The Mazda RX-9 Vision Concept was first displayed at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show and caught the attention of motor enthusiasts around the world. Rumors indicated that the Mazda RX-9 Sports car will be launched by 2020 to celebrate the automaker’s centenary but it seems that won’t be the case.
Speaking to an Australian magazine, Wheel, Mazda’s head of R&D Kiyoshi Fujiwara, mentioned that the company cannot launch the RX-9 Vision by 2020 because it does not have enough “money to invest to commercialize it.”
Mazda has allocated a large chunk of its budget to develop the SkyActiv-x powertrain, which will be used to power the next-generation Mazda3. Moreover, the automaker is also busy in developing electric batteries and hybrid technology.
However, the automaker has confirmed that the successor RX-8 will be launched very soon. The only reason delaying the launch is the newer technology that will have be added with an increased price tag.
Mazda officials also stated that they will launch two versions of the RX-9 sports car; one with an electric powertrain and the other with a rotary engine. The former will be for those markets where only zero-emission vehicles are allowed in the cities.