With fan favorite models like the RX-7 and the MX-5 Miata in its portfolio, Mazda (MZDAF) -) is poised to continue a tradition of providing customers with high-performance sports cars to the greater buying public.
Although it seems that the rise of electrification and EVs are threatening the future of exciting sports cars, the Hiroshima-based brand has a creative solution to keep sports cars on the road within the near future.
Mazda's "Iconic" concept
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Mazda revealed its latest sports car concept, called the Mazda Iconic SP, at the Japan Mobility Show on October 25 as a look into the future of the sports car offerings of the brand.
The Iconic SP is a car that deserves its name based on its looks alone. In a world where modern sports cars feature sharp, angular, lines that exude aggressive energy, the Mazda features a smiling face and soft, sculpted lines akin to an Italian roadster from the past.
According to Mazda, the Iconic SP concept is slightly larger and heavier than the current model year’s MX-5 Miata, tipping the scales at nearly 3,200 lbs, compared to the featherweight MX-5 at 2,341 lbs.
Photo by Jun Sato/WireImage
Additionally, as a nod to longtime Mazda sports car fans, the design also features cues from the last iteration of the legendary RX-7 sports car, including front pop-up headlights.
Butterfly doors open up to its interior, where the Iconic SP features are relatively spartan in comparison to other electrified models, however is made simple for the maximum driver experience.
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As per Mazda, the goal of its design was to create a sleek, compact sports car not just for the racetrack, but comfortable enough “to enjoy on the weekend or during an everyday trip to the shops.”
The party trick of Mazda’s new sportster is its powertrain, which it describes as a “two-rotor rotary EV system,” which they say can run on hydrogen and other “carbon neutral” fuels. Combined with its electric motors, Mazda says that its system is good for an estimated 365 horsepower.
Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Mazda has said previously that the next MX-5 Miata will be electrified to some degree, but Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro said in a statement that the goal of this specific car was to show the brand’s commitment to making exciting cars.
"Mazda will always deliver vehicles that remind people that cars are pure joy and an indispensable part of their lives," Moro said. "As a car-loving company that mass-produces the inspiring mobility experience, we are committed to shaping the future with our partners sharing the same goal, as well as our fans, where everyone can proudly say, ‘we love cars.’"
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