Mazda is in a bit of a predicament at the moment. Declining sales, reduced profit margins, and the strife to move upmarket have caused the company tremendous setbacks. I, for once, want to see Mazda succeed. I love that the company does things differently, and the rotary engine is one of those signature elements of the brand.
There have been numerous reports from Japan regarding Mazda’s next flagship sports car. It seemed like, one month, the RX-7 successor was about to become reality, only to find out that Mazda supposedly shelved the project the next month. That said, the latest issue of Japanese outlet, BestCarWeb, unveiled a lot of details about many of the upcoming Japanese sports cars we all know and love, and one of the scoops is about the flagship Mazda sports car.
We have known for a while that Mazda had developed a new rotary engine, meant to send power directly to the rear wheels. The scoop mentions a twin-rotary engine with each rotor having 830 cc of unitary displacement. This comes up to a total displacement of 1,660cc or nearly 1.7 liters, which is more than the RX-8’s Renesis engine.
Possible PHEV
The scoop also mentions an electric motor powerful enough to drive the car on its own. This hints at a plug-in hybrid setup, as those typically allow for driving purely on electricity. Combined power output is said to be 500 horsepower, which is significantly more than what we have previously heard. Previous reports mention weight figures of around 2,976 pounds (1,350 kg), so it will have a very good power-to-weight ratio.
The new Mazda rotary sports car will occupy an interesting place in the performance food chain. Currently, there is no other Japanese performance car with similar power. Perhaps, the next-generation Toyota GR Supra would join it since it will likely feature a hybrid powertrain, revolving around the new G20E engine.
The Mazda RX-7 successor will arrive in 2028, but at what price? With a power-to-weight ratio like this, it will likely cost around the same as a C8 Corvette if not more, and that is already a very high-performing vehicle, and a mid-engine one at that.
The hybrid powertrain means that the Mazda sports car will likely be automatic-only. This will make it easier to cover the latest emissions regulations. At the very least, Mazda’s new eight-speed automatic is a good baseline, and with a bespoke tune, it will be a perfect match for a high-performance sports car.
There is still much we don’t know about the 2028 Mazda rotary sports car. Exact price, the weight figure (although we have a target figure), the 0 to 60 mph, and the electric range are all unknown for now. I think if it doesn’t have a manual, it will not be as competitive as other performance car offerings in the market.
Many performance cars like Toyota’s GR Supra and the Nissan Z NISMO that were initially auto-only can now be had with a manual transmission, so Mazda might be missing out on that. Currently, the company has only one manual, and it is the one used in the Miata, and that one was known to be fragile, with some owners reporting issues.
Related story: Mazda May Be Facing Internal Pressure Regarding Its Rotary Engine Rebirth
Now that the Mazda RX-7 successor is confirmed, what are your thoughts on it? Do you think it will deliver on everything enthusiasts want from a lightweight, flagship sports car? Let me know in the comments below.
About the author
Dimitar Angelov has been an automotive journalist since 2014. His passion for cars and motorcycles led him to take up classic car restoration at the Classic Car Museum in Malta. While living there, he also graduated with a Master's in Media and Communications. Aside from Torquenews, his work can also be seen on Topspeed.com, HotCars.com, Motorheads.com, Jalopnik.com, and his own website, Ridereverie.com, where he also includes motorcycle content.
Image source: Mazda press
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