Mazda to bring rotary engine back in a sports car
Mazda is preparing a more substantial return for the rotary engine. While the MX-30 R-EV uses its Wankel engine solely to generate electricity, Mazda’s next-generation system will also connect the engine directly to the wheels. This opens the way for a sports car in which the rotary engine is no longer merely a generator.
Mazda chief technology officer Ryuichi Umeshita confirmed in the manufacturer’s own press release that development of the new rotary engine has reached the point where it can meet stringent European and US emissions requirements when operating as a generator. The next step is to drive the wheels directly.
Vision X-Coupe points to the technical direction
The latest example is the Mazda Vision X-Coupe. Unveiled in 2025, the concept car uses a plug-in hybrid powertrain combining a turbocharged twin-rotor engine, an electric motor and a battery.
The system develops 375 kW. The concept car can travel up to 160 km on electric power, while total range reaches 800 km, according to Mazda.
An important detail is how the powertrain operates. Mazda plans to use the rotary engine not only as a generator but also to drive the wheels directly. This will allow the driver to experience the engine’s rising revs, response and sound in a way that a Wankel operating as a generator cannot offer.
The RX-8 was the last, but not the end
Mazda ended production of rotary-powered sports cars when the RX-8 was discontinued in 2012. The MX-30 R-EV later brought the Wankel back, but its 830 cm³ single-rotor petrol engine does not drive the wheels.
With the new power unit, Mazda wants to reverse that approach. The company established a dedicated rotary engine development team in 2024 and is now working on a solution that would combine modern emissions requirements with the Wankel’s traditional character.
From a European perspective, a hybrid solution is quite logical. A high-output rotary engine on its own would have to contend with both high fuel consumption and emissions. An electric drive allows the Wankel to be used where its compact size and high specific power offer an advantage, while reducing its weaknesses when driving under light loads.
Mazda has not yet confirmed the name, price or launch date of a new rotary-powered production sports car. It would therefore be premature to declare the RX-7 officially back. What is now clear, however, is that Mazda is not developing the Wankel solely as a generator for an electric car.
