Mazda to revive the RX-7 spirit with rotary powered RX-9

 

This is the Shinari, the first concept to feature Mazda’s new Kodo design language

 

We know for a fact that Mazda is sticking with the rotary engine, which the company sees as a vital part of its identity. A new sports car is also due for the Zoom-Zoom brand, as the RX-8 is about to enter its eighth year in production. The company showed off its latest Shinari four-door coupe concept few months ago, but now a report from Autocar UK points in the direction of an “RX-9″.

Mazda Shinari Interior Concept

 It was said that Mazda new-generation rotary engine is already in a late stage of development, and that this “16X” motor uses an electric supercharger and is bigger in capacity than the current RX-8 engine. 16X will be friendlier than the Renesis, which has a big appetite for unleaded and engine oil and does not meet Euro 5 standards.

The RX-9 will be a spiritual successor to the sexy RX-7, which we last saw in 2002. No four-doors or suicide doors apparently, as this will be a more focussed two-door coupe riding on the platform of the next-gen MX-5. It will have a kerb weight of around 1,250 kg, which isn’t much for over 300 bhp to haul.

The report adds that Mazda is still thinking whether to let the 16X engine run on petrol and sold in volume or become a flagship clean-air project running on hydrogen. We sure hope it’s the former they’re leaning to!

Mazda Shinari Exterior Concept

Apart from the usual, Mazda also unveiled their plans of wanting to compete with luxury carmakers and has confirmed that they will be improving the quality of their interior levels. “We want to play in the same group as BMW and Audi. On fit and finish we want the same level of quality, ” said Derek Jenkins, director of design for Mazda North America.

The Shinari will make its official debut at the Paris Motor Show on the 30th of September this year.