Mazda had a few other things to share during the reveal of the fourth-generation Mazda 3 in Los Angeles recently, which will likely result in enthusiasts being more than upset.
The first involves an MPS version of the new Mazda 3, which stopped at the second-generation model without any replacement in sight since. With the new Mazda 3 out in the open, and Mazda’s 2.5 litre turbocharged four-cylinder SkyActiv-G engine already present in cars like the CX-9, CX-5 and Mazda 6, rumours swirled that two and two would be put together for a new Mazda hot hatch.
However, Akira Marumoto, who is the president and CEO of Mazda, dampened all hope of an MPS revival. Speaking to Drive at the show, Marumoto said, “Mazda is a small player and if [you are asking whether] that segment has a high particular priority for Mazda, my answer would be no. Therefore, we are not planning for MPS in the future.”
Instead, the brand is focusing on establishing itself as a bona fide premium alternative to European marques. This includes improving the quality, comfort and refinement of its existing vehicle line-up rather than expanding into any new segments.
Marumoto also reiterated what his predecessor, Masamichi Kogai, said last time, in that Mazda currently has no plans to produce a rotary-powered sports car as suggested by the RX-Vision. “[The] RX-Vision is a vision model for design development so we didn’t plan for production or commercialisation of this model,” he said.
“I am receiving this question [whether we can make a rotary-engined sports car] maybe 100 times, and I will not commit. That is a dream for all the Mazda executives and employees and it is my job to make employees dream come true. Nothing has been decided” he added, jokingly.
Ever since the RX-Vision made its debut in 2015, many have hoped for a successor to the RX-8 and iconic RX-7 to become a reality. Instead, the only hope of seeing a rotary engine in a Mazda now is as a range extender for the company’s upcoming electric vehicles.
Marumoto also declared that the company has no desire to produce an electric sports car, stating that battery vehicles are more suited to commuter cars. “I don’t want to make such car, I prefer the smell of gasoline,” he said.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Simply said, Mazda does not have a business case to develop a niche segment model like a high performance sedan or a rotary model. For an example BMW board execs also had to fight it out to approve the new Z4 for production as shareholders don’t see any profits for putting money into R&D for a droptop cabriolet either. Sad to say SUVs are all the rage today hence we are seeing things like the Mitsubishi Lancer crossover and a Rolls Royce Cullinan SUV.
Mazda was dead 10 years ago. They decided to work hard and improve themselves. they slog day and night to create the SkyActive engine.
Today, Mazda is a top seller because of hard work
Something Proton needs to learn
No hard work lor. Skyactive uses expensive auto start stop battery to save fuel. This even kindergarten students can do. Learn from children?
At end of the day, nothing is saved.
In other words if you want to buy a good Toyota, go buy a Mazda. How pathetic Toyota is
The ever tightening emission rule & the worldwide push for fuel efficiency, Mazda must have a hard time when it comes to improving the rotary engine technology that could meet these demands, and this will divert the resources away from the more profitable ventures. BMW for example, could afford to do special projects like the i-series stuffs which is highly questionable in terms of profits.
so the jap company which makes the best handling cars does not have a performance line. the irony.
Exactly! If they aspire to be like the premium german brands, they have to remember that the germans still have performance models for their cars: Merc – AMG, BMW – M division, Audi – RS … hope the next Mazda CEO changes this
Before the start of the New Millenium , the Japanese carmakers were ahead of the German Big 3 in terms the number of high performance-oriented models. 20 years later, the German Big 3 are churning out more & more high performance & high powered models at a rate much faster than what all the Japanese carmakers currently produced combined.
Toyota oso rebadging BMW as their halo car as well.
Hyundai/Kia made a sporty RWD platform which they use on a variety of cars. If there is a will, there is a way. Also, the MX-5 has a great platform to start with. If they could lengthen it a bit, it could be used for an RX-7/8 or a more high powered sporty car. I guess, in the end, market demand determines what car gets made. Unless you’re Tesla, who created demand on their own. But they had to make alot of losses in the beginning to get going. But now finally, as EV tech matures, they are making a profit.
Rotary engine again already shunted by users decades ago.