Mazda RX Successor Gone To The Big Junkyard In The Sky(activ)

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

What you’re seeing above isn’t the rendered visage of the next Mazda rotary sports car, but the leaked fascia of the new CX-5 crossover. Better get used to it.

In an interview with Automotive News, Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai shot down the idea of a revived RX-7, RX-8 or RX-anything, stating

“We don’t have that kind of vehicle in our future product plan…If you increase the number of segments, then the resources we can allocate to each will decline and that will prevent us from developing truly good products.The company is still in the process of improving its financial structure. We want to focus our limited resources on the Skyactiv products that we have today.”

For a small, independent auto maker with limited resources, this is a sound decision. At any given auto maker, there are finite funds that must be allocated across the company for different aspects of new model development (design, engineering, marketing, manufacturing, regulatory concerns, parts, service, retail etc). For an outfit like Mazda, these are best spent on volume models like the CX-5, Mazda 3 and the upcoming CX-3 crossover. All of the “fun” money was likely poured into the next MX-5, which uses a bespoke architecture that cannot be amortized via other models in the Mazda lineup.


Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • RHD RHD on Nov 11, 2014

    Back to the premise of the article, i.e. the front of the new Mazdas: Why in the world did they create, then approve, such overuse of black eyeliner and mascara around the headlights? It looks like a 14-year-old experimenting with her older sister's Goth makeup collection. (Get with it, Mazda, cars should look like CARS, not cartoon characters or anime-inspired animals!)

  • Ccode81 Ccode81 on Nov 11, 2014

    In the past topic of closed Japanese market suspect, someone tried to find hidden chicken tax by comparing local price of mazda speed 3 and golf GTI. I have a feeling Mazda couldn't place the mazda speed 3 as a sport image leader or price it at profitable range while halo car RX-8 was still offered for Japan, although they halt the export. as long as Mazda is at current market place, even offering RX, it may not dream to plan a car with price higher than USD 35k and thus output more than 300hp. That kind of car existence will again squeeze place for higher performance version of 3 or 6, which may be a more promising money maker.

    • Drewlssix Drewlssix on Nov 14, 2014

      That may well be the case when looking at volum shoppers but typical enthusiasts don't seem to cross shop such different cars as the speed3 miata and RX8. Whatever the pricing those that love the power of the ms3 want nothing to do with a gutless 8 and 8 lovers don't want the crass fwd antics of the 3.

  • ToolGuy Honda was robbed.
  • ToolGuy "Honey, someone is trying to cross the moat again"
  • Rochester "better than Vinfast" is a pretty low bar.
  • TheMrFreeze That new Ferrari looks nice but other than that, nothing.And VW having to put an air-cooled Beetle in its display to try and make the ID.Buzz look cool makes this classic VW owner sad 😢
  • Wolfwagen Is it me or have auto shows just turned to meh? To me, there isn't much excitement anymore. it's like we have hit a second malaise era. Every new vehicle is some cookie-cutter CUV. No cutting-edge designs. No talk of any great powertrains, or technological achievements. It's sort of expected with the push to EVs but there is no news on that front either. No new battery tech, no new charging tech. Nothing.
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