Mazda could be back in the performance business
Rumors have been circulating that suggest the next-generation Toyota Supra might pack a Mazda-sourced straight-six engine under its hood, meaning that a Mazda-branded six-pot-powered spiritual successor to the legendary Mazda RX-7 is equally as possible. Considering Mazda and Toyota have a strategic alliance similar to that of Toyota and Subaru, who share an EV platform for the Toyota bZ and Subaru Solterra and a sports car platform for the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ, this move could signal the beginning of a similar type of partnership with Mazda. If so, could such a move spark Mazda to offer more performance cars on their model menu, perhaps even reviving the Mazdaspeed nameplate to distinguish them from their regular lineup?
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You might assume that reviving a long-lost performance subdivision is only the stuff of fairytales, but in a surprising turn of events, another legendary performance institution has announced it will return: SRT. That’s right, Stellantis has made the decision to revive the legendary Mopar tuning division with former Dodge CEO (and current Ram CEO) Tim Kuniskis at the helm. Perhaps Mazda might tune into that very same memo and realize that exciting sports cars do deserve a spot in every successful brand’s model lineup, including their own. If so, what could a revived Mazdaspeed lineup even look like?
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Should Mazda borrow power from the Toyota GR Corolla to revive the Mazdaspeed3?
Knowing that Toyota is considering a Mazda-sourced powertrain for the next-gen Supra, perhaps Toyota could reciprocate by lending Mazda their vivacious, turbocharged three-cylinder engine to use in a performance version of the current Mazda3 hatchback. While the last Mazdaspeed3 used a turbocharged, 2.3-liter inline-four to send its tire-smoking 263 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque to the front two wheels and propel itself from 0-60 miles per hour in just 6.3 seconds, a revived Mazda performance hot hatch could benefit from the Toyota GR Corolla’s 300 horsepower, turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-three engine. Paired with Mazda’s iACTIV all-wheel drive system and an obligatory six-speed manual transmission, a new Mazdaspeed3 could boast a quicker 0-60 sprint time akin to the GR Corolla’s 4.9-second record.
Alternatively, Mazda could better appease its own loyal purists by using a modified version of the brand’s turbocharged, 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder engine for a Mazdaspeed3 revival. In current stock form, the very same motor produces up to 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque, allowing the 2025 Mazda3 Turbo to accelerate from 0-60 in just 5.9 seconds–a pace that already outruns even the most powerful factory version of the Mazdaspeed3. With a modified power figure just over 300, and with a similar torque figure or perhaps even less at the acceptable cost of higher revs, the 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G could be an ample starting point for the revived Mazdaspeed3’s beating heart. Regardless of what’s really under the hood, we’re surely not alone in our eagerness for a modern reincarnation of the glorious, torque-steering brute that was the Mazdaspeed3.
What if Mazda revived the Mazdaspeed6 as a hybrid?
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Thanks to the introduction of the wonderfully engaging CX-70 and CX-90 sport crossovers into Mazda’s lineup in recent years, the legacy Japanese automaker finally possesses a RWD chassis that isn’t the MX-5’s pint-sized platform. Although the Mazda6, Mazda’s respected mid-size sedan offering, was discontinued after its 2021 model year, enthusiasts and loyal buyers have eagerly awaited the announcement of an all-new Mazda6 underpinned by the same rear-drive platform found beneath the CX-70.
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If Mazda were to be so bold, this would mean a revived Mazda6 could make use of the Mazda CX-70’s plug-in hybrid powertrain, which offers a combined 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque paired with all-wheel drive and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Also like the CX-70, a Turbo S trim could equip the crossover’s turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six, bringing 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque to the table with a glorious six-pot soundtrack. The cherry on top, however, could be a variant of the Mazda6 with a modified version of their straight six–likely the version that could make its way into the next-generation Toyota Supra–with something north of 450 horsepower under its belt. Similarly paired with all-wheel drive and an 8-speed automatic gearbox, this would make a seriously epic replacement for the long-lost Mazdaspeed6.
Could a mid-engine sports car spice up Mazda’s brand appeal?
A strategy that’s worked all too well for Chevrolet’s Corvette, integrating a mid-engine sports car into Mazda’s model lineup could once again thrust the brand into the automotive enthusiast spotlight. Plus, with rumors abound suggesting Toyota might soon bring back the legendary, mid-engine MR2, Mazda might be able to borrow the platform for its very own application. In what could be a spiritual successor to the once-exciting, but nowadays mostly overlooked, MX-6 coupe, a turbocharged, mid-engine coupe developed by Mazda’s masterful team of engineers would surely be a hot commodity in today’s increasingly dull pool of brand-new sports car offerings.
Using either a powerful, turbocharged four-cylinder or a turbocharged six-cylinder, if one will fit, a mid-engine Mazda sports car could fill the gap that the Porsche Cayman will soon leave behind, as the German automaker transitions the model away from internal combustion, replacing it with an upcoming EV-only sports car. With the Lotus Emira making waves and the rumored upcoming Toyota MR2 potentially approaching production soon, Mazda could seize the opportunity to put its expertise to practice and compete with its own mid-engine sports coupe offering.
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Final thoughts
Mazda’s shift upmarket in recent years has proven to be incredibly successful for the brand, expanding its market appeal by offering a truly premium product for economy brand prices and with legacy brand resale value. Now that Mazda has proven its capabilities as a true alternative-to-luxury automaker, renewing a long-lost lineup of performance cars and reviving sporty variants of its regular lineup could offer the brand a brilliant opportunity to not only expand brand appeal, but also to show the world a contrast between the level of quality of its contemporary models. Mazda has come a long way since Mazdaspeed was dissolved way back in 2013, and reviving the iconic performance sub-division could be an extremely exciting way to celebrate and show off the company’s recent accomplishments.
About the author
Cole Attisha
Staff Writer, Autoblog