- Mazda has unveiled the Iconic SP forward of the Tokyo auto present, offering extra particulars on the streamlined sports activities automobile first seen nearly final yr because the “Imaginative and prescient Examine Mannequin.”
- The Iconic SP is powered by electrical motors, with a twin-rotor rotary engine performing as a generator to recharge the battery as wanted.
- The idea is about 10 inches longer than the present Miata and incorporates a simplistic inside with a small display screen and few bodily switches.
A yr in the past, Mazda teased a slinky sports activities automobile idea referred to as the “Imaginative and prescient Examine Mannequin” that we theorized was an early take a look at an electrical MX-5 Miata. Now Mazda has introduced again the idea for a correct reveal forward of the 2023 Tokyo auto present. Dubbed the Iconic SP, the sports activities automobile is definitely considerably bigger than Mazda’s well-known roadster and is powered by a hybrid rotary-engined setup.
Mazda Iconic SP Particulars
Mazda did not reveal a ton of particulars concerning the Iconic SP, however the automaker did publish dimensions. The idea measures 164.6 inches lengthy, 72.8 inches huge, and 45.3 inches tall, with a virtually 102-inch wheelbase. This makes it about 10 inches longer than a Miata, 4 inches wider, three inches shorter, and with an 11-inch lengthier wheelbase. At 3197 kilos, it’s also about 850 kilos portlier than a Miata.
Beneath the hood lives a hybrid system pairing an unspecified variety of electrical motors with a twin-rotor rotary engine. Mazda says the rotary engine is used for energy era, implying that it’s merely a variety extender that prices the battery and would not immediately drive the wheels. Mazda makes use of the same setup within the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, revealed earlier this yr for international markets with a single-rotor engine serving as a battery generator.
Mazda says the Iconic SP’s engine runs on a carbon-neutral gas, however it will possibly additionally “burn varied fuels corresponding to hydrogen.” The powertrain pumps out 365 horsepower, which ought to make the slinky sports activities automobile pretty fast. The idea additionally allegedly acts as an influence provide, permitting you to run home equipment whereas spending time outdoor or within the occasion of an outage.
Mazda says the idea is designed for purchasers who “want a automobile that merely embodies the enjoyment of driving” and touts a low middle of gravity and a 50:50 weight distribution. The modern hood sits low between the entrance fenders due to the compact rotary engine, and the bodywork is extremely clean, like a bit of seaglass that has been polished by waves for eons. A model of Mazda’s smiling grille sits beneath what seem like pop-up LED headlights.
The cabin is simplistic, with a small display screen to the fitting of the steering wheel and a collection of sliders on the middle console. A small digital gauge lives behind the steering wheel—displaying a observe map of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit and a g-force meter—and the inside surfaces seem like upholstered with a luxurious-looking suede. The idea is painted a vivid shade referred to as Viola Crimson, matching the purple stitching inside.
It is unclear precisely what the Iconic SP represents. Though the idea is greater than the Miata and incorporates a radically completely different powertrain than the MX-5’s 2.0-liter inline-four, Mazda’s Tokyo auto present exhibit will characteristic quite a lot of Miata fashions.
Mazda has already mentioned that the Miata would develop into electrified to some extent for its subsequent era, so it is doable that the rotary-hybrid setup right here may develop into actuality. Both method, it’s a reassuring look right into a future the place Mazda will stay dedicated to small, gentle sports activities automobiles.
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Caleb Miller started running a blog about automobiles at 13 years outdated, and he realized his dream of writing for a automobile journal after graduating from Carnegie Mellon College and becoming a member of the Automobile and Driver staff. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to in the future personal one thing weird like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
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