The eyes of the world gained a hope-filled glint when Mazda unveiled the stunning RX Vision sports car at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, reigniting forgotten embers in car enthusiasts with the possibility that the Japanese automaker would deliver another iconic rear-drive ‘Wankel’ rotary-engined performance coupe.
But a little over a year later, little to zero real progress has been documented or teased about the a successor to the RX-8, tentatively and unsurprisingly labelled the RX-9. And with the optimism fading, Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai told Automotive News in no uncertain terms that there are currently no projects or plans underway to build a sports car any larger than the MX-5.
In fact, when posed a question that would require Kogaisan to elaborate on a larger sports car entry (even as a range-extended EV or hybrid), he merely replied “No.”
In spite of there being no room for misinterpretation, there is some hope yet for fans of the SkyActiv-R rotary engine. Earlier in the conversation, the Mazda CEO mused on the future of the unique internal combustion motor, emphasising that future plans would need to integrate the rotary engine more thoroughly to “….make sure it wouldn’t be just short-lived. We need it to meet future emissions regulations. We are still conducting our R&D activity to overcome any issues we have with emissions and fuel efficiency.”
One possible implementation would include the engine being used as a range extender to aid an electric powertrain instead of being relied on as a main source of drive, especially since Mazda and the rest of the industry are more actively exploring innovations in electrification.
The creamy smooth and high-revving Wankel rotary might indeed live on in a Mazda, who have been a decades-long proponent of the technology and having found success in motorsport and performance-oriented passenger cars with it. Only, it might not be in the way enthusiasts will have hoped for.
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