The world may be going electric (depending on who you ask), but Mazda is staying true to its roots with the debut of the Vision X-Coupe today at the Japan Mobility Show (JMS). This sleek fastback will be music to the ears of enthusiasts, because this thing is not only powered by gasoline, but also has a rotary engine!
Yes, you read that right: the Vision X-Coupe uses a dual-rotor mill for the first time since the RX-8 was discontinued 13 years ago. Here it is mated to a plug-in hybrid powertrain, which produces a solid 510 hp in total and delivers a pure electric range of 160 km and a total range of 800 km.
Furthermore, unlike the MX-30 R-EV and the iconic SP concept of 2023, the Wankel engine is not relegated to a range extender, as it also appears to be connected to the drive wheels. As you can see from the images, the Vision
Mazda says the Vision X-Coupe can run on carbon-neutral fuel produced by microalgae via the company’s proprietary Mazda Mobile Carbon Capture technology. This means the car can reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere the more it is driven, Hiroshima claims.
In terms of design, the Vision The front features the latest evolution of Mazda’s Kodo design language, with a body-coloured front fascia and vertical daytime running lights instead of the usual five-point grille. Slit-style headlights and a downward-swept air intake contribute to the car’s aggressive, focused appearance.
The rear, meanwhile, is home to perhaps the most bizarre design feature you’ve seen on a Mazda yet: taillights seemingly scrawled onto the upturned rear deck. They flank a small tailgate and a U-shaped rear window that certainly offers negligible rearward visibility.
Fortunately, the interior is more in line with the brand’s high standards, with four individual bucket seats, a minimalist design and tasteful use of gray and green upholstery. The driver is confronted with a sporty (and thankfully still round) three-spoke steering wheel and rounded boxes for the digital gauges, while a large wide infotainment display spans the center and passenger side. The high center console envelops the front occupants and is topped by a bulbous gear lever.
Mazda has been talking about reviving its RX line of rotary sports cars for a while now, and the debut of the Vision X-Coupe suggests we’re closer to that than ever before. On the other hand, Tokyo Big Sight has been the sight of many false dawns for the company over the years, so we’ll take it with a grain of salt.
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