At last year’s famous Japan Mobility Show, Mazda unveiled the stunning Iconic SP concept car powered by a next-generation rotary hybrid powertrain. Or that was when I published my first article last November. Now we hear that the production formula can be very different.
Last November, the Mazda concept unveiled an electric car with a diversity extender, a gasoline engine that the company says can also run on a variety of sustainable fuels. This may sound too futuristic to many, but that powertrain already exists in a production car, forcing Mazda’s MX-30 R-EV, an SUV with a rotary engine that doesn’t force the wheels but drives a generator to recharge. batteries.
According to Mazda, the Iconic SP would use the same basic system, but would have two 830cc rotors from the MX-30’s single rotor and produce a lot more power – test more than 350 hp in total. And unlike the MX-30, the force would be channeled to the rear wheels, just like in a true sports car. But there is more.
When Mazda revealed the main points of its next-generation “rotary-engine sports car,” many bettors were initially drooled over the car’s impressive and impressive lines, but soon felt robbed when they were told that the car would not run on the rotary engine. engine. which would act more like an onboard generator.
Fast forward 10 months. Things are not what they seem. We are now informed by Japan’s best-selling car magazine, Best Car, that a patent has been filed through Mazda with the Japan patent office, showing that the automaker is serious about putting this vehicle into production. And probably with another propulsion system.
The content of this patent has caught our attention. Because now it looks like the rotary engine will drive the rear wheels in a mild hybrid system, not a diversity extender setup. In fact, we questioned Mazda’s original explanation last year, as the Iconic SP car concept used a thick center tunnel between the engine. force and passenger through which a propeller shaft would pass. When we asked a nearby Mazda worker if the rotary engine in this concept would definitely play the role of a “generator” to power the batteries, the nonchalant answer was “not necessarily. “Therefore, the patent has shown our initial questions.
What the patent hints at is that the rotary engine will be situated right on the front axle in a so-called “front half” configuration, making the car rear-wheel drive without a steering wheel. The patent also suggests that the rotary engine will be connected directly to a 33hp electric motor that will act as a flywheel, driving the rear wheels.
In addition, the transmission would be above the rear axle in the form of a transaxle and would feature an AMT (automated manual transmission) configuration with the option of a 6-speed manual as well. The patent also suggests that in addition to the mix of the rotary engine and rear-wheel-drive motor, two 23-hp in-wheel motors can also drive the front wheels, giving the car 4WD capability to complement its rear-wheel prowess.
The hybrid formula would also turn off the engine completely, allowing the car to run exclusively on its electric motor. So from what we’re hearing now, the next-generation rotary-powered sports car will be just that: a car powered by its rotary engine that can run on a variety of other fuels, while also gaining benefits from the assistance of an engine. electric. engines, allowing Mazda to comply with stricter emissions laws.
Expect to see the Iconic SP, which will likely appear under a more practical name, launching in late 2026 for around $45,000 to $50,000.
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