Mazda RX steps closer to production

Depending on who you ask, the highlight of last month’s Tokyo motor show was either Mazda's RX-VISION rotary sports coupe or the Yamaha SPORTS RIDE CONCEPT.

Now more information and these latest renderings from Japan reveal the direction in which both cracking new sports cars are taking on their way to production – as early as 2017 in the case of Mazda's born-again RX.

According to a source close to the Hiroshima-based company, the 'RX-9' will lose about 300mm in overall length thanks to a significantly shorter nose section.

As you we can see in this artist’s impression based on inside information, the front-end overall silhouette could resemble the Mercedes-AMG GT's, with a hint of Ferrari at the rear.

Just as importantly, Mazda's reincarnated rotary will be powered by a turbocharged two-rotor SKYACTIV-R rotary engine equipped with all of Mazda's latest powertrain technologies.

At this stage it's unclear exactly what they will include but, as we’ve reported, an electric 'e-turbo', homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) and even range-extender technologies could be included.

But arguably the most surprising concept to appear at Tokyo was the compact Yamaha coupe. The concept measures a spritely 3900mm in length, 1720mm in width and 1170mm in height, and we understand Yamaha has a target kerb weight of just 750kg for the production version.

Based around the iStream vehicle manufacturing process developed by Gordon Murray Design Limited, the SPORTS RIDE CONCEPT is the second collaborative effort between Yamaha and Murray after the Motiv concept seen at the 2013 Tokyo show.

Once again, this rendering shows how Yamaha could tone down the edgy front-end to make the design more pedestrian-friendly but still supercar-exotic.

Much of the concept's finely crafted interior could carry over to production, including a mix of high-quality metal, leather, carbon-fibre and technology borrowed from Yamaha’s music division. A speaker box behind the driver’s head restraint features woodgrain trim and sunburst paint employed by Yamaha’s guitars.

Unlike the V12-powered, F1-inspired Yamaha OX99-11 road car of 1991, which never made it into production, the SPORTS RIDE CONCEPT is expected to be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged powertrain when it debuts in pre-production form at the 2017 Tokyo show, with a price tag of under $70,000.

Images: Best Car