Mazda RX-7 launch in 2011 – RX-8 dropped, RX-9 to come?

The Mazda RX-8 to be dropped and RX-7 in 2011. And an RX-9?

It’s being reported that Mazda are to launch a new RX-7 in 2011 and drop the slow-selling RX-8 altogether.

Mazda have persisted with the rotary engine despite the path being a lone furrow. And it would appear they’re not about to give up on the Wankel lump, but they may be about to give up on its host, the Mazda RX-8.

Inside Line are reporting that Mazda has plans to launch a two seat RX-7 in 2011 featuring the Renesis Rotary Engine which first saw the light of day in the Taiki Concept in 2007. The Renesis 16X engine is capable of producing up to 350bhp, but Inside Line reports that it will only be tuned to around 250bhp in the 2011 RX-7 to keep the RX-7 under the £20,000 mark to compete with new offerings from the likes of the Toyota FT-86.

The report also says that dues to falling sales of the RX-8 (down almost 50% in the last year) Mazda may ditch the RX-8 altogether. Which I suppose does make some sense as the RX-8 has become rather dated – on the surface it’s little changed in almost a decade. But much more likely, in our opinion, is that Mazda will drop the RX-8 and instead launch a range-topping Mazda RX-9 featuring the full-fat 350bhp version of the Renesis 16X lump.

Could Mazda replace the RX-8 with an RX-7 and an RX-9 (pictured)?

The Mazda RX-9 has been rumoured for some time, and dropping the RX-8 and replacing it with the RX-7 and RX-9 does, in our opinion, make far more sense. A £20,000 RX-7 with 250bhp and a new range-topping RX-9 with 350bhp and a price tag around £35,000 – together with the evergreen Mazda MX-5 – would give Mazda a strong sports car range.

And it would be a shame not to utilise the full power of the Renesis 16X engine.