Mazda has announced that there will be a new “vision‘ concept car at the 2025 Tokyo Motor Show – now known as the Japan Mobility Show – later this month, raising hopes that it could showcase a long-lamented successor to hallowed Wankel-powered sports cars like the one RX-7 And RX-8.
Today, a single, cropped teaser image (pictured above) was released, revealing the sweeping roofline of what appears to be a coupe-like sedan (as evidenced by the four-door design, which you can see more clearly in the image we’ve brightened up below), along with a statement confirming that Mazda will unveil the new concept in Tokyo on October 29th.
In the statement, the Japanese automaker described the show car as a “representation of the vision for future Mazda vehicles” without declaring it a preview of a production model of any kind.
Daily Sparkz You can save thousands on a new car. Click Here to get a great deal.
Fans of Mazda Coupés with Wankel drive have been left out in the cold ever since RX-7 was discontinued in 2002 before the four-door model RX-8 came and went until 2012.
However, they were recently given hope by a report that claimed a new Wankel engine currently in development could enter production by 2026, and before that in 2023, when Mazda unveiled the sleek 2+2-seat Iconic SP twin-scissor door coupe concept.
At the time, Mazda’s technical director described it as “a good successor to the RX-7,” and since then several Mazda executives have expressed their desire to see the Iconic SP go into production.
However, instead of a Wankel engine driving the rear wheels – as on the RX-7 and RX-8 and on every Wankel-powered Mazda with the RX badge before it – the Iconic SP was powered by a 270 kW range-extended electric vehicle (EREV) powertrain, including a Wankel engine that acted only as a generator for the battery, which in turn drove an electric motor.
A version of the EREV powertrain was fitted to the Mazda MX-30 R-EV, which was not sold in Australia, where only mild-hybrid and fully electric versions of the small SUV were available between 2021 and 2023.
When introducing the Iconic SP, Mazda announced that it might also produce a version with the Wankel engine driving the wheels.
As you can see in the images above, the 2025 Vision features an even narrower side window opening, a thicker C-pillar (behind the rear doors), and a more dramatic sloping rear beltline than the Iconic SP coupe.
Although it’s difficult to see much more than that from the teaser photo, there appear to be headrests on two front seats – suggesting a 2+2 seating arrangement like the Iconic SP.
The rear window also looks like it will cover a huge tailgate area, which could form a liftback design vaguely similar to the 2023 concept, but far from identical.
If it is indeed a four-door with a coupe-like roofline, it would be reminiscent of the RX-8, but would not have rear-hinged “freestyle” rear doors, as there appear to be door handles on the back of the rear doors.
In the same statement today, Mazda said it would unveil “proprietary carbon capture technology” as well as “carbon-neutral” fuel at the Tokyo show, suggesting the company is working on low-emission fuel applications in internal combustion engines.
Mazda previously stated that the Iconic SP’s EREV powertrain can run on a variety of fuels. This suggests a possible comeback of rotary engines with the help of at least partially renewable fuels.
Separately, recent reports out of Japan suggest that Toyota will enlist Mazda to develop its next-generation GR86 sports coupe instead of its current partner Subaru, potentially using the underpinnings of the smaller Japanese automaker’s MX-5 roadster.
Mazda will also use the Tokyo show to debut the European version of its key next-generation CX-5 midsize SUV to the public before it hits Australian showrooms in 2026.
MORE: Explore the Mazda showroom
