Racy new Mazda RX rotary coupe revealed

Five years after the sleek Mazda RX-Vision wowed crowds at the 2015 Tokyo motor show, the Japanese car-maker has teased us with yet another rotary-powered coupe concept.

This time, however, it’s purely virtual and it gets a much more aggressive design to take on the world’s top-flight GT3 race cars.

While Mazda is yet to confirm a production version of either RX-Vision concept, gaming fans are now being treated to what a hard-core GT3 race version would like – and it sounds like an F1 car on steroids.

Created alongside Polyphony Digital, the computer-generated Japanese super-coupe is purely for Gran Turismo Sport gamers, who can now download the Mazda RX-Vision GT3 Concept racer via their PlayStation 4 console.

According to the creators of the game, the lightweight sports car – which we’re still hoping will one day become reality as Mazda’s born-again rotary performance flagship, possibly badged as either the MX-6 or RX-9 – is powered by a mid/front-mounted SKYACTIV-R quad-rotor engine delivering 425kW and “unprecedented performance”.

The Mazda RX-Vision GT3 Concept comes complete with a slew of aerodynamic enhancements, including a huge rear wing, protruding front splitter and a large air duct across the bonnet, and is said to have 48/52 front/rear weight distribution.

Mazda says players competing in the RX-Vision virtual racer will automatically be granted seed rights to participate in the FIA-certified Gran Turismo Championship, held in various locations around the world during the 2020 season.

In celebration of Mazda’s centenary this year, it will also host two special events on the PS4 game, including the ‘RX-Vision GT3 Concept Time Trial Challenge’ and the ‘RX-Vision GT3 Concept Livery Design Contest’, the winners of which will be awarded special prizes.