MAZDA

Vision Study Concept: the elegant sports coupe that anticipates the electrified future of the Japanese brand

Taking advantage of an update to its strategic plan and taking a look at the electrified future of its catalogue, Mazda released a video that briefly shows an interesting prototype coupe, of which no information has yet been released.

The so-called Mazda Vision Study Concept is a mysterious, elegant-looking sports coupe that could be an advance on the house's next-generation sports car, the Mazda MX-5, as in the video it is preceded by several MX-5s of all generations.

For now, little is known if this prototype really intends to anticipate the future of the revered MX-5, and perhaps thinking about this possibility is a little optimistic, especially considering that the 2017 Vision Coupe Concept prototype never materialized.

Essentially, the concept is a hardtop coupe, something that ends up not pleasing the most purists. Incidentally, a version of this type has not been available in the MX-5 line since the NB, when a coupe version of the Miata was released in Japan limited to just 179 copies.

Logic says that this prototype's curious butterfly-wing doors won't make it to a production model, but given the scarcity of details provided by the Japanese brand, for now it's all mere speculation.

From the proportions, due to its short rear overhang and long hood, we could be facing a front-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe, with an engine in the longitudinal position. Plus, the concept is compact enough to be an MX-5, rather than something fancier to revive the RX.

The Japanese manufacturer assured that it intends to maintain the internal combustion engine and rear-wheel drive formula for the next generation of the MX-5, although some type of electrification is expected so that the model meets the increasingly strict emissions regulations.

Finally, it is worth remembering that Mazda has recently confirmed the return of the rotary engine or Wankel in 2023, but as we already knew, it will be used as a generator and range extender in an electrical application, that is, in the Mazda MX-30.

Autonews