Mazda's Rotary-Engine RX-7 Successor Almost Ready, But Next Miata's a Few Years Away
Different sports cars, different powertrains, same enthusiastic spirit—and we can't wait.
At Mazda, the desire for a Mazda RX-7 successor is there. The Iconic SP concept is the blueprint, too, and a next-generation rotary engine is almost technically complete. The business case for the revived RX-7 sports car just needs to fall into place, a final factor made even more challenging in today’s tariff-striven global economy.
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The Mazda Iconic SP sports car concept was first shown at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. The two-seater in Viola Red with 2+2 interior space was promised as a production car, similar in design, in the next few years. Masashi Nakayama, general manager of Mazda’s Design Division, calls the Iconic SP a pure sports car with its long nose and Coke-bottle shape with wide haunches.
It is not a replacement for the Mazda MX-5. It is larger than the Miata. “You can expect Iconic SP will be a good successor for RX-7,” Mazda Chief Technical Officer Ryuichi Umeshita tells MotorTrend.
Different Sports Cars, Different Powertrains
While the Miata will continue to use an internal combustion engine, the Iconic SP was shown as having a range-extender hybrid with an electric motor and a dual-rotor rotary engine acting as generator. Output would be about 365 horsepower. The engine is a more powerful and emissions-compliant version of the rotary engine that made its revival as a range extender in the 2023 Mazda MX-30.
The MX-30 was not offered in the U.S. because its rotary engine did not meet emissions regulations. But the new, more powerful rotary engine in development will, Umeshita says. And the sports car, conceptually, would be offered with a second powertrain option: with the rotary engine as the primary source of propulsion. A pure EV is possible but not planned.
Rotary engines are part of the soul of the company and commercializing that has never stopped, says Mazda Chief Financial Officer Jeff Guyton. The company now recognizes the geometry of the engine and how it works; capable of combusting oxygen, hydrogen and other fuels in an engine that is lightweight, compact and powerful. The powertrain in the MX-30 was an initial attempt but not fuel efficient enough.
Together, the Miata—apparently sticking around—and the production version of the larger Iconic SP would offer two sizes of sports car for the enthusiast.
What to Call Mazda’s New Sports Car
As for the name, the expectation is it will honor the RX-7. Maybe RX-9? Umeshita won’t confirm. He says the name is not a successor to an existing model. It could be a name from the past, or it could be a unique new nameplate. One thing it will not be: “There is very little possibility that we will name it Cosmo,” in reference to the brand's long line of upscale sports coupes by that name sold overseas.
He softens when asked about RX-7 or RX-9 but says final decisions have not been made. Mazda has a dedicated rotary engine development group with engineers who worked on the RX-7 and RX-8. Fans have called for a RX-8 successor, itself a somewhat oddly laid-out (but rotary powered) RX-7 replacement from the early 2000s. And Mazda President and CEO Masahiro Moro says he would love to bring back the RX-7 with a rotary engine.
Small But Important
Like the Miata, which sold 27,669 units globally last year, the production version of the Iconic SP will be a low-volume vehicle. Umeshita thinks the additional sports car will complement, not cannibalize, MX-5 sales.
Umeshita would not say when we will see the production model or when it will launch. Technically, the next-generation rotary engine will be ready soon, but not this calendar year, and it will pass U.S. regulations, he says. Initial talk was that it could go into production as early as 2026 but timing is also dependent on a viable business case.
Mazda will introduce its first homegrown pure EV in 2027, using a new platform that is flexible enough to accommodate all powertrains, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, extended-range hybrids, and battery electric vehicles. Mazda has a partnership with Panasonic for cylindrical battery cells, but the platform is flexible enough to use any type and size of battery, including solid state, in the future, Umeshita says. Mazda’s EV strategy is to be an “intentional follower.”
What About the Fifth-Generation Mazda MX-5 Miata?
Meanwhile, work continues on a fifth-generation Miata, but it is still a few years out. Designer Nakayama says the size and likeness won’t change, but he wants to update everything else to keep its status as an iconic, affordable and lightweight sports car that appeals to all ages and income levels. Its core values won’t change, but it will adopt aspects of the Iconic SP concept which is Mazda’s design language of the future.
The MX-5 must continue to have a gas engine to keep it lightweight and affordable. Mazda is working on the Skyactive Z—"Z" is for ultimate—gas engine, due in 2027 that will meet regulations while maintaining current power output. That is the breakthrough, the engineer says. And the Miata will still be offered with a manual transmission because the MX-5 is the “ultimate example of Jinba Ittai” which refers to the oneness of the car and driver, Umeshita says. To be ultimate the car must be light, with a naturally aspirated engine and manual transmission.
Restoring First-Generation Mazda MX-5s
Because of its iconic nature, Mazda created a classic car restoration area at its Hiroshima headquarters in 2017 to restore MX-5s. Japan does not have a rich culture of taking care of older vehicles but Mazda hopes restoring Miatas will help this culture take root. Initially the automaker is only restoring first-generation MX-5s with the 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine and manual transmission. Mazda buys used engines and rebuilds them. About 16 restorations have been completed so far. The company is studying whether to start restoring third-generation RX-7s. Factored into the decision is whether they can get parts.
Alisa Priddle joined MotorTrend in 2016 as the Detroit Editor. A Canadian, she received her Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, and has been a reporter for 40 years, most of it covering the auto industry because there is no more fascinating arena to cover. It has it all: the vehicles, the people, the plants, the competition, the drama. Alisa has had a wonderfully varied work history as a reporter for four daily newspapers including the Detroit Free Press where she was auto editor, and the Detroit News where she covered the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies, as well as auto trade publication Wards, and two enthusiast magazines: Car & Driver and now MotorTrend. At MotorTrend Alisa is a judge for the MotorTrend Car, Truck, SUV and Person of the Year. She loves seeing a new model for the first time, driving it for the first time, and grilling executives for the stories behind them. In her spare time, she loves to swim, boat, sauna, and then jump into a cold lake or pile of snow.
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