Mazda RX-9 to borrow hybrid tech from Toyota

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Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Mazda, Rumormill

2006 Mazda Kabura Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

The rotary rumormill continues to spin about as fast as a Renesis engine at redline (that's 9,000 rpm, for those keeping track). Might the next rotary-powered RX from Mazda be a hybrid? It very well may, if you believe a report from Motor Trend.

Lending credence to the story is a 2010 agreement signed between Mazda and Toyota that would have the Zoom-Zoom company licensing the technology that makes the Prius tick. At the time, Mazda indicated that its first hybrid using Toyota technology would hit the market in 2013. Will it be in the form of an RX-9?

Motor Trend reports that the successor to the RX-8 will eschew reverse-opening rear doors for a standard coupe format with an architecture based on the platform of the next-gen Mazda MX-5. If true, we may be talking about the world's first real rear-wheel-drive hybrid sportscar for the mass market.

It's worth noting that a hybrid powertrain may very well cure what has forever ailed the rotary engine: low torque (electric motors make gobs of the stuff at low rpm) and high fuel consumption. We like the idea of Mazda forging forward with the rotary engine, especially one that's tuned to make a ton of horsepower at stratospheric spinning speeds like a proper rotary should.

One potential weakness, though, is that Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology uses a complicated continuously variable automatic transmission, and those have typically failed to provide the excitement of a proper row-for-yourself manual gearbox, or even a dual-clutch. In any case, we're content to adopt a wait-and-see attitude on this latest rumor.Mazda RX-9 to borrow hybrid tech from Toyota originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 May 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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[lucifuge]

potentially interesting, potential fail as well!!!

[SarcasticOne]

potentially interesting, potential fail as well!!!

if they do it with a manual, and it actually, you know... works as described, it could be a very crazy car

[laser beam]

They should definitely introduce this. The small performance coupe/hatch market is booming. Mazda need another option on their list that'll give those 370z/135i/evox/sti buyers a raised eyebrow.

[Spudspec]

I remember seeing this thing at Mazda North America when I visited there. they just pulled it out of the box for a Photo shoot... Funny thing, I said to a guy, gee this thing looks cool. nice job, he told me he was the designer of the baesthetics. I looked at the potiac solstice sitting in the car park, and said, It is way better than that ugly hunk of jung... he looked at me, with a frown and told me he was the designer for that car too....... and it was his car! oops.

[Victa]

ick... hybrid == batteries == WEIGHT != RX-anything...