A new halo sports car for Mazda, positioned above the MX-5, has been rumoured for some time, with the latest reports indicating the new coupe is edging closer to production.
Mazda’s often-promised flagship sports car could finally be nearing production, with reports that development work on the successor to the iconic RX-7 is almost complete.
In an interview with US publication, MotorTrend, Mazda’s Chief Technical Officer Ryuichi Umeshita says of the new sports car, “You can expect Iconic SP will be a good successor for RX-7.”
In this instance, Umeshita is referring to Mazda’s Iconic SP concept, first unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show in October 2023.
Since its reveal, speculation about the concept’s production future has remained strong, despite Mazda's relatively small size and budget compared to its larger competitors.
The concept was shown with a two-rotor engine, a pivotal part of the Mazda RX range’s rotary history, but in this instance, used as an onboard generator for an electric motor that powers the rear wheels.
The system is believed to be a more powerful development of the single-rotor range-extender system used in the Mazda MX-30 SUV in some overseas markets, with tighter emissions controls.
The concept’s 2590mm wheelbase and 4180mm length give it a comfortable positioning advantage over the more compact MX-5, with a wheelbase 280mm longer and an overall length that stretches 265mm longer.
Although Mazda already has a larger than MX-5 rear-wheel-drive-compatible platform in production underpinning the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90 SUVs, the larger size (280mm-530mm longer wheelbase) and strong focus on comfort and refinement for those models may not translate to the requirements of a lighter, more agile sports car.
Similarly, the 3.3-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine in the Large Architecture SUVs is an unlikely candidate for use in Mazda’s next sports car.
Despite a 254kW output in its most powerful guise, the 6000rpm power peak and flat torque delivery from 2000-4500rpm don’t align with the high-revving nature of Mazda’s past performance offerings.
Mazda RX-7 Spirit R.
A platform partner could be Mazda’s best option, and in this instance, Toyota could be the best option, with reports that the next-generation Supra will cut ties with BMW and become an in-house Toyota development.
Japanese publication Best Car reports that a new rear-wheel-drive sport car architecture is on the way from Toyota.
While Toyota currently has a range of rear-wheel drive models in its line-up, including some variants of the Japanese Crown, and models like the Lexus LS and LC, overwhelmingly the brand is switching models to front-drive architectures.
This includes the newly expanded Crown line-up, the ultra-luxury Century SUV, and the BMW X7-rivalling Lexus TX.
Toyota’s cost-protection measures for sports cars like the GR86, partnered with Subaru, and the BMW Z4-based Supra could see the two brands pair up on a production car that could include the next Supra, a production version of the Iconic SP, and a rumoured future Lexus coupe.
This arrangement would potentially give Toyota access to Mazda’s inline six-cylinder engine, keeping the Supra’s straight-six lineage intact, although Toyota may also opt for a version of the new GR-specific 2.0-litre four-cylinder motor slated for a range of future GR models.
Timing for the reveal of a production version of the Iconic SP concept remains unconfirmed, but with the expected 2026-2027 arrival of Toyota’s new-generation rear-drive sports car, the Mazda version could potentially follow shortly after.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
