A recent announcement at the Tokyo Auto Salon marked a major change to one of the most traditional companies in the automotive industry. After years and requests, the enthusiasts must be ready for a new era of this nostalgic engine. Considered an engineering breakthrough for sports cars, this engine returns with a new version powered by a laser ignition as never seen before. Between concepts and announcements, this could be the ultimate version of this engine and a delight for those who love high-performance engines.
This powerful laser-ignition engine will blow your mind!
The visitors present at Tokyo Auto Salon, Japan’s biggest car customization show, at the beginning of this year, were surprised by a major announcement made by one of the most traditional automotive companies.
During a press conference held by Masahiro Moro, Mazda’s president, the company revealed that it will be counting on a specialized team to bring back the golden age of its traditional rotary engine, the one responsible for putting Mazda in the spotlight with sports cars like RX-7 and RX-8. For this task, Mazda must overcome the adversities that put the rotary engine on the back burner in their last releases, and ensure this new version is even more attractive than this electric motor.
To achieve this goal, Moro announced that the company will launch the Rotary Engine Development Group more than one year after revealing the Iconic SP concept at the Japan Mobility Show in 2023. Due to widespread speculation, fans are discussing the new engine, which may be a rotary motor powered by laser ignition.
Rotary-powered concepts have been teasing enthusiasts for more than a decade
Famous for sports cars like RX-7 and RX-8, which are still popular among fans, the company is responsible for presenting stunning concepts of vehicles powered by a rotary engine. Some of them, like the RX-Vision concept, released in 2016, were award-winning concepts. But it was in 2023, with the release of the rotary-hybrid Iconic SP concept, that the company decided to revive the rotary power unit.
In a statement, Moro confirmed that the fans’ support was determining for Mazda’s decision:
I am deeply moved by all the support and encouragement I have received for the compact Iconic SP sports car concept. With your encouragement, we are launching a rotary engine development group to move closer to this dream”.
The new engine should be released by 2027 with the first version of the Iconic SP
Besides being present at recently released cars with Mazda hybrid systems, such as the MX-30, the rotary engine was a secondary component, being responsible for charging the battery while the other engine was channeled to the rear wheels.
In this new version, the expectations are that instead of a single rotor like the MX-30, the vehicle will feature two 839cc rotors, with the laser ignition rotary engine being channeled to the rear wheels like the iconic Mazda sports car.
The new system will permit the car to run exclusively on its electric motor
With the changes, Mazda is about to radically redefine the rotary engine with a laser ignition to significantly reduce emissions and fuel consumption while boosting power considerably. The new hybrid motor is expected to permit the car to run exclusively on its electric motor but also with a variety of different fuels without performance loss. According to specialists, the first version of a car powered with this engine should be launched in 2027 for approximately $50,000. But while Mazda is planning its new rotary engine, this company is about to cause a revolution in the hypercar market with an engine that has never been seen before.
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