Could this concept car form the basis of a bigger brother for the Mazda RX8? To be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month, the Senku uses a mid-mounted rotary engine and like the RX-8, it’s a four seater.
But unlike the RX-8, the 1.3-litre engine forms part of a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, and the Senku has two electrically-powered sliding doors rather than the RX-8’s four. Mazda says the Senku has perfect 50:50 weight distribution and that inside priority is given to the occupants of the front seats, indicating that the Senku is a 2+2 rather than a true four seater.
Mazda will also be showing a hybrid version of its 5 MPV at Tokyo, with a petrol/hydrogen rotary engine and an electric motor, and an RX-8 with a hydrogen-powered rotary engine that’s due to be leased to commercial fleets.
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