Mazda confirms rotary engine development team, one step closer to building an RX-7 successor for the electric car age

After years of waiting, rotary engine fans may finally have something to look forward to again as Mazda's CEO has confirmed a team is being put together to develop the company's next-gen rotary engine.

The Hiroshima brand's head took to the stage at Tokyo Auto Salon 2024 in a live-stream presentation, speaking about the future of the brand as one that caters to those who enjoy driving.

To illustrate this, he evoked the overwhelming popularity of the Iconic SP concept revealed at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show - the sports car teasing a rotary engine seemingly set to be used as a range extender generator for an electric powertrain.

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Mazda's CEO Katsuhiro Moro said he is "deeply moved by the support" the Iconic SP sports car concept has garnered, and that Mazda "will establish an engine development group" to work on rotary engines and "move closer to this dream".

"In order to make breakthroughs in the challenges of the carbon-neutral era, we will use a wide range of technical resources that go beyond the book on engine methods, cutting-edge internal combustion technology, and train ourselves to use Mazda's specialty model-based development.

The Hiroshima brand’s head took to the stage at Tokyo Auto Salon 2024 in a live-stream presentation, speaking about the future of the brand as one that caters to those who enjoy driving.

"The technical challenges we must overcome are not so easy, but I hope we can take a step towards a new chapter."

Moro's speech was only a small part of the Mazda presentation, which focused on Mazda Spirit Racing coming in as a motorsport sub-brand for performance-focused road cars, but his comparison of the Mazda Iconic SP concept sports car to the Porsche 911 and his mention of a rotary development team mean the brand isn't playing around this time.

Mazda’s CEO Katsuhiro Moro said he is “deeply moved by the support” the Iconic SP sports car concept has garnered.

Potential for the Iconic SP to become a spiritual successor to the RX-7 sports car relies on it being particularly efficient, likely using a very small rotary engine as a generator as Mazda has established with its MX-30 R:EV.

Mazda said on its reveal that the rotary in the Iconic SP "can burn various fuels such as hydrogen" or other carbon-neutral fuels, and is "highly scalable".

After years of waiting, rotary engine fans may finally have something to look forward to again.

"When the battery is charged with electricity derived from renewable energy, it is possible to drive in a virtually carbon-neutral state."