Mazda RX-7 unlikely to come back

Mazda's head of global marketing, sales and customer service, Masazumi Wakayama, says because it is a relatively small car company "it will be very difficult to have an MX5, RX8 and then an RX7".

From a cost and engineering viewpoint, sportscars are totally different type of specialist car to develop, he says.

"However, from a brand perspective we think sportscars are very important for the brand," he says. "We are not going to withdraw from that market. Resources need to be put into sustainable areas that will continue to help the brand grow", he says.

Wakayama also confirmed that work will continue on refining the company's rotary engine as well as develop it as a hydrogen-powered engine. Mazda is working on new technologies that will improve the fuel economy and emissions of the rotary, he says.

"Rotary is a symbolic engine for Mazda's technology," he says. "We are going to continue its development and improvement."