The Mazda RX-VISION was a star of the show when the Japanese carmaker’s award-winning rotary sports car concept made a special appearance on the shores of Lake Como at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. In addition to concepts from companies including Aston Martin, BMW and Pininfarina, the RX-VISION joined some 60 vintage cars in a festive atmosphere at the Villa Erba, a 19th century architectural jewel.
The RX-VISION won Most Beautiful Concept Car of the Year at the 31st Festival Automobile International in Paris in January after being unveiled to the world last November at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show (read our previous coverage here). It’s the latest interpretation of Mazda’s KODO – Soul of Motion design philosophy, which has earned the carmaker numerous accolades over the past five years for various concept and production models.
Paying tribute to the long and unique tradition of rotary-powered sports cars at Mazda, from the Cosmo 110S to the popular RX-series of production models, the RX-VISION hints at how the future could look with the sleekest and most supercar-like rendition of KODO yet. Mazda fashioned the ground-hugging figure with an eye to a next-generation SKYACTIV-R rotary engine, whose compact packaging makes such a low bonnet possible.
all images courtesy of Mazda