Though Mazda’s Japan Mobility Show stand was awash with MX-5 messaging—even going so far as showcasing a mint Mk1—this stunning new concept coupe instead doffs its cap to the Mazda RX-7. About. Time.
Welcome to the classiest show car on display in Tokyo. It’s called the Mazda Iconic SP, a compact, classically proportioned sports car built to simply embody “the joy of driving.”
“It’s not the craziest car at the show,” Mazda’s European design director Jo Stenuit told Top Gear, “but it’s the most beautiful. It’s looking towards a future of driving fun.
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“For me, it’s an RX. When I look at the design cues, especially in this color, I see the RX-7,” he added. Us, too, and it’s a very good sight indeed. There’s a simplicity in its silhouette that runs from a very modern interpretation of pop-up headlights, across the roofline and into that very simple rear treatment.
“There are a few details here that point to the future,” Stenuit continued. “As designers, even in the EV era, we still want to have a ‘fun to drive’ sports car, which we’re really famous for.”
As such, the fundamentals are fairly straightforward. There’s a rotary engine featuring twin rotors, though here—as in the MX-30 R-EV—it’s used merely to charge the battery that in turn powers the electric motors. No word on how many motors, but we know the rotary has been fitted “in the center of the car, resulting in a low hood.”
Indeed, in designing the car, Mazda’s designers were keen to get a shape with a low center of gravity to deliver on this premise of being fun to drive—or “excellent driving performance,” as it explains.
The 365hp output certainly helps, especially when it only has to motivate 1,450kg of car. “It’s wider, lower, and longer than an MX-5,” Stenuit said, “so it’s a different kind of animal.” Weight distribution is said to be 50:50—of course—and Mazda said the engine can be run on “various fuels such as hydrogen.”
“Mazda will always deliver vehicles that remind people that cars are pure joy and an indispensable part of their lives,” Mazda CEO Masahiro 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.’”
We happen to quite like the RX-7, too. Does this car resurrect that bloodline? “That’s what we would love to do,” Stenuit said. The petition starts here.
More photos of the Mazda Iconic SP:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
