CarScoops!: Mazda RX-7 And Honda S2000 Resurrected In The Digital Realm

by John Halas of www.carscoops.com

What are the chances of seeing two of the hottest Japanese names in the sports car segment, the Mazda RX-7 coupe and the Honda S2000 roadster, coming back to life?

We'll get back to you on the rotary-powered coupe right after Mazda fully-discloses its upcoming "Sports Car Concept" at next month's Tokyo Motor Show, as there's a possibility it could be RX-7-related, but as far as Honda is concerned, and beyond the occasional rumors, there's nothing official on a direct replacement for the S2000 at this time.

The only thing we've seen in regards to Honda, are some patent images of what could be a 'baby NSX' with a mid-engine setup, and which we recently rendered to give you an idea of what it could look like in the flesh.

Speaking of renders brings us to these two digital creations from Japanese photoshop-er Patty who tried to revive the spirit of the Mazda RX-7 and the Honda S2000 in our times.

It's not immediately obvious, thanks to Patty's rendering skills, but the RX-7 study is actually based on a picture of Mazda's four-door Shinari sports sedan, while the S2000, on a photo of a Jaguar F-Type Roadster with the face of the Japanese firm's 2013 Urban Concept that previewed the HR-V.

The S2000 is kind of meh, to be frank, but the RX-7 does look enticing, don't you think?

Photo renderings by Patty, Thanks to TU-S for the alert! 

Source;
http://www.carscoops.com/2015/09/mazda-rx-7-and-honda-s2000-resurrected.html

Rotary engine-powered Mazda RX-7 due in 2016 - report

Will have about 250 bhp

Mazda is reportedly planning an RX-7 revival with a newly developed rotary engine for a 2016 release.

Although in November last year we heard Mazda CEO Masa-michi Kogai saying the return of a rotary engine is highly unlikely, British media is reporting Mazda is already developing a new unit which will end up powering the RX-7 revival scheduled to come out in 2016.

The new rotary engine will allegedly be naturally aspirated with a capacity of around 600cc per rotor and chances are it will adopt a twin-rotor configuration which means it will have a capacity of 1.2 liters, representing the equivalent of 2.4 liters of a regular combustion engine. Output is expected to be somewhere in the region of 250 bhp (186 kW). Previous iterations of the rotary engine had problems with reliability and fuel economy but appearantly major improvements are being made for the new unit.

As far as styling is concerned, the new RX-7 will follow the same design philosophy of the next-gen MX-5 due in 2015 and most of the design has already been completed but still hasn't been signed off for the production model. In charge of the design is Ikuo Maeda whose father was responsible for drawing the original RX-7 back in the late 70s.

Note: 2018 Mazda3 concept drawing pictured

Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/114011268614/rotary-engine-powered-mazda-rx-7-due-in-2016---report

Next Gen Mazda RX-7 in 2017

Mazda will bring back the much-loved RX-7 in 2017, with less weight, less complexity and a greater emphasis on driver involvement.

Speaking to TMR at the local launch of the facelifted MX-5, Mazda Motor Corporation's sports car chief Nobuhiro Yamamoto said that the return of the RX-7 will mark 50 years since the introduction of Mazda's first rotary-engined car, the Cosmo Sport, in 1967.

By the time the next-generation model arrives, it will have been 15 years since the RX-7 departed Mazda showrooms.

Source;
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/55336/mazda-rx-7-returning-in-2017-yamamoto