An auto manufacturer has confidentially disclosed to TopGear its plans for a new vehicle. Unexpected, certainly, but all the more so in this case because the vehicle this automaker truly intends to construct is modeled after a traditional Japanese symbol.
Hi there, Mazda RX-7. How you have been missed.
Mazda’s chief designer Masashi Nakayama told TG that the stunning Iconic SP concept was heavily influenced by the RX-7. The idea was initially unveiled in October 2023 at the Japan Mobility Show.
“We hope that when people see the RX-7, they will remember it.” Well done, we’d say: the Iconic SP concept deftly reinterprets the 7’s silhouette using a truly modern, distinctly Mazda approach. SP’s is a great, really good vehicle company; it’s one of the few that offers really clean designs.
Nakayama-san continued, “Mazda’s designs should trigger something deep within our minds.” “Logic has no bearing on this. It makes the most sense to consider it from a child’s viewpoint. It seems to me that children are particularly drawn to a certain kind of design.
Consider toy vehicles as an example. Kids typically view toy vehicles from above, so the car with the most visually pleasing shape will be the one they choose. The form of this car is very striking when viewed from above.
The 7’s pop-up headlights have also received a pretty nice makeover, which Nakayama-san insisted should stay. I once had a question about why the headlights open upward. I responded to them with “Why not.” Do you think it looks cool?
“I clarified that it defies logic. Mazda intends to develop that kind of design. designs that genuinely touch our emotions.
Beneath that design lies a modification to the MX-30’s drivetrain. Mazda claims that a rotary engine with electricity can produce 365 horsepower. The engine is reportedly placed low in the middle of the vehicle, and just like in the MX-30, the rotor charges the battery, which naturally drives the car’s back wheels.
“Designed by Rotary” was the slogan used in the RX-7’s marketing, according to Nakayama-san. It was made feasible by the rotary engine. In light of this, our design makes extensive use of RX-7-like elements.
“My goal is to turn this [the Iconic SP] vehicle become our next endeavor. I really want to see it out there in the world,” Nakayama-san continued. Where should we put our signatures?
