Mazda Motor Corporation’s head of sports cars, Nobuhiro Yamamoto, has confirmed that a new RX-7 is on the way.
This is good news, especially since Toyota and Subaru have now introduced the 86 and BRZ, while Honda could introduce a competitor, a ‘Small NSX’ within the next couple of years.
Details are sketchy, and little in the way of technical specifications have been confirmed, but it appears that the rotary engine will return as a naturally aspirated unit for the upcoming sportscar. This 1,6-litre rotary unit will reportedly deliver somewhere in the region of 220 kW.There are, however, murmurs that turbocharging and hybrid tech are also on the table. Both technologies could compensate for the lack of low-end torque that characterises rotary engines, while hybrid technology could potentially help to offset the high CO2 emissions for which such units are notorious.
Apparently Yamamoto prefers the characteristics of a naturally aspirated engine without the lag of a turbo. It’s still early days though, and this might change in the interim.
The focus of the new RX-7’s development will be on weight and Yamamoto has reportedly stated that Mazda will aim for a weight similar to that of the Toyota 86’s +- 1 250 kg.
It is refreshing to hear that Yamamoto said: “for a pure sports car, it must be an internal combustion (engine)”.
Brave words, but let’s hope this will be another true rear-wheel drive, driver’s car.
Source: TheMotorReport.com.au
