1988 Mazda Rx-7 10th Anniversary Coupe 2-door 1.3l on 2040-cars

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Mazda returns to rotary with RX-Vision Concept, crowd goes wild

Rotary! Forget everything for a second. Ignore the sleek styling, formed-by-wind sheetmetal, outrageously rear-drive proportions, and general ridiculousness of the sideview mirrors. And please be so kind as to ignore the poorly lit photos here – Mazda has a thing for drama. Concentrate instead on one fantastic phrase from the concept car press release: "next-generation Skyactiv-R rotary engine." The crowd here in Tokyo was downright frothing to get a look at the new concept car – hoping to catch a glimpse of the first evolutionary stage for a RX-9 sports car. The critical factor in that effort is of course the rotary engine. Mazda says that, while production of the powerplant is "on hold," the company has "never stopped research and development towards the rotary engine." The fact that the company has named the new engine gives us great hope that it exists in reality, and will be available for sale at some future date. The devil is in the details though, and there are precious few available at the Mazda stand. Other than a brief history lesson about Mazda's racing heritage, and fuzzy-vision talk about the future, we only have expectations to feed on. Oh, there's also a tiny press release, below. Related Video: HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation unveiled the rotary-powered Mazda RX-VISION sports car concept at the Tokyo Motor Show*1 today. The rotary engine is a symbol of the company's "never-stop-challenging" spirit. RX-VISION represents a vision of the future that Mazda hopes to one day make into reality; a front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car with exquisite, KODO design-based proportions only Mazda could envision, and powered by the next-generation SKYACTIV-R rotary engine. Rotary engines feature a unique construction, generating power through the rotational motion of a triangular rotor. Overcoming numerous technical difficulties, Mazda succeeded in commercializing the rotary engine, fitting it in the Cosmo Sport (known as Mazda 110S overseas) in 1967. As the only automaker to mass-produce the rotary engine, Mazda continued efforts to improve power output, fuel economy and durability, and in 1991 took overall victory at 24 Hours of Le Mans with a rotary engine-powered race car. Over the years, the rotary engine has come to symbolize Mazda's creativity and tireless endeavor in the face of difficult challenges. While mass production is currently on hold, Mazda has never stopped research and development efforts towards the rotary engine.

Mazda Hazumi concept presages next Mazda2

Looks like Mazda's big Geneva Motor Show debut is actually something quite small. Teased here, the Hazumi concept "points the way to the future" for the brand's subcompact offering, the Mazda2. Details are slim as of this writing, but from what we can see in the image above, the Hazumi will use the same Kodo design language found on the Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-5. We're big fans of this styling direction, so we fully expect the concept to be quite an attractive little number.
Hazumi means "bound" or "spring up" in Japanese, with Mazda saying this nomenclature is "particularly well-suited to a small car that appears to be bursting with energy." In other words, say goodbye to the friendly faced Mazda2 we've enjoyed since it launched in the United States in 2010. Instead, prepare for something decidedly more assertive, hopefully improving upon the already-great driving dynamics of the current subcompact. If we're honest, we can't wait.
Mazda will also use the Geneva show to debut its new small-displacement, 1.5-liter Skyactiv-D diesel engine. The automaker hasn't confirmed that this new fuel-efficient powerplant will be part of the Hazumi concept package, but considering the two are debuting alongside each other, it would seem to make sense. As for whether or not this engine could come stateside when the next Mazda2 launches, we're not holding our breath for that, especially considering the company's current woes with US-spec diesel engines.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata shows off perfect 50/50 weight balance

When I attended the first drive event for the Japanese-spec 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata in Spain earlier this year, I was blown away – and not just by the car. I was blown away by the charts and graphs Mazda's engineers brought along, showing how every little facet of the ND Miata was finely tuned for pure driving perfection. It's like rocket science. Only cooler. One of the most important parts of the Miata package is its weight distribution. The 2,332-pound roadster must achieve a perfect 50/50 balance, with a driver inside. That's not easy. But it has to be done. Only the best for the Miata. In this video, Mazda shows off the Miata's balance by putting it on an aluminum balance beam, to see if the car stays perfectly centered. You can probably guess the outcome, but watching it all take place is super cool, especially with commentary by Mazda engineer Dave Coleman and MX-5 program manager Rod McLaughlin. How does the 50/50 balance help the Miata's handling out on the road? You'll have to wait until the embargo on driving impressions for the US-spec car lifts. We'll have the full scoop at 3:01 AM Eastern on Monday, June 1. In the meantime, get a sneak preview of the new Miata in the video below. Autoblog readers got a closer look at the 2016 MX-5 at our Cars & Coneys meet-up, and as you can see, the excitement for this car is definitely real.