- Mazda continues to hint strongly at a production version of the Iconic SP concept
- Concept debuted at the 2023 Tokyo auto show
- Power comes from electric drive system with rotary engine serving as generator
Mazda’s Iconic SP sports car concept unveiled at the 2023 Tokyo auto show may have a bigger role than the typical glitzy show car rolled out to help build a brand’s image.
In an interview with Mazda’s own Inside Mazda blog published on Nov. 7, Masashi Nakayama, Mazda’s general manager of design, said the concept was designed with production in mind.
Mazda Iconic SP concept
“This concept is not just one of those empty show cars,” he said. “It’s been designed with real intent to turn it into a production model in the not-so-distant future.”
In the same interview, Naohito Saga, Mazda’s executive officer of R&D strategy and planning, said the concept demonstrates Mazda’s commitment to sustainability, and how the rotary engine fits in with that commitment. Mazda in February reinstated a team to continue development of rotary engines, pointing to the engine sticking around in a world of electrification.
Naohito Saga (left) and Masashi Nakayama
At the Iconic SP’s reveal, Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro said the concept represented Mazda’s “dream” solution for cars that can deliver the joy of driving in the age of electrification, and that the automaker was working hard to launch it on the market. And given the latest comments from Nakayama and Saga, it’s likely development work on a production model is still proceeding.
Mazda hasn’t revealed many specifications for the Iconic SP but has confirmed the car’s peak output is 365 hp, delivered by an electric powertrain. Its twin-rotor rotary engine, mounted under the hood, serves purely as a generator, with the generated electricity likely keeping a battery charged, a combination known as a series hybrid.
Mazda Iconic SP concept
Mazda didn’t say whether the car also had a plug, but there are series hybrids on sale without a plug, like Nissan’s range of e-Power cars. They offer the efficiency of an electric powertrain with the convenience of filling up at a gas station.
Mazda’s MX-30 electric compact crossover already offers a rotary engine as a range extender in some markets, but the MX-30 also has a plug to charge its 17.8 kwh battery, making it a series plug-in hybrid.
Mazda Iconic SP concept
According to Saga, Mazda’s rotary engines are particularly suited for future applications as they’re capable of running on a variety of fuels with little modification. This means they will remain flexible as a new generation of carbon-neutral fuels slowly enter the market, such as hydrogen or new e-fuels.
“[The rotary engine] can be powered by various types of fuels, and that could give us an edge in the race to find a feasible solution for the future of mobility,” he said.
