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Mazda RX-Vision GT3 Concept Revealed, Coming to Gran Turismo Sport

Lamborghini isn’t the only automaker to have partnered up with Polyphony Digital for the Gran Turismo franchise. Mazda has joined the fray, and the RX-Vision GT3 Concept is the name of the front-engined racing car in the design sketch before your eyes.
Mazda RX-Vision GT3 Concept 16 photos
Photo: Mazda
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Presented briefly during a talking session with Julien Montousse, the virtual racer is much to the liking of the senior director of design at Mazda North America. Scheduled to appear at the FIA GT Championships from 2020, the concept serves as an evolution of the rotary-powered car presented by the Hiroshima-based automaker way back in 2015.

The culprit in question is the RX-Vision rotary sports car concept, shown at the Tokyo Motor Show to the unanimous cheers and applauds of the motoring media. Enthusiasts were also excited by the prospect of the RX-8 being succeeded by the RX-9, but so far, Mazda hasn’t offered any update on the possibility of an all-new rotary sports car.

What we do know, however, is that the SkyActiv-R engine in the RX-Vision has been developed into a range extender for eco-friendly models. Turning our attention back to the GT3 for Gran Turismo Sport on PlayStation 4, the swooping roofline, long hood, and low overall height are extremely similar to the RX-Vision we’ve talked about.

"The car has all the Mazda spirit in it,” said Montousse, but as expected from a virtual racer based on a concept, there’s not much to report in regards to what hides under the hood. The RX-Vision GT3 will join the Atenza Gr. 3 in the game, and to whom it may concern, the Atenza is similar to the Mazda6 that contested in the Grand-Am series in the United States until a couple of years ago. The GT3 is also expected to qualify for the GT Sport Manufacturers’ Cup in 2020, which says a lot about Mazda’s expectation from this partnership.

These being said, Montousse did confirm one curiously specific detail about the GT3. The weight distribution of the virtual concept is 52 percent up front and 48 percent at the rear, a near-perfect ratio that enables great handling in the twisties.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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