Mazda thrilled the world last October when it revealed a new concept car with an athletic design that immediately elicited memories of the RX-7. Now, Mazda’s chief designer, Masashi Nakayama, says he’d like a production version of the concept to become a reality.
If the Iconic SP reaches production, it’ll likely build on the MX-30‘s fascinating hybrid rotary technology, inserting it into a car that is exciting enough to capture the attention of the world.
“I’d like to make this car [the Iconic SP] our next project. I want to see it out in the world that much,” Nakayama told Top Gear. He added that the similarity of its design to that of the third-generation RX-7 was no mistake. He called the car his team’s “biggest source of inspiration,” and added that in the same spirit, the unusual powertrain drove the design of the Iconic SP.
“The RX-7 was marketed with the catchphrase ‘designed by rotary’,” Nakayama said. “The rotary engine is what made [it] possible. With that in mind, our design incorporates a lot of motifs similar to the RX-7.”
Read: Mazda Iconic SP Is A 365 HP Twin-Rotor Hybrid MX-5 From The Near Future
As such, a small twin-rotor engine, a battery pack for it to charge, and electric motors to power the wheel have all been incorporated into the design of the coupe as efficiently as possible. Despite the complication, Mazda said that the Iconic SP has a perfect 50:50 weight distribution, and should be able to deliver 365 hp (272 kW/370 PS) to the road.
It’s not all about engineering, though. The point of the Iconic SP is also to appeal to the less rational parts of the brain, according to Nakayama. For example, take the concept’s pop-up headlights. When asked why they had been incorporated into the design, he answered, “Why not? It looks cool, right?”
“Mazda’s designs should trigger something deep within our mind,” said Nakayama. “”I explained that it’s beyond logic. That’s the kind of design that Mazda will pursue. Designs that truly resonate in our hearts.”
Unfortunately, it’s not quite clear if and when a production version of the Iconic SP could be ready. However, on February 1, Mazda announced that it’s getting the old rotary engineering team back together, and expediting R&D efforts to create “attractive cars that excite customers.”
