Everything was set abuzz when Mazda pulled the wraps off its eye-catching concept, the Iconic SP, at the recent Japan Mobility Show.
The sleek design left enthusiasts and experts alike scrambling to find a lineage—does it trace its roots to the iconic MX-5 or is it a nod to the RX series? The concept's dimensions, notably larger than the Miata yet slightly shorter but considerably wider than the RX-8, only add to the intrigue.
Measuring 4181mm in length and 2103mm in width, the Iconic SP stands substantially larger than the MX-5 in both directions. However, it falls short of the RX-8's length while overshooting its width. Also of note is the two-seat layout of the Iconic SP, which echoes more of the MX-5's design than the RX-8's four-seat configuration.
When it comes to weight, the scales tip at 1450kg for the Iconic SP, exhibiting a significant gap when compared to a MX-5 which weighs in at 1132kg for its heaviest variant. The RX-8, on the other hand, ranges between 1309kg to 1383kg depending on the model.
Mazda's choice of the name 'Iconic SP' is purposefully ambiguous, steering clear from drawing a direct lineage to either the MX-5 or RX-8. In a conversation with Automotive News Europe, Chief Designer Masashi Nakayama mentioned that the sizeable dimensions of the show car were intentional, yet it "could easily be shrunk down to Miata-like proportions."
This implies that despite its large frame, scaling down to accommodate a two-rotor rotary engine, an electric motor, and a battery pack wouldn't pose any packaging dilemmas.
The engine, which primarily serves as a generator to juice up the battery rather than propelling the wheels, is another highlight of the Iconic SP. Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro revealed to ANE that the internal combustion engine (ICE) is engineered to operate on a variety of fuels including biofuels, hydrogen, or liquified petroleum gas (LPG).
Within the chassis of the Iconic SP, the hybrid rotary-electric setup churns out an impressive 272kW, running on carbon-neutral fuel. Moro further stated, "The roadster is the icon of Mazda's brand, and the rotary EV is a concept for the future iconic model."