In the fall of 2023, Mazda unveiled its Iconic SP concept. A delicate yet muscular coupe that looks, simultaneously, to have been resolved fully from the first stroke and honed from endless iteration, it was meant to presage the future of the brand’s sports cars. Two pieces of good news were imbued in this reveal. First, that Mazda aimed to continue producing sports cars. Second, that, with its extremely low nose, this two-seater was designed around some compact alternative powertrain.
“What if I said there was a lightweight motor that is the size of a milk crate, can deliver a couple hundred horsepower, has few moving parts, and can make a great solution for combusting gasoline, hydrogen, or biofuel,” says Jeff Guyton, the brand’s global chief financial officer. “And that we’re working to develop that powertrain into another generation as a range extender for a hybrid.”
