The carmaker’s president also expressed his joy at the positive reception to the Iconic SP Concept from late last year
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by Brad Anderson
2 hours ago
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While Mazda’s rotary engine re-entered production last year for the first time in over a decade, it sadly was not revived in an exciting sports car but rather serves as a range extender in the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV. However, there remains hope that a new rotary sports car is on the horizon.
While recently speaking at the Tokyo Auto Salon, Mazda president and chief executive Katsuhiro Moro revealed that the carmaker will establish a dedicated team of engineers to focus on rotary engine development on February 1. Although Moro failed to specify what projects the team of rotary engineers will be working on, much of his speech was centered on the Iconic SP Concept that the brand unveiled late last year.
Read: Mazda Iconic SP Is A 365 HP Twin-Rotor Hybrid MX-5 From The Near Future
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“In order to break through the challenges of the carbon neutral era, rotary engine engineers who have acquired a broad technical perspective that transcends the boundaries of engine types and cutting-edge internal combustion engine technology, and who have been trained as users of model-based development, will reunite,” he said. “It is not so easy, but I hope we can take a step forward into a new chapter of insatiable challenge.”
Moro added that he was appreciative of the positive response to the Iconic SP Concept but stopped short of confirming it for the production line.
“I am very happy and deeply moved by all the support and encouragement I have received for the compact sports car concept,” he noted. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all. With your encouragement, we are launching a rotary engine development group on February 1 to move closer to this dream.”
It’s not surprising that Mazda is remaining coy about whether or not the Iconic SP will spawn a production model and if it does, if that production model will have the same powertrain. If it does then it’ll be driven by a twin-rotor that serves as a generator rather than sending power directly to the wheels. Electric motors provided the concept with 365 hp but Mazda has not said just how many motors the concept had.
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