LA MOTOR SHOW: Mazda RT24-P Rolex 24-hour racer

Mazda has stunned crowds at the Los Angeles motor show with its RX Vision-inspired RT24-P race car.

Built to compete at the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona in late January (2017), the RT24-P combines Mazda's KODO Soul of Motion design philosophy with a 2.0-litre turbocharged Mazda MZ engine, developing approximately 447kW.

Just don't expect that 447kW beast of an engine to make its way into a Mazda 3 anytime soon... Although an MPS version is overdue.

"This is a huge moment for Mazda Motorsports and the entire Mazda family," said director of Mazda Motorsports North America, John Doonan.

"To have a car which features Mazda design language at the top level of our motorsports program is meaningful for us as a brand. We believe we have the right team, the right drivers and the right chassis to win races and championships."

The Mazda RT24-P name is said to echo the Mazda Road to 24, a driver development program that provides scholarships to help championship-winning drivers progress from grassroots into the upper categories of professional sports car racing. The "P" signifies Prototype.

Mazda currently holds more than a 55 per cent market share in grassroots racing, and the Mazda Road to 24 helps provide championship-winning drivers an opportunity to earn scholarships to compete in pro categories.

By the beginning of next year's US race season, Mazda will have provided $US14.9 million in driver development scholarships to 53 drivers since 2007.