Mazda hit us with the Iconic SP Concept during the 2023 Tokyo Auto Show. And gawd-DANG! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I am confident to say that this car – is nothing less than stunning with virtually zero compromise. This is where the future should have landed… had MTV not stopped showing music videos or whatever. You can argue that the Mazda Iconic SP appears slightly unfinished around the edges… fine I’ll give you that. But it’s a concept people! And you can you argue that the Iconic SP has heavy FD RX-7 design influences. But why the hell would you ever argue with one of the most perfectly-executed sports car designs of all time… especially anywhere near its price point! And with this Iconic SP’s wraparound cockpit-style windshield – it has a certain 1960s endurance race car presence that just keeps drawing me in. The Iconic SP is compact, yet it is longer, lower, & wider than the Miata. It’s clear Mazda is on another level with the execution of their sports car designs. Oh and one more thing… MODERN POP-UPS!!!
In other stereotypical Mazda fashion, however…
The engine/s seems to go all the way around both elbows to get to its ass lol. It’s over-complicated, over-engineered, and hard to explain. Details from Mazda are vague, so please fill in the gaps if you are a Mazda fanatic (and/or the dude from Engineering Explained)… maybe you can successfully explain it to us like were 9 lol. Mazda calls the Iconic SP a Hybrid Rotary. Best we could figure, it seems that Mazda is using a 2-rotor gas engine, essentially as a generator or range-extender, for what is primarily an electric vehicle. ??? Honestly, who knows what they’re cooking/smoking over there in Mazda’s lab. But it gets the weight low (for an EV), gets the weight distribution centered, and it keeps the center of gravity low. Apparently the 2-rotor would be able to run on various fuel types, including hydrogen.
I love the fact that Mazda is being completely unrestrained in their innovation paths…
And I also love the fact that they are looking at their spirited motorsports HISTORY in order to find clean, yet enthusiast-driven solutions for the FUTURE. But you gotta ask yourself…
What the heck are they doing here??
Because historians can argue that Mazda’s rotary engines were never fuel efficient… or dependable. I don’t think it’s ideal for a rotary engine to sit around for extended periods of time unused. And if the rotary is being used as a backup power source, it’s probably going to be sitting around for extended periods of time… unused. Right? So when you finally need it, you might wanna cross your fingers lol. But hey, I could be wrong here. Plus…
At the end of the day, a “concept” is an exercise in design, innovation, & imagination.
It’s not a promise or a contract, and it’s not set in stone. The purpose of a concept is to give a glimpse as to where a brand’s head is at… and a foreshadowing of what you might see coming through the pipeline. And in that regard – I LOVE the fact that automakers were bringing new sports-coupe concepts to the 2023 Tokyo Auto Show. It sure beats more castrated crossovers. And sure – it would be sweet to get a production version of the Iconic SP with a strong four-banger turbo or inline-6. But it’s our governments, not Mazda, that’s putting the axe in that simplistic, self-servicable fun. So direct your irritations appropriately lol.
In some way though, the Iconic SP really needs to see production. The Mazda brand needs vibrance, risk, and passion back in their lineup. The Miata is great, but it’s not enough to carry their entire “Zoom-Zoom / Driving Matters” reputation for decades. Mazda’s absolutely got it what it takes… someone or something just needs to step-in and remind them who they are. Who they really are. From the looks of the Iconic SP, it seems like they’re getting it sorted!
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Beautiful car, but only a concept. Now if this car ever makes it into production, it perhaps will look nothing like the concept we are show here. It’s like your searching for a date and see her photos and she’s beautiful but when she shows up at your door your like what the fragile?!