Mazda said last year that its famous MX-5 roadster would be electrified from 2026. To help its aficionados to wait, the manufacturer unveiled at the Tokyo Mobility Show a style study which presents an avenue for reflection on what the future of this untouchable model will be.
It’s called nothing more and nothing less than Iconic SP and wears a dress that draws its references from many models born from the rich sporting history of the brand. Its dimensions are also very close to those of the latest vintage of the RX-7 called FD and therefore more imposing than the current generation of the MX-5.
The main element that sets this exercise apart, however, lies under its hood. A two-rotor Wankel heat engine acts as a regenerator and can be powered by various fuels, including hydrogen.
PHOTO ISSEI KATO, REUTERS
The Mazda Iconic SP at the Tokyo Mobility Show
The electric mechanism produces 365 hp to move its 1450 kg perfectly distributed between the front and the rear, a weight still reserved for a vehicle equipped with such equipment. Will it live under the hood of the MX-5 one day? Will this design give rise to a new, more imposing coupe at Mazda at the same time? Only the future will be able to tell us.