When Mazda revealed the Iconic SP Compact Sports Car concept at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, it sparked immediate interest in what many thought would be a revival of the RX-7.
From its RX-7 inspired styling to its rotary-hybrid powertrain, at the time it seemed inevitable that the Iconic SP would one day reach production and bring back one of Mazda’s most coveted model lines.
Almost three years down the track, we’re no closer to seeing it in showrooms, with the brand instead focusing on its new range of large CX-family SUVs, and making the most of its ageing MX-5 sports car.
Speaking to UK outlet Auto Express, Mazda’s European product planning supervisor, Moritz Oswald, said the door is still open for the Iconic SP to reach production and sit above the MX-5, but there are a number of prerequisites to its arrival.
“If there’s a feasible way to do that, then I’m sure if somebody will do it, it’s Mazda, because here the enthusiasts still make things happen,” Oswald told Auto Express.
“I think at the moment the MX-5 is still our halo car that stands for everything that Mazda products should. Could there be something next to it or above? Yes.
“The amount of car enthusiasts in this company is insane,” he said. “Everybody loves cars, so of course there is a deep desire to keep on launching emotional products.
“So are we looking into that? Yes, of course. But again, we are also a company that has to bring in revenues.
“[…] that’s also why we are showing these kinds of concepts, because we also want to see how it is resonating, what’s the feedback, to try and find out how big is the opportunity that we have there.”
Previously it was understood the rotary engine in the Iconic SP would act as a generator for the on-board battery which feeds an electric motor, becoming a range-extender.
A report by Motortrend last year claimed the rear electric motor would produce about 270kW, much more than the official but under-rated 206kW turbocharged 13B rotary in the final FD RX-7s.
However, Mazda Europe’s general manager of R&D, Christian Schultze, believes that to capture the true sporty characteristics of the RX-7, the Iconic SP would need to have the rotary engine drive the wheels directly in some form.
“If you want to have it more sporty then maybe you look rotary plus a more sporty oriented hybrid, more parallel hybrid rather than a series hybrid,” said Schultze, “because people who cherish the engine, they want to feel the power of the engine directly, not only listen to it.
“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.”
It’s worth noting that since the Iconic SP was revealed in concept form, Mazda has cut its investment in future electrified models – including the range-extender powertrain in the sports car – by about one-third.
Mazda has been slow to the uptake of EVs and PHEVs, though late investments came at a time when the market started to cool, compounding its struggles.
It is still investing in rotary engines to make a meaningful comeback in range-extender EVs such as the recently revealed Vision X-Coupe, however this too is yet to reach production.
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