The RX-Vision amazed many when it was first launched in late 2015 at the Tokyo Motor Show. At the time, it was described as “a vision of the future that Mazda hopes to one day become a reality.” More than seven years later, that future has still not arrived, even though company Zoom-Zoom is bringing the rotary engine back to life. Instead of being used in a sports car, it serves as a range extender for the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV.
While Mazda still dreams of a rotary-powered performance vehicle, you can now buy the stunning RX-Vision in Japan as a 1:18 scale model. The price is 69,500 yen or about $535 at the current exchange rate. This resin toy measures over 37 cm (14.5 inches) long, 20.5 cm (8 inches) wide and 14.5 cm (5.7 inches) high. You might want to hurry up and buy it as only 30 units will be sold and Mazda hasn’t decided whether to sell another batch yet.
Mazda’s new Vision-badged concept car is also structured with performance in mind. Shown in November 2022, the Vision Study Concept describes a sleek coupe that may or may not feature the next-generation MX-5 Miata. Officially, it “demonstrates the brand’s commitment to fun cars.” Hopefully, it will materialize into an actual sports car rather than a throwaway like the RX-Vision.
Technically, the 2015 RX-Vision isn’t unique in that it gave birth to the GT3 version which was later joined by Gran Turismo. The last time Mazda sold a rotary-powered sports car was in 2012 when the Japanese special edition Spirit R ended production of 1,000 units. A spiritual replacement remains unlikely, but the company has demonstrated its commitment to the rotary engine by bringing it back for the MX-30 plug-in hybrid.
