It has been a year since Mazda first unveiled the enigmatic Iconic SP concept car, a stunning retro-futuristic sports sedan powered by an electric motor and a rotary engine range extender.
Recently, Mazda's design chief, Masashi Nakayama, announced that it will go into production.
Mazda's Iconic SP Concept
There were early indications that Mazda was going to put Iconic SP into production, but there was no clear information at that time. The first hint came during its debut at the 2023 Mobility Show in Japan, where Mazda's President and CEO, Masahiro Moro, described it as a beacon of the brand’s “commitment to the future.”
Subsequently, in an interview, Nakayama also hinted that he was eager to see the project come to fruition.
The final version of the Iconic SP might evolve into the successor of the RX-7 and RX-8 sports cars, though Mazda suggested that its size could also be reduced to that of the MX-5 sports car.
Ideally, the production version would retain the concept car’s sleek lines and alluring curves, along with those distinctive pop-up headlights, making it a special presence in this overly designed market.
Naohito Saga, the executive in charge of Mazda’s R&D strategic planning emphasized the meticulous attention in the design of the Iconic SP: “The more time you spend looking at it, the more the car will reveal to you.”
This senior official further mentioned, “Everything from the position of the doors and tires, to the length of the vehicle, the seating position of the occupants, and visibility was meticulously researched before reaching the final specifications.”
In other words, this was not just a concept car hastily prepared for a car show; Mazda clearly invested a significant amount of resources to make this a feasible production vehicle.
Engine
Although Mazda has not yet shared any powertrain details about the production version, the heart of the Iconic SP concept car is a compact dual-rotor engine paired with an electric drive system.
In this car, it generates a combined output of 365 horsepower (272 kilowatts/370 PS). The company claims that the range extender can adapt to any type of carbon-neutral fuel, potentially reducing emissions by up to 90%.
It is worth mentioning that Mazda is currently experimenting with a new technology that can capture carbon dioxide from exhaust emissions. If the concept proves viable as planned, this technology "could play a role in the development of Mazda's future vehicle lineup."
