New Mazda patents reveal a three-rotor engine paired to a hybrid system and rear-wheel drive – wrapped in a long-bonnet, two-door body that could point to a production sports car.
Mazda’s long-rumoured, on-again off-again successor to its RX-7 and RX-8 rotary-engined sports cars could be back on the cards, new patent filings suggest.
Discovered by websites including Autoevolution and Hatena Blog, Mazda has filed patents in Japan and Europe showing a two-door, rear-wheel-drive coupe powered by a rotary engine, aided by what is reported to be a mild-hybrid electrical system.
The rotary engine pictured is a three-rotor unit – its first since the 20B of the 1990s, used in twin-turbocharged trim in the production Japanese-market Eunos Cosmo coupe, and later adapted for use in the ill-fated Furai concept car of 2007.
Mazda has repeatedly toyed with the idea of a new rotary-engined sports car since the demise of the RX-8 in 2012, most notably with the RX-Vision concept of 2015 (and subsequent GT3 racing variants) – though it has yet to eventuate in showroom-ready form.
The company has filed multiple patents in recent years for a two-door sports car bearing a close resemblance to the RX-Vision, with an aluminium spaceframe chassis and an engine bay designed for a rotary. Other rumours, meanwhile, have suggested the possible RX-9 would be powered by a turbocharged inline-six engine – in contrast to all previous RX-badged vehicles, powered by rotors.
The inclusion of a hybrid system in the patents suggests a hypothetical RX sports car would keep efficiency in mind – which could be aided by the use of hydrogen as fuel for an internal-combustion engine, currently under study through a partnership between Mazda, Toyota, Subaru, Yamaha and motorcycle specialist Kawasaki.
What has been confirmed to return is the rotary engine, set to feature in a range-extender version of the MX-30 small electric SUV later this year. While electricity will be used for the majority of driving duties, the rotary engine will step in to top up the battery, or allow the vehicle to continue driving once the pack is depleted.
Mazda discontinued its last rotary-powered sports car in 2012, the RX-8, having sold 192,194 examples since its launch in 2003. It was preceded by the more iconic two-door RX-7, sold from 1978 to 2002, with 811,634 examples produced.
The Mazda rotary engine celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017, followed by the RX-7’s 40th birthday in 2018 – anniversaries once believed to be launch dates under consideration for a new Mazda rotary sports car, but which have since passed.
The post Mazda files patents for rotary-engined hybrid sports coupe appeared first on Drive.
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