unique Mazda technology is exceptionally well-suited for sports car configurations due to its flexibility and adaptability.
Furthermore, if the vehicle’s battery is charged using electricity generated from renewable sources, it can achieve a nearly carbon-neutral operational state. Well, that sounds like an emission-free vehicle without destroying the heritage. This is going to make rotary ICE enthusiasts very, very happen.
All told the Mazda ICONIC SP Concept Car’s hybrid twin-rotor rotary engine puts out a healthy 370 PS (about 365 horsepower). It is heftier than the FD though, coming in at 1,450 kilograms (3,197 lbs).
Aesthetically, we can see it has a modernized FD RX-7 line. It has an RX-8 crossed MX-5 front end, a low CG, and a rear end that reminds us of the Lotus Elise and Ferrari 550 Maranello. To be honest, I am not a huge fan of the Tesla-ish styling but over the little time I have writing this and going through the press photos, that look kind of grows on me. Well, just a little.
Images: Mazda [JP].
