At the Japan Mobility Show in 2023, Mazda stunned the world with the Iconic SP Concept—a two-door, two-seater rotary-powered sportscar. At the time, the carmaker was mum on whether it’s going into production or not. A year later, we finally have the definite answer: yes, it’s heading to showrooms.
This nugget of information was confirmed by Masashi Nakayama, Mazda’s General Manager at Design Division. To quote:
This concept is not just one of those empty show cars. It’s been designed with real intent to turn it into a production model in the not-so-distant future.Naohito Saga, Executive Officer at Mazda’s R&D Strategy Planning Division goes further:
Standing by the car, you should be able to picture what sort of engine would be housed under the bonnet. That’s how committed we were to crafting this concept car. The more time you spend looking at it, the more the car will reveal to you. In the development process, everything from position of the doors and tires, to the length of the vehicle, the seating position of the occupants and visibility was meticulously researched before reaching the final specifications. It really shows how much we wanted to make it a car that manifests Mazda’s commitment for the future, especially in terms of sustainability and the future role of our rotary engine technology.
In its concept form, the Iconic SP larger in all dimensions to the MX-5 ND indicating it could join the Mazda line-up as a second sportscar positioned above the upcoming all-new MX-5. Compared to the MX-5 ND, it’s longer (4,180 mm versus 3,915 mm), wider (1,850 mm versus 1,735 mm), with a more generous wheelbase (2,590 mm versus 2,310 mm). It is lower, however, at 1,150 mm versus 1,230 mm. Its also heavier at 1,450 kilograms versus the MX-5 ND soft top’s 1,063-kilogram curb weight.
In its concept form, the Iconic SP featured an EV system and a dual-rotor rotary engine range extender. All in all, it pushes 370 horsepower routed through the rear wheels.
The Iconic SP emphasizes minimizing character lines and reducing the play of light, aiming for a look that is both dramatic and exciting. Moreover, it’s also crafted with sustainability in mind using plant-derived fibers and dyes and materials created from oyster shells—a specialty of Mazda’ hometown of Hiroshima.
If the totl MX-5 is priced at 2.6m, this is expected to be around 3m at the least? Any thoughts?
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