Yes, we know, another Mazda rotary sports car story. The thing is, we can almost taste it as the folks from Hiroshima have been hyping its revival more than ever. Of course, the Iconic SP Concept from nearly two years ago got the ball rolling when it made its premiere at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show.
Since that concept’s debut, the Iconic SP has been making rounds in some of the world’s biggest auto show. We even got to see it again during the 2025 Bangkok International Motor Show. There’s also a general idea of its specifications.
So far, the company said it will roll out the production model. However, it wasn’t mentioned how the electrified rotary sports car will be positioned. Enter Mazda Chief Technical Officer, Ryuichi Umeshita.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Hello Kitty once graced the humble Mitsubishi Mirage hatch in Japan
DOTr promises to protect video uploader of GV Florida bus race
Speaking to Motor Trend, Umeshita said we ‘can expect Iconic SP will be a good successor for RX-7.’ With that, we can at least expect the road-going version to be larger than an MX-5. That’s the most the executive said, but he also added that it will not be called the Cosmo, so that can be ruled out.
At the moment, Umeshita and his team are in the process of presenting a business case to build it. Once it’s green-lit, it could arrive as early as 2026. It seems that the engineers have been hard behind at work behind the scene given the possible target launch. Then again, the rotary engine division was set up a few years ago.
Other interesting insights from the report? Mazda might even make a version of the new rotary sports car without the electrified bit. It won’t be easy to do, though, as tightening emission standards could easily derail those plans. And while there is the option to go full electric, Mazda has flat-out refused to take that route.
The production version of the Iconic SP now lies with the company’s board members. However, several key Mazda associates have expressed their support with this endeavor. But tipping the scales in its favor is Mazda’s own president and CEO, Masahiro Moto as he stated he would want to bring back the RX-7 at some point.
