Mazda Won't Build A Rotary Sports Car, Nor A 3 MPS
There was a double dose of bad news emerging from LA for anyone hoping for sportier stuff from Mazda. First off, the prospect of an MPS revival: sadly, it just isn’t going to happen.
Asked by Drive.com.au following the reveal of the new 3 hatchback and saloon if a faster version of the car was on the cards, Mazda president Akira Marumoto had the following to say: “Mazda is a small player and if [you are asking if] that segment has a high particular priority for Mazda my answer would be no. Therefore we not planning for MPS in the future.”
This strikes us as a massive shame. As we’ve discussed recently, Mazda is extremely good at making its all cars - not just the rear-drive MX-5 - drive extremely nicely. If it can make an 89bhp 2 hatchback feel so incredibly satisfying to drive, imagine how good a new hot hatchback from the company might be.
The second dose of disappointment concerns the future rotary sports car that even Mazda execs have been hinting at. Rotary engines are definitely returning to the company in the form of EV range-extenders, but beyond that, we probably should expect much.
“I am receiving this question [about a future rotary sports car] maybe 100 times, and I will not commit…Nothing has been decided,” he said.
Does that stop us hoping and dreaming? Nope.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
I find Mazda’s arguement valid enough, because it’s true. You don’t need an expensive sports car to have something fun… it can be your mother’s grocerie-getter (the 2), your father’s business car (the 6), your SUV (the CX-5), or if you want the ultimate of their range, your little roadster. I can only really explain it in a way fellow Dutchies will understand; Mazda is the Telfort of the automotive industry, because Telfort’s motto is;”de qualiteit die je gewend bent, maar dan super voordelig”, which, roughly translates to;”the quality you’re used to, except cheaper”. They don’t want to compete to BMW’s “M” divison, Mercedes’ AMGs, the Audi RS range, or other motorsport derived super versions of regular road cars, they want to give you a cheap alternative which is reliable, comfortable and fun to drive. Besides, the only good selling Mazdaspeed was the previous 3, I think it’s a good thing they aren’t milking it like BMW or Mercedes would.
they dont need to compete with the M division or AMG or RS, they just need something fun for the people who are considering buying something like a golf GTI or a focus ST
The rotary is dead, long live the rotary!
“Nothing has been decided,”
GOOD NEWS EVERYONE
Nuuuuuuuuuu
No no no…Mazda is definitly not going to be the new BMW for entusiast. Because of “regulations” they proove us they are a bunch of pusies after teasing us for years with the rotary comeback. We knew you would never have the balls to make it happen. Despite some underpowered glory in the late mx5..Mazda has been dead long time ago. R.I.P
Glad (not) to still see some salty people.
Rotaries are gone, I think it’s better for us to let that slowly sink in. In the meantime, I think we should still aploud Mazda’s ideology of prioritizing driving engagement over anything else.
I’m crying😢
So they decided they will, then they wont, then they decided again… Then they didn’t??
Dear Mazda b0ss.
GET YOUR FUCCING SHIET TOGETHER AND MAKE UP YOUR MIND FOR FUCCS SAKE
Better start writing the sadness down and sending them to Mazda. They’re watching to see how deep the pain is. Threaten to buy a _