The RX-Vision wowed the crowds when it was originally unveiled in late 2015 at the Tokyo Motor Show. At that time, it was described as being a "vision of the future that Mazda hopes to one day make into reality." More than seven years later, that future still hasn't arrived, even though the Zoom-Zoom company has revived the rotary engine. Rather than being used in a sports car, it serves as a range extender for the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV.
While Mazda is still dreaming of a rotary-powered performance vehicle, you can now buy the stunning RX-Vision in Japan as a 1:18 scale model. It costs 69,500 yen or about $535 at current exchange rates. The resin-made toy is 37 centimeters (14.5 inches) long, 20.5 cm (8 in) wide, and 14.5 cm (5.7 in) tall. You might want to hurry up and buy one since only 30 units will be sold and Mazda hasn't made up its mind whether it will sell another batch.
Mazda RX-Vision scale model
The most recent Vision-badged concept car from Mazda was also conceived with performance in mind. Shown in November 2022, the Vision Study Concept portrayed a sleek coupe that may or may not preview the next-generation MX-5 Miata. Officially, it "demonstrates the brand's commitment to enjoyable cars." Hopefully, it will materialize into an actual sports car rather than remaining a one-off like the RX-Vision.
Technically, the 2015 RX-Vision was not unique since it spawned a GT3 version that went on to join Gran Turismo. The last time when Mazda sold a rotary-powered sports car was in 2012 when the Japan-only Spirit R special edition ended its production run of 1,000 units. A spiritual successor remains unlikely, but the company has shown its commitment to the rotary engine by bringing it back for the plug-in hybrid MX-30.
