Return of the Mazda RX-7 draws close as Iconic SP is marked for production
Mazda’s designer has said we can expect a production model “in the not-so-distant future”
Harking back to the unforgettable third-generation FD Mazda RX-7 of the 1990s, the Iconic SP concept wowed the automotive world last year. Now Mazda has given us further hope of its legendary sports car’s return.
Masashi Nakayama, General Manager of Mazda’s design division, hinted at the Iconic SP’s deeper significance. He stated, “this concept is not just one of those empty show cars. It’s been designed with real intent to turn it into a production model in the not-so-distant future.”
Naohito Saga, Executive Officer of Mazda research and development added, “standing by the car, you should be able to picture what sort of engine would be housed under the bonnet”. Over three generations and 24 years, the RX-7 used a rotary engine and became synonymous with the powertrain and its unique characteristics.
After using rotary power in the RX-8 sports car in the 2000s, Mazda brought back the rotary engine on its MX-30 R-EV, though in that car a single rotor is used to power the electric motor as a range-extender. The Mazda Iconic SP show car has two rotors instead, but also comes with an electric powertrain, which Mazda says is ideal for sports car packages. It claims the rotary engine will be able to burn a multitude of fuels.
“There are quite a few energy sources for carbon-neutral fuel,” said Saga, “there are different synthetic fuels, made using hydrogen and CO2 and biofuels, made from raw materials including plants, which are compatible with petrol and diesel engines respectively.” Power output for the Iconic SP has been claimed as 370bhp – around 100bhp more than the final edition of the FD RX-7.
As for the design, the Iconic SP takes inspiration not only from the RX-7, but it also mirrors the Mazda Vision Study Model concept revealed in late 2022. At the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show unveiling of the Iconic SP and the updated MX-5, Mazda President and CEO, Masahiro Moro said: “We are determined in the age of electrification to keep the joy of driving which the MX-5 represents alive, and the Mazda Iconic SP, with its dual rotary power generator EV powertrain, is our dream solution.”
The actual size of the Iconic SP (4,180mm long, 1,850mm wide and 1,150mm tall) is close to the final FD-generation RX-7. With rotary power plus the SP’s sleek design, it’s impossible not to make the link to Mazda’s nineties sports car icon.
Mazda says the Iconic SP weighs 1,450kg. While that is over 100kg more than the FD RX-7, it’s relatively lightweight compared to, for example, the latest BMW M2 (1,725kg).
The SP looks almost identical to the Vision Study Model concept, aside from a new headlight cluster. The sleek coupe profile, low bonnet, smooth surfacing, curved side window and overall proportions all mimic the FD RX-7, too.
Inside the minimalist cabin, we can see a gear selector for an automatic gearbox, and a touchscreen in the middle of the dash with readouts on regenerative braking, launch control, active aerodynamics, G-force vectoring control and a 360-degree camera. The driver’s display has a G-force readout and a mini-map of Monaco’s street circuit.
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