Mazda: ‘insane’ number of enthusiastic employees want a running sports car

There are only three certainties in life: death, taxes and Mazda’s rotary engine ambitions. Although the MX-30 crossover with a range-extending engine failed to catch on, the RX dream is still alive. A new sports car positioned above the Miata has been an on-again, off-again affair since the Iconic SP broke cover in October 2023. The beautiful concept has not yet been given the green light for production, but a company higher up is not closing the door completely.

In an interview with Auto ExpressMazda Europe’s project manager and product planning supervisor kept the flame alive for an RX revival. Moritz Oswald said there are an “insane” number of enthusiasts within the company who want a flagship sports car. The Zoom-Zoom brand is actively exploring a spiritual successor to the RX-7 or RX-8, but the decision ultimately depends on financial feasibility.

‘The number of car enthusiasts in this company is insane. Everyone loves cars, so of course there is a deep desire to continue launching emotional products. So, do we investigate that? Yes of course. But then again, we are also a company that needs to bring in revenue.”

If the RX ever returns, Mazda would take a different approach than the Iconic SP. In both the concept and the unloved MX-30 R-EV, the rotary engine acts as a generator to charge a battery, which then powers the electric motors for propulsion. However, on a production RX, the rotary engine would send power directly to the wheels.

Last year’s Vision X-Coupe also featured a rotary setup, this time in a plug-in hybrid configuration with a twin-rotor engine. Mazda insists these concepts are more than just teases, as the company is using them to gauge interest in a potential rotary comeback: “We want to see how it resonates, what the feedback is, to try to figure out what kind of opportunity we have there.”

While Mazda has a dedicated team actively working on rotary engines and broad internal support for a new RX, Chief Technology Officer Ryuichi Umeshita recently pointed out the elephant in the room: “the only outstanding issue is the financial one.” If it does happen, it will not be at the expense of the beloved Miata. The MX-5 will remain regardless of whether a larger, more expensive performance model joins the lineup.

Given that an RX revival has not yet been approved, it’s unrealistic to expect a rotary sports car to hit the market before the end of this decade, if at all. The dream is still alive, but for now it remains just that: a dream.

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Taking Motor1s: Mazda is still a relatively small company, so it’s completely understandable that it’s not rushing to approve a new RX for production. With the ND Miata now in its 11th year^e This year, a fifth-generation model will likely arrive in the near future. Financing two small enthusiast cars simultaneously does not seem feasible at the moment.

We have to see the glass half full and be happy that Mazda has committed to another MX-5. It keeps the essentials: rear-wheel drive, a manual gearbox, lightweight construction and possibly a larger engine, while remaining naturally aspirated.