Mazda: A Hybrid Sports Car?

Mazda is renowned for the character and sporty driving experience found in almost all of its vehicles. Does this explain the fact that there are no proper sports cars in the range of the Japanese manufacturer? Certainly, there's the MX-5 and its hardtop variant, the MX-5 RF, but Mazda hasn't introduced any other performance cars since the legendary RX-8, which ceased production in 2012.

However, it's not for lack of ideas or opportunities, as the Japanese manufacturer has presented numerous concepts over the years, each more interesting than the last. Several of them could have easily made it to production. It seems that the timing simply wasn't right.

A promising future

Mazda has recently started offering hybrid vehicles, which may have opened the door to discussions about a new sports car. You see, if a performance car with a rotary engine is no longer feasible for the Japanese manufacturer, a sports car with hybrid powertrain would be quite suitable.

Moreover, it is believed that this is exactly what Mazda is currently working on, as the company has recently filed several patents related to the use of hybrid powertrains for performance purposes. These could be limited to a racing car, but everything suggests that a production car is also in the brand's plans. At least, that's what the most persistent rumors on the subject state.

A new beast?

Now, when it comes to this new sports car with a hybrid powertrain, several scenarios come to mind. Firstly, many believe that the next generation of the MX-5 could be the car we've been waiting for. It's true that the 4th generation of Mazda's small sports car has been on the market for quite some time now. It arrived in 2015, so it's clear that a significant update is due, which aligns with the recent news.

However, Mazda has another secret weapon in its arsenal, and that's its brand-new turbocharged 6-cylinder engine found in the CX-90. This engine offers a power output of up to 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It's accompanied by a hybrid system, which leads us to believe that it could very well end up under the hood of a sports car. This powertrain offers too much power for a Mazda MX-5, which is why we expect it to find its niche in a larger sports car.

Jean-Sébastien Poudrier