Press days for the 2016 Tokyo Motor Show are underway, and Mazda got it all rolling with the long-awaited reveal of its next concept vehicle and the automaker’s return to the true sports car, the Mazda RX Vision.
Mazda looked to import its models and its driver’s car philosophy to the U.S. more aggressively in the late 1960s with the RX series. From the RX 2 to the RX 8, the rotary engined cars were Mazda’s signature performance brand. After the RX 8 served as Mazda’s very affordable halo car from 2003-2012, Mazda phased out the rotary engine after retiring the RX 8.
Obviously, that retirement will be short-lived.
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Though the exact specs weren’t released in the detail, Mazda confirmed the Vision will have a new version of the rotary engine — the SKYACTIV R. In keeping with the SKYACTIV ideas of high compression and fuel economy in place of hybrid or electric tech, the automaker confirms the car will aspire to high performance economically.
Of course, the RX Vision is a concept vehicles will not see production in the form seen above. However, its designers and engineers are looking to make an official announcement of a production version come 2017.
