Photo: João Dias on Instagram and Art Station
Working at McLaren since 2016, João Dias is the principal exterior designer of the bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful Elva special edition. Before that, he put his know-how into the exterior design of the Range Rover Velar and spent a year at Kia Motors Europe.
“The world needs more red Mazdas,” says Dias on his Instagram, publishing a design sketch of a sleek sports car with a ridiculous wheel-to-body proportion. However, the pixel work draws inspiration from the rotary-engined concept from five years ago.
RX-Vision is how the Japanese automaker calls it, and since then, too many rumors about the RX-9 surfaced on the Internet. Even Mazda is playing hooky, either confirming its wish to resurrect the rotary sports car or denying the feasibility of the long-rumored model.
Last time we heard anything official on the subject, chief exec Akira Marumoto told Automotive News that the RX-9 “is a dream of everyone at Mazda.” The difference between wishing for and actually doing something is high, but the SkyActiv-R is definitely happening.
Mazda is developing the next-generation rotary as a range extender. After that, the engineers will likely be allowed to focus their efforts on the successor of the RX-8 and RX-7 sports cars.
Despite the supercar-inspired side profile, Dias has unmistakably created a front-engine machine. There are no air intakes behind the doors, and the rear deck appears to be exactly that – not a glass hatchback as you may find on the mid-engine Corvette Stingray.
The sexiness of the design study is complemented by backlit Mazda logos on the center caps of the wheels, Brembo brake calipers, drilled rotors, and what appears to be a humongous rear aerodynamic diffuser. When asked about what hides behind the front grille, João Dias replied swiftly and on point. It’s “100 percent rotary inside,” ladies and gents!
Jalopnik reported in February that Mazda may also consider a straight-six engine for the RX-9. The SkyActiv-X is the culprit, turbocharged to the tune of “between 350 and 450 horsepower.”
RX-Vision is how the Japanese automaker calls it, and since then, too many rumors about the RX-9 surfaced on the Internet. Even Mazda is playing hooky, either confirming its wish to resurrect the rotary sports car or denying the feasibility of the long-rumored model.
Last time we heard anything official on the subject, chief exec Akira Marumoto told Automotive News that the RX-9 “is a dream of everyone at Mazda.” The difference between wishing for and actually doing something is high, but the SkyActiv-R is definitely happening.
Mazda is developing the next-generation rotary as a range extender. After that, the engineers will likely be allowed to focus their efforts on the successor of the RX-8 and RX-7 sports cars.
Despite the supercar-inspired side profile, Dias has unmistakably created a front-engine machine. There are no air intakes behind the doors, and the rear deck appears to be exactly that – not a glass hatchback as you may find on the mid-engine Corvette Stingray.
The sexiness of the design study is complemented by backlit Mazda logos on the center caps of the wheels, Brembo brake calipers, drilled rotors, and what appears to be a humongous rear aerodynamic diffuser. When asked about what hides behind the front grille, João Dias replied swiftly and on point. It’s “100 percent rotary inside,” ladies and gents!
Jalopnik reported in February that Mazda may also consider a straight-six engine for the RX-9. The SkyActiv-X is the culprit, turbocharged to the tune of “between 350 and 450 horsepower.”
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