Mazda Iconic SP Concept Is An FD RX-7-Inspired Rotary Hybrid Beauty

Mazda knows how to hit absolute dingers when it comes to concept cars, and its new Iconic SP concept sports car that was revealed at the Japan Mobility Show is no different. It may not be the next-generation Miata many were looking for, but this bad boy pulls a lot of inspiration from the third-generation FD RX-7 that we all know and love.

That inspiration is more than just skin deep, though. That’s right, buddy. The Iconic SP has a rotary engine. We don’t know too much yet, and obviously grain of salt, but according to Mazda, the coupe is would be powered by a twin-rotor hybrid engine that can provide off-board power. That seems to suggest the Iconic SP could be a plug-in hybrid, but that’s all speculation for now.

Read more

• You Should Probably Buy a Flipper Zero Before It's Too Late

• You'll Never Believe the Major Plot Twist That Just Happened in Jonathan Majors' Domestic Dispute Case

• Cyberpunk 2077's New Patch Buffs Keanu Reeves' Gun And Screws Over Homeless People

• Hasan Minhaj responds to New Yorker story with a lengthy fact-check of his own

• Wawa Pizza: An Investigation

The inside of the Iconic SP is still very concept car-ish, but hey, at least it has an interior! It’s very minimalistic and driver-centric, exactly what you’d expect from a Mazda sports car. There’s not much going on besides the gauge cluster and a small infotainment screen. A warning to purists: the Iconic SP has some sort of automatic transmission with paddle shifters based on interior shots. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but what did you really expect?

“Mazda will always deliver vehicles that remind people that cars are pure joy and an indelible part of their lives. As a car-loving company that mass-produces the inspiring mobility experience, we are committed to shaping the future with our partners sharing the same goals, as well as our fans, where everyone can proudly say, ‘we love cars,’” Masahiro Moro, Mazda’s President and CEO said in a statement. “With such a strong will, Mazda is committed to enriching life-in-motion for those we serve.”

Moro goes on to say that Mazda will continue to have the “joy of driving” as its core value to go along with a “human centric” driving philosophy. That doesn’t sound too bad to me.

More from Jalopnik

• Halo Infinite May Have Just Begun Its Renaissance

• NASA Is Struggling to Open Its Asteroid Sample Container

• Pour One Out for the Banks That Invested in Musk’s Twitter

• Every David Fincher movie, ranked

• Peter Parker Can’t Do The ‘Wakanda Forever’ Salute In Spider-Man 2

Sign up for Jalopnik's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.